Kitchen Tips and Tricks - Chicken

Chicken Tips and Tricks

The Basics

• Chicken is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of cooking methods, ethnic cuisines and flavor combinations.
• For proper food safety, always wash your hands before and after handling raw chicken.  Also, be sure to use clean knives, cutting boards and counters when working with chicken.  Wash all with hot soapy water after using to prepare other ingredients.
• A meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer is the best way to check for the doneness of cooked chicken.  The internal temperature should be at least 165°F when tested at the thickest part of the chicken.
• Bone-in chicken pieces or whole chickens take longer to cook but provide the best flavor in recipe use.  Check out these delicious and easy ideas using whole or cut-up chickens.

Kitchens Secrets

 

• Cutting boneless skinless chicken breasts into pieces can be a slippery task. To make it safer to cut the chicken breasts, partially freeze the chicken before cutting.  The firmer chicken is much easier to cut and handle.
• If you want to stretch your dollar, purchase boneless chicken breasts and butterfly them.  This simple technique can take a larger, thicker breast and turn it into 2 servings.  To butterfly a chicken breast, place chicken breast, smooth-side down, on a cutting board with the tip end facing you. Place hand on top of breast. Carefully cut into the thickest part of the breast, being careful to not cut all the way through to opposite side of breast.  Open breast like a book, then lightly pound it to the desired thickness.  If desired, you can cut the breast in half before cooking.
• Let’s grill!  Boneless chicken breasts are popular for the grill but can easily dry out from their lack of internal fat.  To lessen this problem, consider marinating chicken breasts in your favorite KRAFT Dressing for at least 30 minutes before grilling. (Be sure to discard the marinade after removing the marinated chicken.)  Brush the chicken with additional dressing or KRAFT Barbecue Sauce for the last few minutes of the grilling time.  Check out our collection of favorite grilled chicken recipes.