Help me cook chicken

[MEmama]

I've been vegetarian since the moment I left my parents house at 18, so I've never cooked chicken or any meat (except fish). Recent blood tests show I'm really low in iron and for that reason and others, I've decided it's time for a dietary change. Chicken seems like the easiest transition, and now I'm left looking for simple, healthy ways to prepare it. At least to start, it will probably just be for me so I don't need huge dishes, just a primer.

 

Thanks!

[TammyS]

First off, determine whether you prefer light meat or dark.  Dark will be tastier and greasier.  Light will be blander (but you can add flavorings) and drier.  I think the easiest thing to do is this:

 

Get a bottle of marianade that sounds good to you (find it near the BBQ) sauces.  Marinate a whole, cut up (you can buy it as a whole chicken already cut into pieces) chicken for several hours or overnight in the marianade (cheapy store brand ziploc bag will be your friend here).  Grill, with the breasts and thighs toward the hottest part of the fire, legs and wings toward the coolest.  With luck the whole thing will take approx 50-60 minutes.   You may need to pull the wings and legs sooner, if you don't have a cool enough spot on your grill.  Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness (if you're going to be cooking meat, go on Amazon now and invest in a good quality digital meat thermometer). 

 

Alternate to grilling: take marianated pieces and bake on a broil pan for 60 minutes at 400 (pull wings and legs at 40 minutes).

 

In all cases use a thermometer to check for doneness because there is ALWAYS variations in timing, because of oven temps and thicknesses of meat pieces.

 

Oh, and buy a quickie meal that you can keep on hand in case it all goes wrong.  When you are learning to cook new things, there will be occasional disasters, and you'll be glad to have a back up meal on hand.

[bolt.]

Buy boneless skinless chicken breasts.

 

Prepare a frying pan or shallow pot that has a lid with a little bit of oil or butter (.5 tsp per breast maybe) and sprinkle some garlic salt, paprika, pepper and other spices 'to taste' into the oil. Preheat the pan med-high. (Also an option: sauté real garlic or other aromatics.)

 

Drop the breasts into the pan and cook on med-high for 2 minutes. In the meantime, season the tops of the breasts.

 

After those minutes, flip each breast ensuring that the thickest part is roughly towards the middle of the pan (thinner areas near the edges). Lower the heat to minimum or very slightly above min. Put a lid on the pan and cook for 14 minutes.

 

No peeking. At the end of those 14 minutes, turn the burner off (without peeking) and let them rest in the steam for 10 minutes. Yes, they will still be hot.

 

Because stoves and breasts vary, confirm that your thickest breast is cooked through (no pinkish middle layer) and adjust accordingly for next time.

[bolt.]

These can be cooled, sliced and frozen without difficulty.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Ok the both of you are going to turn her off to chicken.  She's going to burn the crud out of the grilled chicken.  And she will die from lack of taste on the boneless breast.

 

:lol:

 

Sorry I feel compelled to save you MEmama.

[SparklyUnicorn]

This will make tasty chicken. 

 

http://www.marthastewart.com/336941/chicken-cutlets-with-herb-butter

[Kendall]

http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/baked-chicken-breast

 

I have been using this method for the last few months.  We do the higher heat and find it takes about 25 min in our oven.  I check them with a thermometer so that I don't overcook them.   After the butter step I sprinkle and then rub cajun seasoning  or garlic, salt, rosemary  or you could do any spices you want.    

 

I've found that the best way to pound them is to place them one at a time in a ziplock bag with the bottom of a small skillet (learned that from America's Test kitchen).  I have cut up leftovers into small chunks and frozen them and used them later in pasta or on alfredo pizza.

 

 

[Happy]

To me, the hardest thing about cooking chicken is it is easy to overcook--thus making it dry. Blech.

 

We have a couple of easy chicken recipes...

 

Chicken Piccata (great if you like lemon)

 

Gently pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts to an even thickness...thin is good. I've been known to slice the chicken into cutlets for easy management.

Dredge in a flour, season with salt and pepper.

Thinly slice a couple of lemons.

Heat a skillet to medium with butter and a bit of olive oil in it.

