Questions about handling, preparing, or cooking chicken, either whole or parts.

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2answers
3k views

Adding spices before or after frying?

If I fry chicken strips for my salad, should I spice them before or after I fry them? I've heard contradicting opinions.
7
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2answers
669 views

Why cleave chicken when making stock?

Why would you cleave your chicken, bones, into pieces when you are making stock? I just throw whats left of my chicken in a pot with some vegetables bring it to a boil and then simmer away for an ...
7
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2answers
7k views

How do I bake chicken breast?

The kitchen queen marinated three whole chicken breasts in the refrigerator today. She left a note saying to bake them. I have no idea what I'm doing. Should I slice them in half to make them thinner? ...
7
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2answers
321 views

How can I cook chicken in a similar way to how it was done in Biblical times?

I want to make a historically accurate biblical meal for a group. I'm using chicken, and serving it with flatbread and an Israeli salad (sans tomatoes and other new world vegetables) Does anyone have ...
7
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2answers
4k views

Will soaking chicken in milk hurt the chicken

I'm trying a new recipe and I was told to soak my boneless skinless chicken thighs in milk with a little spices. Let them soak for a while then take them out of the milk and then drop them in seasoned ...
7
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2answers
1k views

Should my chicken sit in liquid as it roasts, or not?

For the last chicken I roasted, I used this recipe, slightly modified. The biggest modification was that I added liquid to the pan, it was eyeballed but let's say I used about 1/2 to 1 cup total of a ...
7
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3answers
104 views

How do I accurately take a chicken thigh's temprature?

I tried to bake chicken thighs the other day and I used my Probe Thermometer to tell me when they were done. Well it seems that I did something wrong when inserting the thermometer because the thighs ...
7
votes
1answer
399 views

What is a “soup chicken”

How is "soup chicken" different from "cooking chicken". Is it a different breed or just old chicken? Can I eat its meat? I have always made soup from the bones of boneless chicken I cook. Today I got ...
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4answers
2k views

How to bake a chicken?

I've been using a rotisserie oven to bake my chickens for a while now. However, it's no longer available to me. My first attempt at baking a chicken in a long time: Purchase a chicken that's ...
7
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2answers
742 views

What are the correct simmering times for chicken/vegetable stock?

I recently read that cooking stock for more than about 2 hours negatively affects the flavor, and eventually vitiates the vitamins due to heat degradation. This seems to conflict with advice I've ...
7
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3answers
498 views

Handling raw poultry turns my cuticles black!

Whenever I handle raw poultry (chicken, turkey, duck, etc.) my nails, cuticles, and the skin under and around my nails turns black. This happens even after I thoroughly wash my hands, and when working ...
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4answers
2k views

Alternative for shake and bake?

I want to make my own shake and bake at home. The shake and bake you buy at the store is full of unpronounceable, non-organic ingredients and seasoning. I'm looking to make a good crust out of ...
6
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3answers
1k views

How to avoid chicken getting too tender when cooking in a crock pot?

I'd like to cook chicken in my Crockpot but just about every time it comes out so well done that it shreds when you try to cut it. How can I make it so it's not as well done; more like it comes out ...
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3answers
520 views

Smoked a chicken and the skin came out like boot leather

I recently decided to smoke and entire chicken so I dropped it in and kept the smoker around 225-250 for about 4 hours. I went in and sprayed it down with a little apple juice and vegatable oil every ...
6
votes
2answers
6k views

When is best to apply sauce on to BBQ chicken?

I'm cooking a full chicken divided into 8 pieces... When is the best time to put sauce on chicken cooked on a BBQ? Is it better to do it after it sits for a while on the BBQ? Is it better to let it ...
6
votes
3answers
23k views

Is it safe to leave cooked poultry at room temperature overnight?

Assuming that I've already cooked the poultry (or eggs) to recommended temperatures - does it need to be refrigerated immediately, or is it safe to eat if it's been left at room temperature overnight? ...
6
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4answers
14k views

Why does meat in the crockpot always end up dry?

