Cooking is an art and unlike other artistic mediums, it has the ability to engage all body senses. When a meal is prepared the right way, it’s like gifting yourself. Chicken meat is one of the best and inexpensive types to prepare as it can last for a couple of days in the fridge, of course after the cooking.
Chicken preparation can be made in more ways than one and yet taste differently. But a single mistake can make the whole chicken tasteless and unappetizing. For you to avoid any chicken cooking mistakes, you need to know the technique to perfect a delicacy. You don’t want to spoil your chicken just because you missed out on the correct technique to prepare it.
So, what makes a chicken dish perfect? A chicken dish requires being tender and having a juicy texture. But, don’t fret if you are still trying to figure out the right procedure to use. You can learn from the several ways that are shown below.
How to cook perfect chicken 8 different ways
Pan-roasted chicken
Pan-roasted chicken is something you need to grasp carefully to avoid missing any important step that matters in bringing out the desired flavor. First, for best cooking gear – we recommend you use a nickel free stainless steel cookware set as that has a lot of benefits and helps to roast the meat the proper way.
You cook your chicken using the stovetop-plus-oven method of cooking, which inevitably will make your house a bit smelly with a rustic French cottage smell. You will enjoy the fragrance that comes from your home preparation whether it’s during the fall or winter. The pan-roasting chicken method is one of the most mouthwatering and aromatic cooking techniques.
You use two processes with pan-roasting and it takes you from the stovetop to the oven. Heat your oven to 475 degrees. After that sear your chicken skin-side down it in a smoking hot oven-proof skillset using a little oil for it to brown the skin and lock in delicious flavor. The next step is to transfer the chicken to the skillset to the oven to continue cooking, flipping about five minutes before finalizing the whole cooking process.
Boiled chicken
You should consider boiling chicken for healthy lean breasts. Skinless and boneless chicken breasts are naturally low in fat and calories, but when you boil them that can help you maintain clean eating habits. For instance, poaching and boiling require no adding of butter or cooking oil, which means you enjoy chicken protein with no excess fat.
Boiled chicken is good for athletics, gym-goers, and others who are physically involved in any exercise. The boiled chicken is ideal for adding to heating in soups, adding to salads and enjoying over the grains. The cooking process is easy, and you simply place the chicken in a saucepan plus cover it using 2 to 3 inches of cold water. Make sure you cover and bring the water to a boil over high heat. After the water has started to boil, adjust the heat to medium-high and cook it until no longer pink inside for about 10 minutes. But remember if your chicken has larger pieces, you need it more time.
Baked Chicken
Do you find boneless chicken breast boring? Try out baked chicken recipes. You should reconsider that as the moment you start dabbling in baking skinless and boneless chicken breasts, you are going to realize what a good meal is within your reach when you have access to an oven. Skinless and boneless chicken breasts are inherently lean, plus they are finicky to cook and dry out very easily. When you are using the oven to bake, it is essentially cooking in an enclosed space that provides you with a consistent heat level. Well, it’s great, but can lead to overcooking the exterior part of the chicken while leaving the inside part raw. You can, however, go around that by maximizing the power of the oven without drying out your chicken.
You can preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make sure you grease your dish using olive oil, canola oil or butter. This prevents your chicken from sticking to the bottom of the pan during cooking. Ensure you pat the chicken breasts dry using a paper towel and then season them the way you like it. Grease one side of a sheet lightly and place it over the chicken, greased-side down, tucking in the edges. Doing that helps to keep your chicken moist. The next step is to transfer the pan to the middle rack of the oven and bake it until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and no longer pink inside, around 30 to 40 minutes.
Grilled Chicken
Just as the name sounds, at least you get an idea of the chicken result you will get. For you to get a perfect grilled chicken, you first have to get rid of any lumps in your chicken. And you do this by laying it on a cutting board and beat the chicken using a something heavy with a flat surface until an even thickness has been mostly achieved. Don’t forget to add seasoning to your already brined meat, and then place it on a clean and oiled grill rack over medium heat. Shut the lid, and occasionally turn it around.
You should know that you can grill any cut of the chicken even the whole part by preparing to spatchcock them first. If you plan to add teriyaki sauce or barbecue to the chicken while it cooks, do it towards the end of your cooking. That’s gives it a chance to glaze onto the surface, but it won’t burn excess and ruin the flavor.
When you see your thermometer hit 165, you may remove the chicken from the heat. Allow it to sit for a couple of minutes then serve it using a suave expression of competence and satisfaction plastered across your face like the barbecue sauce soon.
