When it comes to cooking, there are a lot of different options to choose from when it comes to selecting the star of any dish. Whether choosing beef, poultry, or seafood, each type of meat has its good points and great points, but nothing compares to chicken when it comes to versatility, taste, texture, and healthiness. The key to preparing great chicken is knowing just how to get it just right for the type of meal or dish you’re creating. What makes cooking chicken so challenging is that it can be boiled, baked, grilled, stir-fried, and just about everything in between and is either great or awful. To cook chicken successfully, you have to make the most of your chicken before you begin.
After you have selected a few good chicken recipes, it’s time to make sure your kitchen is up to the task. Safety is key when it comes to cooking, and efficiency is next. To be safe, make sure you have a cut-proof glove, sanitizer, and a cutting board. It’s also a good idea to have a smart smoke detector in your kitchen to alert you in case of any fires or excessive smoke. Now that your kitchen is ready, you can follow these four tips for cooking great chicken.
Choose Only the Best Chicken
Selecting good quality chicken is the same as choosing any other food that you would eat, you just have to know what to look for when looking for a good quality chicken. If you’re going to using a whole chicken, then look for a chicken that is plump, has rounded breast meat, and has more breast than leg. When possible, give your chicken a smell test. Whole chickens and chicken parts should be moist and plump and have a clean smell. If you’re choosing frozen chicken, make sure there is no freezer burn or ice build-up on any of the chicken parts. Great chicken dishes begin with great chicken.
Making Your Chicken Better
While chicken is great just as it is, there are a few things you can do to make it better before you cook it. Here are a few ideas that will make your chicken better before you begin cooking.
Marinade
Marinating chicken is a great way to add bold flavors to chicken to complement side dishes and create a unique theme or style for a cohesive dining experience. For instance, if you’re looking for a Hawaiian theme, consider using a pineapple or citrus marinade for chicken.
Brine
If you want to serve chicken that’s tender and juicy, then brining is the answer. Bringing chicken not only gives you a moist and succulent bird, but it also brings out the natural and wonderful flavors of the chicken. The key to a good brine is salt. The most popular type of brine is a wet brine. For a wet brine, combine 1 1/4 cups of per gallon of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and allow it to cool. Once cool, submerge the chicken in the borne and allow to sit for at 2 to 3 hours. For truly excellent chicken, brine the meat for at least 12 hours or up to 2 days.
Season
Adding generous amounts seasonings to your chicken before you cook it will add a lot of flavors, enhance the taste of the meat, and add texture to the skin. Salt, season salt, pepper, and thyme are great seasoning to add to chicken for any type of meal.
Choose the Right Parts
If you want a great dish with chicken as the star, then you have to use the best parts of the chicken for the right style of dish. For instance, if you’re plan is to make fried chicken, then you can use any parts of the chicken. This includes legs, thighs, and breasts. However, if you’re planning on preparing chicken alfredo, then you only want to use the white meat, which comes from the breast. If you’re ever in doubt, follow your recipe as to what parts or type of meat from the chicken to use.
Select the Best Cooking Method
There’s really no wrong way to cook chicken, but there is a wrong way for certain types of dishes. If you’re making chicken salad, then you want to boil the chicken rather than bake it. Always follow your recipe on the best way to cook chicken for the type of dish you’re preparing. When it comes to cooking chicken, whether baking, frying, grilling, or boiling, it’s always best to take it slow. Chicken is at it’s best when cooked over low or medium heat.
Chicken is great for all occasions. From a chicken sandwich to a five-star chicken marsala, it can satisfy any palette or taste. Knowing just how to prepare chicken and bring out its finer points is what separates good chicken dishes from great ones.
