# Par-cooking chicken for the grill?



## justfryit (Feb 24, 2004)

Hi,

Does anyone par-cook chicken breasts for finishing on the grill?

I need to be able to get out grilled chicken breasts quickly for the lunch crowd. I thought about par-grilling them first before the rush and then holding them at 140. When I need one just finsh them on the grill.

Does anyone do something similar to this?


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

When an order come in just throw two or three on the grill. Put them in a pan on the flatop and put a little water in the pan. Should be fine.

Unless you're charging $11.95 for a chicken sandwich. Then you better do them all to order.


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## justfryit (Feb 24, 2004)

Hi Kuan,

I'm not folowing you. Wouldn't it stand to reason that if you're charging $11.95 for a chick sand that you WOULD cook to order (so to speak). These grilled chicks aill be used on salads and sands in the $6.95 range.

Thanks for replying.


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

That's what I said. If you are charging $11.95 then do them one at a time. In your case you can just grill them 3-4 at a time and put them in a pan on the grill or flatop. That's close, but not really to order, but almost the same as what you're thinking. It's what I would do and I've done it before. Of course you don't want to do it at 1:30pm. 

PS: Have you ever eaten chicken breast held for 1.5 hours? Gross. Happens all the time at banquets.


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## suzanne (May 26, 2001)

I had to do them a la minute, every single one, along with blocks of tuna and a couple of items for apps. But our volume wasn't all that high, maybe 125 max.

If you do want to cook them off ahead of time, it makes more sense to me to just mark them on the grill, hold them in refrigeration on your station, and then just toss them as needed into the oven on a sizzle platter. By the time they're all warmed up, they're cooked through.


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

If these are boneless chickens there is no reason they can't be done to order. It doesn't take that long to grill off a boneless breast. But even doing then to order doesn't mean that you can't anticipate your rush and get a few on, to cover your butt. That means when the first ticket of your lunch rush comes in, there is no harm in throwing on a few extra breasts to keep yourself ahead. But only a couple of breasts, that way you don't have chicken lying around getting dried out. As those get ordered you throw a few more on, keeping just ahead of the rush, and as it dies down you let your supply die off as you have more time and can cook them "to order". This is a technique I had to use at one place I worked where our lunch rush was fast and busy (100+ covers, "fine dining" yet wanted to be in and out quickly, in about 1 hour) other than that I have always just cooked them as the orders came in. Really doesn't take any longer than a MW burger.


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## justfryit (Feb 24, 2004)

Thanks for all of the great tips guys.

From reading all of these tips I think I'm going to pound out the fatter part of the breast a little then use the pan of stock on the grill tip. Just try to stay a little ahead of the game.

Thanks again everyone.


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## chef whitey (Apr 17, 2015)

_I microwave bone-in breasts to bring the internal temp. up, making it easier and quicker to finish._


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## kennycancook (Sep 18, 2015)

We used to par cook chicken when I worked at a hotel and did lots of banquets and weddings... but we would finish just before service and putting plates together and popping them in the hot boxes for the servers. For a grill/griddle situation, we would typically butterfly the breasts to have an even thickness for quick and even cooking. On a griddle, the pan to cover with a squirt of water to have the steam assist was always effective. So many ways to WORK it or PUSH it when the situation calls. In the end... minding time/temp is key!


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## kingfarvito (May 7, 2012)

I'm with Pete here. A boneless breast take me 4.5 mins to cook. Why not do that to order?


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