Saute the chicken in the hot pan, turning once.

 

When you turn the chicken, add the lemon slices. Just as the chicken finishes add a tablespoon or more of capers and a generous amount of lemon juice.

Stir everything.

Serve immediately.

 

Easy Marinated Chicken

 

Cut boneless chicken breasts in half. Season generously with season salt.

 

Mix marinade:

equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Add a sprig or two of fresh rosemary

 

Add chicken breasts and mix well the chicken is coated. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.

 

Start the grill--cook chicken over medium hot coals. Flip once.

Cook until just done (no longer pink inside.)

 

Plate and allow to rest for a few minutes.

 

This recipe is great hot, but also does well as leftovers--sliced on a salad or made into a chicken salad.

 

 

 

[TammyS]

Ok the both of you are going to turn her off to chicken.  She's going to burn the crud out of the grilled chicken.  And she will die from lack of taste on the boneless breast.

 

:lol:

 

Sorry I feel compelled to save you MEmama.

 

 

:001_tt2:

[zoobie]

I'd buy a rotisserie bird from Costco. Cheaper than roasting one yourself. If you like it, we can go from there.

[whitestavern]

I've come to realize success in cooking boneless breasts requires pounding them to a uniform thickness, about 1/2"-3/4". Then they are quick to cook and easy to see when they're done. I do this whether sautéing, grilling or baking.

 

I like cooking in a grill pan. Then I usually add to salads.

[El...]

I just got the cookbook Well Fed (because of this forum, thanks, folks!) and I love it so far!  The idea of brining chicken breast is awesome.  Messy, but awesome.

 

I'm about to try this recipe.  http://meljoulwan.com/2012/02/03/buffalo-chicken-chopped-salad-other-super-bowl-recipes/

[Tanaqui]

This doesn't help your actual question, but if you're anemic you might consider - in addition to any dietary changes you and your doctor feel are necessary - using a lucky fish when cooking.

 

As for your actual question, I like to cook drumsticks in the oven. I squeeze a lemon over them, cover them all over with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, roast them at 425 for about half an hour and then check with a meat thermometer that they've hit 185F.

 

Liver (including chicken liver) is generally considered a good source of iron, and I like to fry up chicken livers and add them to rice with some scallions and green pepper. Very yummy. Or if you like to make chili, you can add some liver to yours, it just makes it a little richer.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I've come to realize success in cooking boneless breasts requires pounding them to a uniform thickness, about 1/2"-3/4". Then they are quick to cook and easy to see when they're done. I do this whether sautéing, grilling or baking.

 

I like cooking in a grill pan. Then I usually add to salads.

 

This exactly.  I cut mine thinner, but pounding works too.

 

Problem with those massive thick breasts is that they are beyond dead when you try to cook them all the way through. 

[MEmama]

I had no idea one might be inclined to pound chicken. Like when making schnitzel? It might be quite awhile before I could handle the idea of that...

 

I like the idea of a rotisserie, but I'm going to be keeping things local. The ease is tempting, though. Especially since DS and DH aren't quite on board for themselves yet.

 

Thanks for all the ideas. Keep them coming! :)

[MEmama]

Ok the both of you are going to turn her off to chicken. She's going to burn the crud out of the grilled chicken. And she will die from lack of taste on the boneless breast.

 

:lol:

 

Sorry I feel compelled to save you MEmama.

Ha ha--I appreciate it! :)

[SparklyUnicorn]

Ha ha--I appreciate it! :)

 

Boneless skinless chicken thighs are very forgiving.  It's hard to overcook them.  So if you want something basically full proof you could try that.

 

I think just a simple whole roasted chicken is easy and tasty, but maybe that's too much if only you are eating it.  If you don't mind doing so, you could just pick the meat off after and use it for soups or other recipes (can be frozen too).

 

If you want to grill bone in parts, I suggest partially cooking them and then finishing them off on the grill with whatever sauce you want.  If you grill that with the sauce and the pieces are too thick, you'll possibly end up with a charred exterior and a raw interior. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I had no idea one might be inclined to pound chicken. Like when making schnitzel? It might be quite awhile before I could handle the idea of that...

