Questions about handling, preparing, or cooking chicken, either whole or parts.
22
votes
5answers
9k views
Is “until juices run clear” a valid test for poultry doneness? Why or why not?
I've come across this particular recommendation many times in various recipes and cookbooks and probably even given it out myself once or twice. Poultry is sufficiently cooked when the juices run ...
21
votes
8answers
9k views
How do I pound chicken (or other meat) without making a mess?
Despite my best efforts, my kitchen (and sometimes the chicken) always looks like a war zone after pounding 8 or 10 breasts. Maybe this is just a messy job, but I think there must be something I'm ...
20
votes
4answers
3k views
How do you make General Tso's chicken as generally found in the Eastern USA?
I realize this is a recipe request, but I'm hoping that the supplemental information will be enough to let it through. I also realize it's rather localized and apologize to all of those who don't know ...
19
votes
8answers
71k views
How to quickly and safely defrost chicken?
What is the safest, quick way to defrost chicken? Microwave? Running water over it?
18
votes
11answers
100k views
How to make extra crispy and crunchy breading like KFC?
I'm wondering how I would go about making extra crispy chicken breading like they do at many places like KFC and the like. Is there a certain ingredient that makes the breading like that?
Any ...
18
votes
4answers
33k views
Why isn't it safe to eat raw chicken?
Why is safe to eat some raw or undercooked meats like beef and fish (assuming you're careful), but not chicken? I know that there are bacteria in chicken, but are they in all chicken, or just so many ...
18
votes
2answers
722 views
Unexplained Butterflied Roast Chicken Success
Yesterday I started working on a six pound butterflied roast chicken a little too close to an evening meeting. I butterflied the chicken and patted it as dry as possible inside and out with paper ...
16
votes
2answers
7k views
Is it generally better to cut chicken breast with or against the grain?
I realise it may depend on what you're doing, but as a genral rule, which is preferred and why?
15
votes
7answers
419 views
I would like to make my own Chicken Stock, any suggestions?
I am tired of using canned broth/stock and would like to make my own - any suggestions as to the proper technique and parts to use?
15
votes
5answers
1k views
What are the basics and options of brining meat, for example chicken?
What are the basics and options of brining meat, for example chicken? I ate at a restaurant in Santa Fe that specialized in brining and the chicken was amazing. Id like to know what the process is ...
15
votes
4answers
245k views
How long will uncooked chicken keep in the fridge?
My wife is obsessed about not leaving uncooked meats in the fridge longer than a day (esp. Chicken). If we buy chicken breast and we're not going to use them the next day, she'll put them in the ...
14
votes
5answers
752 views
Am I missing something with Beer Can chicken?
I've tried beer can chicken a few times, BBQ and in the oven, but it doesn't seem overly special to me. I am not sure if I should also be covering the chicken with some kind of sauce, but the chicken ...
14
votes
6answers
3k views
Is Beer Can Chicken safe?
Some time ago I've read about Beer Can Chicken.
I've never heard of this in my area, but it seems (and looks) tasty! So I would like to give it a try. There is just one thing that worries me:
Is it ...
14
votes
2answers
886 views
Should you strip meat off bones before putting them in a stock?
I made my first chicken stock last week and bought some winglets from my local butcher. The winglets had a lot of meat on them and I wasn't sure whether to leave it on or not. The stock didn't come ...
14
votes
6answers
8k views
What is the easiest way to shred chicken?
Usually I will just cook it and then tear it to pieces using two forks, but this is still pretty time consuming. Are there any secret ways to easily do this?
14
votes
5answers
770 views
Tricks to ensure Mailliard/Browning reaction?
Seems like a question that would've been asked before, but I couldn't find a pre-existing question. Sorry if this is a duplicate.
Anyway, I do a lot of stir-fry, usually with chicken. My usual ...
13
votes
8answers
21k views
How do I cook a chicken to make it really really really soft?
I ate a dinner one time, and this guy cooked the chicken so soft it almost melted in my mouth. Now I want to know how to make that kind of chicken. Because when you cook the chicken regularly it ...