Just cooked some chicken breasts today. All day in the crockpot and when done the meat was horribly dry. I put chopped onions, carrots, spices, and coconut milk and 1/2 cup water and 4 chicken ...
6
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3answers
468 views

Will marinating chicken for 18 hours make the meat fall apart?

I decided to marinade some chicken for tomorrow night's meal but the only time I have to do it is tonight. Obviously it's going in the fridge for that time period. I've never marinated meat for that ...
6
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2answers
976 views

Chicken: take meat off bone before or after cooking?

When cooking chicken bought in pieces (quarters), what is the best way to achieve a dish that is without the bones? Should you pull the meat off the bones before or after cooking?
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2answers
2k views

Lunch meat is slimy on outside?

Sometimes when I buy lunch meat cuts, from the supermarket, they quickly slimy on the outside. Regardless of the date which is indicated by the sticker. I perform the taste, smell, and visual checks ...
6
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4answers
13k views

Is rare duck breast safe?

Other forms of poultry are regarded as undercooked at the slightest sign of pink juices and yet it is common practice to cook duck so that it's medium rare. Is the risk of food poisoning significantly ...
6
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2answers
4k views

What are some good spices to marinade and season baked hot wings?

I've gotten pretty good with baked hot wings, and I'm trying to create an even better taste through seasoning or marinading. Right now, I use salt, pepper, butter, Tabasco sauce, and tons of Frank's ...
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3answers
1k views

Crispy fried chicken goes limp: picnic disaster

I use a simple fried chicken recipe: wash chicken (I use thighs), dredge in seasoned flour, dip in egg with a bit of milk, re-dredge in flour, shake and fry. The dish comes out great on the day I cook ...
6
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3answers
114 views

How to carve poultry?

What's the best way to carve poutry so that you get the most amount of meat? Are there any tricks you've found that will make this easier?
6
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1answer
2k views

Defrosting chicken breasts in marinade

I want to defrost chicken breasts and would like to marinate them. Since time may be an issue, can I place frozen chicken breasts in zip lock bag with marinade?
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4answers
6k views

How can I reheat chicken without it getting rubbery or dry?

Reheating chicken in the microwave is usually a disaster, rubbery and awful or underheated. In the toaster oven, the meat will frequently dry out. How can I reheat it and keep the texture ...
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5answers
2k views

How to imitate commercial fried chicken?

I'm trying to develop my own "secret" fried recipe, something that is similar to Popeye's or Church's. I'm a LONG ways from getting there. Here's what I did in my last experiment: Chicken was ...
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3answers
3k views

How do I cut out the vein/tendon from a chicken breast tendorloin?

I like to cook grilled chicken sometimes to go in salads. The problem I always have is that in the chicken breast tendorloins I buy, there is always a tendon or vein or something. It's white when ...
5
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2answers
277 views

Apple Cider is too sweet for gravy

Hey. I'm in Vermont. We have lots of apple ciders and lots of amazing apples (let me recommend this year's lady apples...bet on 2010 Cider! ) I've been roasting local chickens, and then deglasing ...
5
votes
2answers
494 views

How to replicate golden brown color of McDonalds chicken nuggets?

Does McDonalds use any food color in their chicken nuggets to get the golden brown color? How do they ensure that all the pieces are of same color and would it be possible to replicate the same at ...
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5answers
8k views

Chicken Stock alternatives?

I want to make a barbecue sauce which has chicken stock in its recipe. This is the first time I needed chicken stock for cooking; somehow, I didn't come by it up until now. Anyway, neither me or ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views

Can I cook couscous for a chicken dish in my crock pot at the same time as the chicken?

I'm wanted to make a lemon garlic chicken in a crockpot and I'd like to serve it with couscous. Is there a way to cook the two together? I know I can cook the couscous and then add it in the crockpot ...
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5answers
44k views

How to cook fried chicken gizzards that are tender?

There is a local place that cooks amazing fried chicken gizzards. Somehow they are really tender, and yet the breading on them is still crispy. Every time I try to make them they turn out extremely ...
5
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2answers
3k views

How long can I keep a chicken carcass and still make stock from it?

