Most Common Mistakes When Preparing Chicken: How to Avoid Them and Cook Juicy Meat
Chicken is a very versatile meat, as it can be prepared in a variety of ways: baking, grilling, frying, boiling, and stewing. That’s why it’s used in many cuisines around the world. On top of that, it’s not very expensive, which makes it a good item to keep on hand in your kitchen – writes Kuvar.
Although chicken is probably the most popular meat product, it’s also one that people frequently prepare incorrectly.
If you can’t figure out why your chicken didn’t turn out as expected, perhaps you didn’t season it properly. Or maybe you weren’t sure when it was fully cooked. Or the mistake might have happened the moment you took it out of the freezer.
These are the most common mistakes you should watch out for.
Thawing
If you take meat out of the freezer and leave it to thaw on the kitchen counter or similar surface, you’ve made your first mistake. Thawing meat at room temperature can be very dangerous, as it promotes the growth of bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella. Instead, fill a bowl with cold water and place the chicken in it to thaw. Also, if you're keeping chicken in the fridge, don’t heat it immediately – it will cook unevenly. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes first.
Seasoning
You can add salt at the end of cooking, but that won’t give your chicken any flavor. When roasting chicken, it’s best to salt it under the skin. Remember that adding salt and pepper isn’t the only way to season this meat. For example, if you gently spread butter and lemon over the chicken, you’ll get a great flavor you’ll definitely enjoy.
Grilling
Another way to ruin chicken is to place it directly over the heat source. This cooking method can burn the outside while leaving the inside undercooked. When grilling, the best flavor comes from rubbing each piece with a mixture of salt, brown sugar, and paprika you’ve prepared in advance.
Overcrowding the Pan
Most people put as much chicken as possible in the pan to cook faster. In reality, you’re trapping heat under the meat, so the chicken won’t cook properly. Also, people tend to flip the chicken too often during cooking. One sign that you shouldn’t flip it yet is if your tongs meet resistance when trying to slide under a piece of meat.
Cooling
If you start cutting the meat as soon as you remove it from the heat, it will release all its juices and become dry. If you’re working with small chicken pieces, wait five minutes before slicing. On the other hand, a whole roasted chicken needs about 20 to 30 minutes of “rest” after roasting.
