Cooking Chicken - Lean on these handy tips!!!
Chicken starts out lean and healthy. The most important thing you should remember is...Keep it lean.
Storage
Chicken starts out lean and healthy. The most important thing you should remember is...Keep it lean.
Storage
- Like any meat, chicken is perishable and needs to be promptly refrigerated.
- Store fresh poultry in the coldest part of your refrigerator on a tray to prevent juices from contacting other food. Freeze within two days if not cooked. Never leave poultry sitting on your kitchen counter.
- Chicken can be frozen for up to 6 months, but once thawed, it should be cooked within 48 hours. Never refreeze thawed, uncooked chicken.
- Fresh chicken will keep in the main part of the refrigerator for 2-3 days, and cooked chicken for 3-4 days.
- Thaw poultry in the refrigerator on a cookie sheet or large plate to catch drippings.
- Allow a minimum of 16-24 hours to defrost a whole chicken and at least 6 hours for chicken parts.
- Thaw in cold water with the chicken in a water-tight package. Be sure to change the water often. Using this method, a whole chicken takes about 1 1/2 hours to defrost.
- You can also use your microwave for quick-thawing, but you must cook the chicken immediately afterward, because the chicken may begin to cook during microwaving.
- About two-thirds of the chicken's fat is in the skin. That's why it's a great idea to remove the skin from chicken parts before or after cooking. This keeps you lean.
- Barbecuing, broiling, or roasting chicken allows fat to drip away.
- When you're cooking roast chicken, be sure to place the chicken on a wire roasting rack.
- Take poultry directly from the refrigerator to the barbecue or oven.
- If you stuff poultry, do this just before cooking.
- For a whole chicken, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (180 degrees C.) and season to taste. Bake 20 minutes per pound (or 45 minutes per kilogram) or until internal temperature reaches 180 desgrees F. (82 degrees C.).
- For bone-in parts, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (180 degrees C.). Arrange chicken parts in a single layer on a shallow roasting pan. Cook for 60 to 70 minutes or until you can easily pierce the chicken with a fork and the juices run clear. You should let the chicken stand for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.
- For boneless parts, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (180 degreews C.). Arrange the chicken parts in a single layer on a shallow oven roasting pan. Cook for 60 to 70 minutes or until you can pierce the chicken with a fork and the juices run clear. You should let the chicken stand 3 to 5 minutes before you serve.
- For a moist and juicy-tasting chicken, simmer in a small amount of water or broth. The meat will be low in fat, and so will the dish if you discard most of the simmering liquid and replace it with a low-fat sauce.
- Use wine, cranberry juice, lemon, or low-fat yogurt to create a delicious low-fat sauce.
- When browning chicken pieces, use a non-stick skillet and a vegetable oil spray.
- Season chicken by preparing a low-fat or fat-free marinade of herbs, spices, and juices or wine. This makes a delicious and festive meal!
- Cook thawed poultry just as you would a fresh product. Cook until "done." Partial cooking may encourage bacterial growth.
- Oven temperatures should be no lower than 325 F. (160 C. for poultry).
- The best way to judge "doneness" is to use a meat thermometer. Put the thermometer into the inner thigh of a whole chicken, just above but not touching the thighbone.
- What about leftovers? They can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-4 days. If you want to freeze tye, wrap them in foil or freezer bags. Make sure the air is squeezed out of the package before freezing. Cooked meat can be kept up to 4 months.