Chicken breast or chicken tenders from the freezer. (I don't know which one)

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Top_Development_1777@reddit (OP)

Mostly. I'm just a college student living alone who has never learned to cook pretty much anything except putting stuff in water and boiling until it's safe to eat.

Also I don't have fresh ginger so that sucks.

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TotalInstruction@reddit

If you’re looking for advice, I’ll give you some. And if you’re not, I’ll give you advice anyway.

Invest in a decent instant-read meat thermometer. Thermopen is a good one, but if you’re on a tight budget, there are knockoffs that do OK. You don’t ever* want to cook cuts of meat like this by boiling. The only real exception I make is sausages, because it is hard to tell when they’re done without poking a hole and letting the flavor out, and the fat content makes it hard to overcook them in water/beer.

Use a skillet or pan. If it’s not nonstick, or even if it is, oil the pan and heat it to medium heat (not too hot or the oil will burn). Give the chicken a good sear on each side (dry the chicken off, lay it on the hot pan and don’t touch it for a minute, then flip and repeat. Then crank the heat down and cook another 4-5 minutes a side. Use the thermometer in the thickest part - you’re aiming for 160-165° F. Pull it off the pan and rest it on a plate for 5 minutes. That will let the liquids redistribute, cook it a little more, and you’ll end up with chicken that doesn’t have the consistency of leather.

Make sure you season the chicken how you like it (salt and pepper, I also use some garlic and onion powder and a touch of MSG (Accent)).

If you’re going to make a sauce, cook the chicken first, then take it out and make the sauce in the pan to get some of that chicken flavor in there.

Trust me, it will make the chicken 100x better.

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Top_Development_1777@reddit (OP)

Thanks! I stabbed the chicken thoroughly with a butter knife so that the core would be cooked. I'm pretty busy with school, live alone on campus, and only have access to a bedroom and a toilet (no kitchen), so this is literally an automated pan on top of my fridge. I don't have a lot of space for much in terms of cooking utensils and ingredients.

When I become less busy, this would probably be very handy. My standards in food are low, and I like bland stuff, but it'll be nice to eat tastier food.

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milkleg@reddit

A microwave, rice cooker or airfyer will help you a lot

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TotalInstruction@reddit

Yeah fair. I’ve been there. But I will say that when I’ve had a stressful day, cooking a decent meal is one of life’s pleasures.

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Dawnzarelli@reddit

Young person. Get on YouTube and watch some tutorials. Also, if you made it to college, I would hope you know how to read enough to follow a book of simple recipes. There are cookbooks, I bet in your school library even. If you have a library card you likely also have access to digital copies of cookbooks.

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Top_Development_1777@reddit (OP)

I would if I had more time. I have very limited time and also space in my room for cooking (no kitchen, just a bedroom and a toilet) due to being in a very demanding course and having my final exams in 2 weeks. When I clean up my room I'll probably have space for better cooking ingredients and maybe more utensils.

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Dawnzarelli@reddit

You have a freezer, though? You could get pre-cooked meats and those microwave grain or rice bags and frozen veg and be able to make things quickly with no planning aside from buying the stuff involved. Feed your brain padawan!

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MadamVoid@reddit

A cheap air fryer even be good for cooking meats and veggies

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MadamVoid@reddit

Jesus. Babes please look up how to cook videos on YouTube. You can learn the simplest of things

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The-Devil-Cat@reddit

cooking is a lot easier than you think, so give yourself some grace. There are plenty of youtube videos and tutorials for people learning basics!

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Mysterious-Egg-624@reddit

You…. you dont know ?

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onionleekdude@reddit

There are so many questions that come to mind. Ill stick with the first one.

The fuck?

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Xfuck1tX@reddit

gif

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KyddCotten@reddit

Going out tonight for dinner is your best choice.

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Top_Development_1777@reddit (OP)

I literally can't eat any proper meal outside (have never been able to for more than 2 years now) because I have an immune response to an ingredient found in literally all proper food outside. I also live alone. That's why I'm eating slop (I don't mind it that much as long as it is edible tbh)

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