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Chicken is one of the most widely used white meats in the culinary world sometimes surpassing even fish (particularly in many land-locked countries were a steady supply of fish is hard to come by). Chicken, generally, is easy to rear and manage as well and poultry farms are an excellent source of another well-used ingredient, eggs. Chicken is also an incredibly versatile meat in that it is capable of absorbing a wide range of flavors. Its own flavor, in fact, complements almost any combination of spices or herbs which means that when you're cooking chicken there is very little chance you can go wrong! As a cook, however, you obviously want to maximize the taste of you dish. Here are some general tips you need to follow to ensure that you get the most out of you bird:
1. Tenderize it with lemon. Lemon is a natural tenderizer and works incredibly well with chicken. The acidic quality of lemon juice decomposes enzymes and proteins in the chicken making it tendered and helping it absorb more of the flavors of the marinade or curry (depending on how you are preparing your chicken). Putting some lemon onto your chicken with a few herbs and leaving the chicken for twenty to thirty minutes will make a world of difference to the taste of your chicken in your final preparation.
2. Cook chicken at a minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The actual temperature of cooking the chicken will obviously depend on how you plan on cooking it (i.e. roasting, grilling, boiling, etc). As a rule of thumb, however, make sure you cook the chicken at a minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit in order to ensure that it cooks through well without losing any of its flavors. Chicken, in fact, needs to be cooked at a higher temperature than any other kind of meat with the exception of perhaps turkey.
3. Do not over-freeze. Chicken has a whole array of natural juices and flavors that give it its trademark taste. When you freeze chicken below a certain temperature or for extended periods of time, you catalyze the breaking down of the meat's proteins. You also lose some of the chicken's natural flavors which severely degrade the quality of the chicken. In fact, for best results, chicken should be consumed soon after it is bought. This way, you ensure that all the natural flavors of meat are utilized as much as possible and not lost due to freezing or extended periods of storage.
4. Add a potato for good luck! If you're stuffing your chicken and roasting it (like you would roast a turkey), firstly make sure you have the right combination of herbs inside the bird. Doing a little research on a good herb and spices combination will help you get the best results. Once you've stuffed the bird, make sure to seal the opening with a piece of raw potato. This helps keep the flavor in and, while the chicken roasts in the oven, it adds a distinct flavor of its own.
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