13
votes
3answers
6k views
How to know when chicken breast has cooked through?
Sometimes chicken breast can be thick and I never know how to tell when it's cooked! How can I be certain it is cooked all the way through?
12
votes
9answers
13k views
Can I safely roast a chicken for 4 to 5 hours on a low heat?
Hard pressed office worker and cook here. If I go home at lunchtime and put in a medium sized chicken to roast in the oven can I ensure it's ready to eat when the family get in in the evening?
I've ...
12
votes
9answers
9k views
How can I cook more flavorful Chicken through and through?
When I cook chicken, the flavor seems to be concentrated in the skin. But when I get a rotisserie chicken from Costco, it seems to be very flavorful through and through, beyond just the skin.
I've ...
12
votes
1answer
732 views
What “actually” tastes (and cooks) like chicken?
I have been allergic to chicken my entire life, and I am looking for a chicken substitute for a variety of recipes.
Of course I've heard the old saying that "everything tastes like chicken", but I ...
11
votes
7answers
10k views
Can you reuse marinade used with raw chicken?
I marinated chicken a couple weeks ago, and stored the marinade afterwards in a jar. Can it be reused, or is that dangerous? I've been told conflicting stories here. The marinade is mostly teriyaki if ...
11
votes
14answers
7k views
Why does my chicken breast become so dry?
When I roast a whole chicken, I always make sure that my chicken is cooked to the proper temperature. Quite often, this results in juicy legs and thighs, but dry breasts.
Is there a reason the ...
11
votes
10answers
3k views
How do you keep chicken breast juicy when grilling?
most of the time it ends up dry. any special marination tricks?
11
votes
6answers
66k views
How long is it safe to marinate meat?
I started marinating some almost-thawed chicken and skirt steak in the refrigerator on Monday. It's Saturday, and I still haven't gotten around to cooking the meat. Is the meat still safe to cook ...
11
votes
2answers
478 views
How Can I Tell If Meat Has Been Brined?
My wife and I were eating some rotisserie chicken the other night and she commented something to the effect of "I think they brined this because I can taste the seasoning pretty deep in the meat."
I ...
10
votes
3answers
401 views
Which non penetrating method is recommended to check chicken breasts for done-ness when pan fried
i love pan fried chicken usually with some tumeric, salt, pepper, rosemarry, and evoo. Anyways, I don't like to get my thermo dirty everytime, and sometimes i get it a bit overdone, sometimes the ...
10
votes
5answers
3k views
Trouble with Baked Chicken Wings
I do not have a deep fryer (and do not plan to purchase one), but I have made chicken wings successfully in the oven. (My mom, --from Buffalo, NY-- even approves of this method.)
The problem is that ...
10
votes
2answers
743 views
How long and at what temperature do the various parts of a chicken need to be cooked?
I'm interested in baking thighs, legs, breasts and wings. How long do each of these items need to bake and at what temperature?
10
votes
1answer
2k views
Why do some recipes call for sugar in a brine?
In making a brine for my chicken, I came across a lot of recipes that call for sugar in the brine. I understand the general idea behind brining, but don't understand what benefit the sugar provides. ...
9
votes
3answers
842 views
Mystery “organ” on the underside of chicken thighs?
There is a small, round, black "organ" under chicken thighs, and some people like to eat it. Identifying this seems to be quite the lingering Internet mystery.
They are there on prepared fried ...
9
votes
5answers
5k views
Can chicken not completely cooked then cooled be fully cooked later?
I cooked some chicken but didn't realise it hadn't completely cooked through. It then went in the fridge and a day later I cut through it to discover the problem.
Is it now safe to put that chicken ...
8
votes
4answers
5k views
How can I prevent pan fried chicken from becoming too chewy?
Every time I cook boneless/skinless chicken breast in a pan over the stove-top it seems to end up slightly chewy. What am I doing wrong?
8
votes
4answers
1k views
How thoroughly do you need to clean the inside of a chicken before baking it?
