Chicken 101 … learn how to cook with chook
Chicken is a fantastic kitchen staple; it’s a popular protein that is versatile and cost-effective. Here’s our quick and easy guide to cooking with chicken.
Let’s start with a few basics that you should always keep in mind when cooking with chicken. Firstly always use a separate chopping board for raw chicken to avoid the risk of food poisoning or cross contamination. Secondly, make sure that chicken is always cooked through. A simple way to check is to look for juices that run clear when you pierce through the thickest part of the meat with a skewer. There should also not be any pink meat in a properly cooked chook.
Chicken can be cooked using a variety of cooking techniques, from the classic roast chook to pan-fried, barbecued and poached. For juicy chicken, cover chicken breasts with clingfilm and use a rolling pin or kitchen mallet to flatten slightly - this will help them to cook more quickly. Remove the clingfilm and rub the chicken with oil, then season and pan fry in a hot pan for 3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
If you’re looking for quick and easy ways to add some flavour to chicken whether it is breasts, thighs or a whole chook, there are some simple and easy techniques that you can use. Marinades are great with chicken because chicken readily absorbs flavours. Allow the chicken to sit in the marinade for at least an hour, or preferably overnight for maximum flavour. Another simple way to add flavour is with spice rubs. You can make your own using your favourite spices or if you’re short on time there are plenty of spice rubs available to buy. All you need to do is rub the spices into the chicken and then pan-fry. Flavoured butters are another fantastic way to pep up your chicken dishes. Try a mix of herbs, garlic or chilli mixed in with butter. Push the butter under the chicken skin and it will infuse a wonderful flavour and moistness into the chicken as it cooks.
