Expert: Kris Yager - 10/10/2011

Question
Hello :)

I hav'nt had much experience cooking chicken or any meats. I was wondering is it ok to grill chicken breasts in a electric sandwich grilling machine(sandwich maker), the one with horizontal, parallel line grills, and a slightly heavy lid (grills on both sides)? I dont have a proper barbeque. I will marinade and then oil the chicken and grills on the machine. Should that turn out ok? And how can i make sure sure the chicken turns out juicy, tender, cooked till the inside but not tough?

Thank you for your help!

Answer
Hello Tanya and thanks for your question! I'm going to assume you are talking about a panini press sandwich maker. Some of these machines are quite versatile; the Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Multifunctional Indoor Grill, for example, has many uses and is the perfect machine for you. However, I'm going to guess that you already have a machine you want to use. Most sandwich machines do not have a grease trap. This makes grilling meats on them somewhat dangerous. When you are cooking, where is that grease/oil going to go? Some of the machines have a shallow outer lip; if this describes your machine, you can grill some foods. You'll probably have to watch the grill from start to finish, for you may have to frequently soak up liquid from the outer lip with paper towels. So, it's possible to use a sandwich maker. For most models, it is not recommended. My suggestion? Think about getting a George Foreman grill. They are built for exactly the type of cooking you are talking about. You can even use them as a sandwich maker.
If finding a Foreman grill doesn't work for you, may I suggest this; cook one chicken breast on your machine. Also, only oil the meat, not the grill. Observe where liquids pool up on the machine. After cooking one breast, you can better determine whether your machine is suited for grilling meats or just grilling sandwiches.
To answer the final part of your question, the key to juicy, tender chicken is to sear it. This means whatever surface you are cooking on needs to be hot before you put the chicken on. After you've seared the meat on both sides, continue cooking until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees. If you don't have a meat thermometer, you can "stab" the meat and peek at the juices inside. When they run clear, you're ready to go.
I hope this information helps. Let me know if you need more or if you have any other questions!