I bought a whole chicken for dinner two days ago. Immediately after quartering it, I put it back into a zip-top bag and put it in the bottom of the fridge. So, roughly around 40 hours ago. I'd like ...
5
votes
1answer
133 views

Why do instructions for carving a chicken disregard the back?

Many instructions for carving a roast chicken don't mention doing anything with the meat on the back. For example, Mark Bittman in How to Cook Everything, describes how to cut the breast, leg, and ...
5
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3answers
2k views

Brining chicken wings

I'm trying to figure out how to brine chicken wings (for hot wings) and have some questions about brine: What is the minimum and maximum amount of salt to water ratio to make a brine? Does brine ...
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2answers
2k views

Is acid-marinated raw chicken still safe after several days?

I marinated chicken five days ago in lemon juice, seasoned salt, and garlic powder, is it still safe to cook in the oven?
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3answers
3k views

“Post-marinating”? Is it a real term or do my taste buds deceive me?

Two nights ago I cooked some chicken on my George Foreman grill, just plain (a bit of non-stick spray but that's it). Then I chopped it up and put it in rice and stuck it in a tupperware for lunch ...
5
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3answers
171 views

How would I add heat to a brine?

I am interested in making roast chicken with a bit of a kick. I'm thinking about adding heat to the brine, but I'm not sure what the best way of doing that would be. How would brine work with hot ...
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4answers
1k views

Should I flip a roasting chicken in lieu of having a rotisserie?

I don't have a rotisserie, but would love to impart some of the flavor that seems to come with rotisserie cooking. The rotisserie chickens I've had were significantly juicier and more flavorful than ...
5
votes
1answer
134 views

Big Chicken vs Small Chicken: weight and stuffing volume ratios

I need to adjust a recipe for a stuffed chicken. The recipe calls for a 2kg chicken, and say W grams of stuffing. Now I plan on buying a smaller chicken because it's for less people, how can I ...
5
votes
1answer
293 views

Do some breeds of chicken have particularly red meat when cooked?

Tonight, my friend and I ordered a fried chicken special at a restaurant with a local food theme. It was a great dish. Both of us got very pink chicken. I am pretty sure that my plate had three ...
5
votes
1answer
190 views

What is the name of this chicken soup dish?

I've been making this simple chicken soup dish for years. I learned it from my dad, who got it from my mother, and who knows how far back it went beyond that. But, I really don't know what its called. ...
5
votes
1answer
281 views

Keep or remove skin when grinding poultry?

After reading this I made "burgers" with ground chicken thigh. (Didn't have turkey thighs handy.) I have the feeling chicken thighs have plenty of fat, so less likely to dry out than turkey, but it ...
4
votes
5answers
499 views

Cooking chicken in a risotto without it drying out

I was following a recipe for a chicken risotto, which said to brown the chicken (breast meat, cut into small pieces, maybe 3/4 of an inch or so) in the pan after browning the onions, and then add the ...
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votes
5answers
1k views

Keep chicken with skin from catching on fire on the barbeque

Short: Is there a proper technique for cooking chicken (with skin) on the barbecue, without little chicken-fireballs? Long: My previous landlord loved to cook on the barbecue, much to the ...
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votes
4answers
2k views

What causes chicken fat on the surface of soup, and does it add flavor to the dish?

I was making a Japanese ramen soup recipe which involved cooking raw diced chicken thigh in the soup for a few minutes. Soon after adding the chicken to the soup, globules of fat started appearing on ...
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11answers
2k views

Baking chicken in oven, but keeping it moist

Here is the problem I'm facing: I am on a diet, which doesn't exclude fat, but doesn't encourage it either. So I am trying to bake chicken in the oven, while also removing the fat that comes out, ...
4
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3answers
650 views

Is it safe to eat a chicken that leaked a ton of red fluid after roasting?

I just roasted a small chicken, and after taking it out of the oven after about 1 1/2 hours, a large amount of watery, red fluid leaked from the bird. Did I somehow mess up cooking the chicken? Is ...
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5answers
2k views

Does brining a chicken/turkey before roasting really make a difference?

I've tried brining a chicken (brine = 1 cup salt to 16 cups water, over 10 hours) and couldn't taste a difference.