Chicken is a versatile and healthy dish. There exists an endless variety of ways to cook chicken, and the recipes and methods may depend on which part of the chicken is being cooked. Generally, chicken on the bone can be cooked in higher heat while boneless white chicken only remains juicy when cooked gently or for a very short amount of time. Chicken should be rinsed and cleaned of excess fat before cooking, no matter which recipe is used. Here are several different ways to cook chicken:
To make oven roasted chicken, use chicken on the bone, whether it is whole, quartered, or in eighths. Slice two or three onions and place the onion rings at the bottom of a greased roasting pan. Place the cleaned chicken in the pan on top of the onions. The chicken can be spiced with paprika, black pepper, and garlic, and rubbed with a bit of vegetable oil. Alternatively, the chicken can be spiced with garlic powder only, and then glazed with a generous amount of barbeque sauce. Place the pan, uncovered, in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for one hour or until the chicken looks well-done.
Similar to oven roasting is grilling. The advantage of grilling is that the chicken gets turned often and is cooked for a short amount of time, so even boneless chicken breast can be grilled. Slather the chicken pieces (bone in or boneless) with a generous amount of barbecue sauce, and grill each side until cooked through. If there is time for advanced preparation, chicken can be soaked in a marinade instead and then grilled. Boneless breast will be cooked in just several minutes using this method.
Stir frying chicken is a fun way to mix in vegetables into a chicken dish. Cut boneless chicken breast into 1 inch cubes or bite-size pieces. Heat up a few tablespoons of oil in a pan on the stovetop, and saute the chicken until slightly browned. Separately, saute assorted cut vegetables, such as onions, carrots, zucchini, and red peppers or a frozen vegetable mix. Combine the chicken and vegetables in a large pot, and add in soy sauce, a bit of vinegar, minced garlic, and sugar to taste. Cover and simmer until ready, approximately twenty minutes. The key to a good stir fry is stirring often to ensure that all the food gets cooked well. Do not be afraid to experiment with sauces and vegetables to get the perfect tasting chicken. Serve over rice.
The easiest way to cook boneless chicken breast is to pound them flat to an even thickness, dip in raw egg and then in breadcrumbs, and fry in a pan. The pan needs to be filled with an adequate amount of oil throughout the frying process so it does not burn. Fry on each side for several minutes, using tongs to flip the cutlet.
Certainly the most convenient dish for busy people is chicken in a slowcooker. A slowcooker can be left on for hours, so the meal can be made in the morning and served in the evening without any more preparation. Chicken on the bone is the best for this dish, although boneless can be used as well. Put a tablespoon of oil in the bottom of the slowcooker pot, add the chicken and cut potatoes or other vegetables, fresh or frozen. Flavoring can range from honey and garlic, to soup mix and spices. Add water until just covered, and enjoy the delicious smells that will permeate the house until dinnertime.
Chicken can be cooked in a variety of ways, but because it is a lean meat, be careful not to overcook as to avoid drying out the meat. Bon appetit!
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