 

I like the idea of a rotisserie, but I'm going to be keeping things local. The ease is tempting, though. Especially since DS and DH aren't quite on board for themselves yet.

 

Thanks for all the ideas. Keep them coming! :)

 

You can also buy them thinly sliced.  They charge more for that though.  I prefer slicing them thinner because sometimes if you pound them a lot you tear them or they come out in rather large or odd shapes. 

 

If you do pound them, cover them with plastic and hit them with the plastic sheet on it.  That helps with not hacking them up too badly. 

 

I buy the rotisserie chickens sometimes.  They tend to be small too. 

[MEmama]

 

 

. If you grill that with the sauce and the pieces are too thick, you'll possibly end up with a charred exterior and a raw interior.

Ah yeah... I'd DEFINITELY like to avoid that! Lol

[LucyStoner]

I'd buy a rotisserie bird from Costco. Cheaper than roasting one yourself. If you like it, we can go from there.

You beat me to it. Buy a cooked chicken and see what you like about it and then figure out what part you like and look for recipes.

 

I'm with Sparkly. Boneless, skinless white meat is not the tastiest reintroduction to chicken!

[LucyStoner]

Another thought is to add chicken to some nice heavy veggie soups made in chicken broth. Ease into it.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Ah yeah... I'd DEFINITELY like to avoid that! Lol

 

I do a lot of grilling and I've used various types of grills.  A charcoal grill or regular gas grill will flare up and flame your food if it is covered with anything sugary or oily.  It tastes like fuel.  It's hard to control that.  I have an infrared grill and with that there is no flaring up onto the food, but even trying to cook pieces of bone in chicken with sauce ended up burning the exterior.  This wouldn't be any different with a frying pan if you could only keep the heat on high.  Usually I wrap the pieces in one big sheet of foil and put that on the grill.  When it's nearly done then grill them. 

 

Boneless chicken is doable without the precooking because it cooks faster, but ideally the pieces are fairly uniform in size. So those big breasts that are thick in the very center, but less so on other spots will just be overcooked by the time you cook it through enough. 

 

Marinating the pieces overnight in buttermilk help keep them tender too if you want to grill them.  And with that it actually basically starts to cook the chicken because of the high acidity so they take a bit less time.  A lot of people do this when making fried chicken. 

[Pawz4me]

I buy boneless, skinless thighs for baking.  They're much more forgiving than breasts.  And when I buy breasts I get the thin sliced ones.  I'd much rather pay the extra than have to do any pounding.  But really -- in your situation I'd buy rotisserie. When I first went from being a vegetarian to eating meat again it was very difficult for me to prepare meat from scratch and eat it.

[kubiac]

You want this:

 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/my-favorite-simple-roast-chicken-231348

 

Find a roasting rack at a thrift store. Get some cotton twine at a hardware store. Pick some thyme out of your garden. Buy the expensive Maldon sea salt that's shaped like tiny pyramids. Go to the fancy grocery store and buy the chicken that had the best quality of life you can afford. Open a bottle of wine and find a loved one to share a table with you.

 

Cook, eat, live happily ever after. Cheers!

[MEmama]

I buy boneless, skinless thighs for baking. They're much more forgiving than breasts. And when I buy breasts I get the thin sliced ones. I'd much rather pay the extra than have to do any pounding. But really -- in your situation I'd buy rotisserie. When I first went from being a vegetarian to eating meat again it was very difficult for me to prepare meat from scratch and eat it.

Yeah, it's going to be a big change. I'm mostly on board, but when I just went to the natural foods store I didn't end up buying any. Maybe I'll start at the prepared foods bar at Whole Foods until I can feel comfortable making it myself. It all sounds so complicated and time consuming compared to how I typically cook. I'm sure that will change in time. I'm open to all suggestions!

[bolt.]

I need to defend my boneless skinless breasts!

 

They are not flavourless. For one thing, they are cooked in garlic, paprika, pepper and salt at minimum, and with any herbs or seasonings anyone might like.

 

For another thing, they *become* flavourless when they are overlooked and cease to be juicy and tender. When they are just barely/perfectly "done" they taste incredibly chickeny and fantastic.

