Chicken Breasts for company

[Anonymous]

Tomorrow night we're having family friends over, menu is baked bbq chicken breasts, mac & cheese, broccoli, salad & rolls. We'll be out all day, so I was hoping to get ahead of the game.

tonight I was going to brine the chicken breasts. Can I precook them in the morning, finishing them with the sauce before dinner? (While the macaroni and rolls bake)?

[Anonymous]

I would cook them right before serving -- at 400*, they will only take 30 minutes or so.

[Anonymous]

This subject line made me laugh! I thought "for company" meant "for companionship," which I thought was pretty bizarre!!

[Anonymous]

No. I think they would get dry precooked, unless you are making them in a sauce e.g. Chicken korma or a dish like beef goulash. Otherwise, marinate and cook right before guests arrive.

Actually, having said that, I now remember that my mom used to boil chicken for stock, and then take chicken pieces, marinate and then put in oven so that they are crunchy for about 30 min or so. Her main reason for this was to use them for stock and then for eating. Not sure what you gain since it takes anyway: 30-45 min to bake the chicken in the oven.

[Anonymous]

Meant to say marinate the night before, and bake before guests arrive

[Anonymous]

If the issue is oven space, I would bake the macaroni first, excluding the "browning the top" step. Then I'd bake the chicken and rolls together, then brown the top of the macaroni.