Chicken is the primary meat in the diet of most meat eaters since it is cheaper than other types of meats and as it can be cooked in so many different techniques. Frying is possibly the most recognized method of them all for cooking chicken but there are many others including roasting, jerking, barbequing and baking.
Especially for an individual mindful of the fat and cholesterol that fried chicken might contain, these other methods are very good choices however, the one we will discuss mainly is baking.
Required Tools
Paper towel
Sharp knife (optional)
Baking dish/roasting pan
Oven
Meat thermometer
Required Materials
Whole chicken cut into smaller parts/chicken breasts
Salt
Pepper
Fresh or dried herbs (oregano, thyme, tarragon or rosemary)
Olive oil
Marinade (optional)
Seasoning of your choice
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit; if you are using a whole chicken, remove the giblets within the inner cavity and then wash the chicken properly with water. If you choose to slice the chicken into smaller pieces, go ahead and do that now with a sharp knife; next pat the chicken dry with the paper towel and season the chicken properly with the salt, pepper, herbs and any other seasoning you desire.
Put the chicken inside the baking dish/roasting pan and rub it with the olive oil and marinade (if you opt to use it). You may additionally add herbs of your preference to the top of the chicken for added flavor and aesthetics.
Place the baking dish/roasting pan into the oven with the chicken in it and leave it uncovered; bake the chicken at 350 degrees for 1-1½ hours or until it is golden brown and properly cooked in its entirety.
To be certain the meat is cooked push the meat thermometer into the widest section of the chicken; if the temperature shows 170 degrees or higher then the chicken may be removed from the oven. Another technique to check if the chicken is cooked is to use a sharp knife and cut the widest section of the chicken; if it is cooked the meat will not be pink and the juices running out of the chicken will be clear.
You can now serve the chicken by itself or with whatever you wish; if you used a whole chicken leave it to rest for 10 minutes prior to cutting it up. For a total meal serve it with rice or mashed potatoes and peas or corn.
Tips and Warnings
It is critically imperative that the chicken is thoroughly cooked before you consume, partly cooked chicken may result in food poisoning and dangerous parasites.
Be sure to clean all surface which the raw chicken touches including your hands to avoid contaminating other foods and utensils with any bacteria that might be on the chicken; soap and water will often be adequate however, you can use a solution of bleach or some other cleaning agent with water to ensure a proper clean.
To cut the rawness of the chicken cut a lemon in half and wipe it all over the chicken before you cook it; you may also rub the chicken with vinegar, inside and out if it is a whole chicken. If you don’t mind the additional sourness you can leave it as is, if you do mind, just cleanse the chicken again.
There are a few variations of baked chicken available such as baked sweet and sour chicken, baked chicken in mango sauce, or curry flavored baked chicken. If you desire to try any of these types you may check out a couple of the recipes available online.
Find more information here on how to bake chicken.
no comment untill now