 

And! (With false indignation!) My recipe cooks thick areas through without overlooking thin areas. No pounding required.

 

😜!

[bolt.]

Double post!

Edited May 13, 2016 by bolt.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I need to defend my boneless skinless breasts!

 

They are not flavourless. For one thing, they are cooked in garlic, paprika, pepper and salt at minimum, and with any herbs or seasonings anyone might like.

 

For another thing, they *become* flavourless when they are overlooked and cease to be juicy and tender. When they are just barely/perfectly "done" they taste incredibly chickeny and fantastic.

 

And! (With false indignation!) My recipe cooks thick areas through without overlooking thin areas. No pounding required.

 

😜!

 

Yeah, I don't believe it.

 

:laugh:

 

I know some people like these plain breasts, but ugh I just can't learn to like it. 

[bolt.]

Yeah, I don't believe it.

 

:laugh:

 

I know some people like these plain breasts, but ugh I just can't learn to like it.

Well, they are really easy to sauce-up later, and I don't think I'm communicating that you don't have to put them in the pan plain if you don't want to. You can cover them in 3 inches of curry powder and a pound of fresh dill plus the zest of 15 lemons and a bottle of wine.

 

The method is just how to get the *meat* well cooked. Added flavours are endless.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Well, they are really easy to sauce-up later, and I don't think I'm communicating that you don't have to put them in the pan plain if you don't want to. You can cover them in 3 inches of curry powder and a pound of fresh dill plus the zest of 15 lemons and a bottle of wine.

 

The method is just how to get the *meat* well cooked. Added flavours are endless.

 

I might like them covered in three inches of butter.  So if that tells you what kind of tastes I have....

 

To me it's a texture thing too. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Ok to add, if you have ever eaten the breast meat on a whole roasted chicken verses a boneless skinless breast that is the heart of the difference.  The whole chicken tastes chickeny.  So sure you can dump half a jar of oregano on a breast, but then it's just some chewy meat with very little chicken flavor and oregano.  Some people are very used to that and enjoy that (the plain breasts).  I tend towards just cooking the whole bird because I don't think anything beats that flavor. 

 

So my butter comment is about missing out on the juices from the skin and bones.  The stuff that adds the flavor. Butter can sometimes make up for that.  The best boneless breast dishes I've had were in restaurants, but clearly it was because they put a lot of butter on it. 

[KungFuPanda]

I've been vegetarian since the moment I left my parents house at 18, so I've never cooked chicken or any meat (except fish). Recent blood tests show I'm really low in iron and for that reason and others, I've decided it's time for a dietary change. Chicken seems like the easiest transition, and now I'm left looking for simple, healthy ways to prepare it. At least to start, it will probably just be for me so I don't need huge dishes, just a primer.

 

Thanks!

This is foolproof. I used this method dozens of times and the chicken is always cooked through but moist.

 

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-moist-tender-chicken-breasts-every-time-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-36891

[Rachel]

Is touching the meat going to bother you? If so go with boneless.

 

An easy way to cook chicken is in a crockpot with some broth. Use a hand mixer to shred it. You could do this with boneless breasts or thighs.

 

I prefer to bake mine on a broiler pan or grill chicken. Roasted chicken is fabulous, but if you are adverse to handling meat, I would buy it done for you.

 

*shred the meat after it had cooked.

Edited May 13, 2016 by Rach

[Minerva]

Here's my take, as someone who was a vegetarian for most of my life and has only started cooking meat in the last few years. 

 

First, chicken has been the hardest meat for me to learn to cook. Something about it is just so icky. I started out thinking boneless, skinless because it resembled an actual chicken least; however, I never enjoyed the taste and still hate the yuck factor.

 

I have recently discovered cooking a whole chicken. This has revitalized chicken cooking for me. I have found it to be fast to prepare and very forgiving. Here is how I do it. 

 

Put the chicken in a roasting pan

Throw some garlic, onions and other root veggies in roasting pan

Smear some butter on chicken.

Salt and pepper the chicken.

Wash hands a million neurotic times while doing these steps.

Put it in the oven at 400 degrees (Some recipes say 350, but my oven likes 400).

