Tips for New Cooks - Chicken

On Monday I shared some bread baking tips, today I'm sharing chicken tips.


Chicken Basics

* Cooked chicken should not be left out at room temperature for more than 2
hours. You can play it safer though and use 1-2 hours as your guideline.
When it comes to raw or frozen chicken, don't leave them at room
temperature, if you can help it, and use raw chicken (stored in the coldest
part of your refrigerator) within 2 days. Check the "purchase by" date when
buying fresh chicken to get the latest possible date.
* Thaw frozen chicken in the refrigerator or if you have to, use the defrost setting on your microwave and watch it carefully.
* Rinse raw chicken pieces with cold water and pat them dry with a paper
towel (which you then throw away) before you begin your recipe.
* Clean everything that comes in contact with raw chicken or the juices from
raw chicken with hot soapy water.
* Chicken should always be cooked throughout. You can check for doneness by
making a slit in the thickest part of the chicken piece to visually see if
it is cooked through to the middle but also to see if the juices from the
chicken run clear (not pink).
* If you are marinating your chicken, don't use the marinade that came in
contact with your raw chicken as basting sauce during cooking or dipping
sauce after cooking. Put some of your marinade (before adding it to the
chicken) aside for this.

~~Elaine

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