My wife's family breaks apart the inside and cleans out what is in between the bones. My family just rinses the inside and then bakes it. Do you need to be super thorough when cleaning a chicken or is ...
8
votes
2answers
399 views
What is the safest, most effective way to cleave through thick bone?
While I was preparing bones for chicken stock today, I was rudely alerted to the fact that my cleaving technique was inadequate for bone-cutting when I nearly chopped off my left thumb. Fortunately ...
8
votes
1answer
4k views
Why did my chicken soup go cloudy?
I made chicken soup tonight in my usual way - recipe is chicken flash fried, then onion, ginger, garlic added, then stock or water, then lid on and cook. Coriander added later.
Usually, I end up ...
8
votes
2answers
48k views
How long after I cook chicken is it safe to eat if stored in a fridge?
How long after I have cooked chicken can I safely eat if stored in the fridge. Same day only? Next day? Within a week?
8
votes
2answers
1k views
How can I keep the cheese from leaking out of my cordon bleu during cooking?
I use flour to coat, including the ends, and I use toothpicks to hold the wider part shut. Even when I try to fold the cutlet envelope style, most of my cheese melts out. I cook them on the stove top ...
8
votes
2answers
2k views
How do you properly wash hands after dealing with raw chicken?
Whenever I get done dealing with raw chicken, I feel like I need to wash my hands repeatedly with hot water and soap. Is this going to remove the potential bacteria away or is there a different way I ...
8
votes
5answers
5k views
How do I get breading to stick to pre-cooked chicken for pan frying?
I tried pan fried chicken and pre-cooked the chicken sous vide. This meant that the chicken just needed to be crisped once it went in the pan. I dredged in flour then egg and then panko (Japanese ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
Can I cook Foster Farms chicken sous-vide in its original plastic?
Is it safe to cook individually wrapped frozen chicken breast in the original plastic packaging (e.g. from foster farms) using sous-vide?
Also, what is the highest temperature I can cook the ...
8
votes
1answer
2k views
Trick to getting a sauce to stick to chicken?
One of the recipes I often make has a sauce that is a combination of salt, sugar, and a thick red sauce. After about 10 1-2 inch chicken pieces have been cooked the last step calls for mixing the ...
7
votes
3answers
1k views
Is it safe to prepare Chicken Tartare?
I know that raw chicken generally has a lot of safety concerns. Is there anyway that I can source the chicken to minimize these worries? What are the general concerns? How can I combat them? Are there ...
7
votes
6answers
1k views
Baking chicken - temperature vs time
I'd like to bake a chicken. Let's say it's already washed, marinated, sitting on tray and ready to bake. I usually do it at 180 degrees C, for 1 hour. My main problem is that the skin is not crunchy ...
7
votes
9answers
2k views
How do you get a nice yellow gravy color when making a chicken pot pie?
I'm making a chicken pot pie. Taste is decent, texture is good, however the appearance of the 'chicken gravy' inside is more....dull gray like than a more vibrant yellow. I don't mind it, but most ...
7
votes
1answer
2k views
How can I roast chicken bones (without meat)?
I plan to make a sizable quantity of chicken stock this weekend. Since I can't actually eat that much chicken, I just bought several pounds of bones, figuring I'd save the effort and expense of ...
7
votes
6answers
2k views
Is there a point in stuffing a chicken if I'm not planning on eating the stuffing part?
I'm planning to cook a regular chicken on Sunday and I thought that I should probably try to season it somehow. I've never tried to cook a chicken before (first Christmas dinner as an adult obv!). I ...
7
votes
2answers
16k views
Cooked whole chicken has congealed blood around joints and bones, should I worry?
So I just roasted a whole chicken and finished carving/cleaning the carcass today. I discovered a great deal of congealed red matter surrounding many of the joints and bones. Looks like congealed ...
7
votes
3answers
28k views
How long can you freeze raw chicken before it seriously affects its taste?
The dramatic effects of freezing something almost always has an immediate impact on taste. But it seems like the longer something is in the freezer the worse it tastes. Recently, I found some months ...
7
votes
4answers
1k views