 

Cook it until a thermometer says 165. I think it's about an hour and fifteen minutes or an hour and a half. 

Take it out. 

Let it cool.

Eat.

 

I also throw the bones in a pot and make chicken stock. I feel a lot better about eating the chicken if we use it to its fullest. 

 

Also, cooking in cast iron is a good way to up the iron intake. Best of luck.

Edited May 14, 2016 by Minerva

[KungFuPanda]

Also, costco rotisserie chicken is awesome and cheap. Using kitchen shears is the easiest way to cut it up. I find it easier to just wash my hands after handling chicken then it is to jump through hoops to avoid touching it during preparation/carving.

[basketcase]

Honestly, you could start with pre-cooked chicken strips. Chop them and throw them in whatever. They're expensive but if you're only cooking meat for yourself, it would make sense.

 

Another way to ease into eating chicken is crock pot cooking. Chicken tortilla soup or BBQ chicken, maybe. Cook some boneless breasts or thighs slowly in a soup or sauce then shred. Easy.

[KungFuPanda]

Oh, oh, white chicken chili is nice. You can make it with ground chicken or turkey and it's fast, easy, and can contain any familiar, comforting veggies you want to toss in.

[umsami]

I was going to suggest buying a rotisserie chicken too.  :)   Costco, BJ's, Sam's Club..all do a pretty tasty bird for about $5.

[Kassia]

Another way to ease into eating chicken is crock pot cooking. Chicken tortilla soup or BBQ chicken, maybe. Cook some boneless breasts or thighs slowly in a soup or sauce then shred. Easy.

 

Yes, that is super easy.  You can just throw in some salsa or barbecue sauce with the chicken.  I like to throw in 8 pounds of boneless chicken breasts with broth and spices (onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, and seasoned salt) and my boys eat it all week in salads or on sandwiches.  

 

Erica

Edited May 14, 2016 by ebh87

[The Girls' Mom]

By far, the easiest, no pain way to cook chicken is to throw a couple of breasts in some broth with some veggies and salt/herbs and boil it.  After it is cooked through, pull it out, dice it and use it for pasta, soup, whatever.  You don't have to pound it, flip it, grill it, rub it down...etc.  It will take on as much flavor as you put into the broth.  

 

ETA:  If you do it with bone in chicken pieces, you get an awesome stock for soups.

Edited May 15, 2016 by The Girls' Mom

[lmrich]

I second or third the idea of getting a Costco chicken. Do not cook chicken until you like the taste of it. I also like the idea of you sneaking chicken into dishes you already like. Just a little bit until you adjust. I do not advise you cook a whole chicken the first time!

[knoxinsox]

I agree with someone upthread---I find chicken breast to be hard to cook and not get dry. But we love the copy cat Chickfila nuggets from Damn Delicious.   They are marinated in pickle juice and milk and last night I substituted the rest of a can of coconut milk and they were fab.  I do these as nuggets, strips or sometimes I pound the chicken breast into patty sized for sandwiches.  My kids are addicted.  

 

http://damndelicious.net/2014/07/18/copycat-chick-fil-nuggets/ 

 

Also, a smothered chicken breast can be good....mine is topped with caramelized onions, bacon and cheese.  The bacon helps make the meat juicy.  This is a treat meal--once a year or so. 

 

The other chicken recipe is a chicken salad with grapes, apples, pecans, celery, mayo, mustard, dill, garlic, salt and pepper to taste.  I use a rotisserie chicken usually.

 

Cooking everything in a cast iron skillet will bring your iron levels up. My doctor recommended it to me. 

[KathyBC]

Do you think you might find handling raw meat to be an issue? Chopping up boneless skinless chicken breasts and cooking them in a sauce is maybe easiest. You could start with a Kitchens of India Butter Chicken spice pack, if you enjoy that type of food. Follow the directions, super easy, really no way to screw it up.

[umsami]

As an FYI, turkey has more iron than chicken.  About 2 mg of heme iron in 3 oz vs. about 0.7 mg in chicken.   Dark meat (chicken or turkey) has more iron than white.  You can often turkey legs for sale at the grocery store.