It’s a well-known fact that chicken is the go-to option for many meat lovers all over the world. It’s tasty and really easy to cook. Furthermore, there’s very little chance of you getting bored of chicken as there are thousands of recipes that you can try.
However, when cooking chicken most people tend to miss certain things and end up compromising the result of what could have been an amazing meal. Here are some things you should keep in mind to greatly enhance the flavour of your dish.
- Always purchase fresh chicken
The first and foremost thing you must do is buy fresh chicken. Frozen meat, although convenient, never tastes as good as fresh chicken does. Also, chicken that has lost its moisture will not be as juicy and tender as you may like it to be. When you’re ordering chicken online, always choose a place which cuts your meat to order.
- Don’t throw the skin and bones
Never get boneless and skinless chicken. You don’t necessarily have to eat the skin. If you’re not a fan of it, simply peel it off after the chicken is fully cooked. Both the skin and the bones help keep the meat moist while it cooks. With very little fat, especially the chicken breasts, need all the help that they can get. Going skinless and boneless often means ending up with a dry and stringy piece of meat.
- Consider using a thermometer
You may be a pro at cooking chicken, but the most precise way to check whether it’s fully cooked or not is using a thermometer. The final temperature at the thermometer must reach 329 F or 165 degrees. Anything above that will overcook the meat and make it extremely dry.
- Never crowd the cooking pan
When frying chicken breasts in a pan, look for a delicious crust on it. Crowding the pan traps the heat which gets turned into steam and prevents the chicken from getting a nice caramelized crust. This may result in a soggy piece of meat that can be inedible.
- Remember to season the marinade
Skipping the marinade or brine may result in a chicken dish that greatly lacks flavour. There are several ways of flavouring the chicken, including marinating with aromatics or just rubbing it with salt. We’ve been told by many to skip the salt as it draws out the moisture of the chicken, but this is not true and failing to add salt in the marinade may result in lack of that powerful punch of flavours.
- Don’t rush to serve
It’s important to let the chicken rest for some time after it’s been cooked and before you cut or carve it. Letting it rest helps retain the juices that enhance the flavour of your dish.
As you can see, cooking the perfect dish is easy if you just follow these simple rules. It can be done in your own home, using very few supplies. There’s no need to fear cooking chicken for your family or guests as you’ll be well prepared the next time.
- Categories:
- Food Guide