Getting to Know This Lean Protein & How to Properly Cook It
Chicken is an excellent source of protein. And its leanness makes it a healthier choice for those trying to improve their diet.
Chicken can be made MANY different ways, and honestly, it’s really not difficult. But it’s easy to get scared off… We’ve all had dry chicken before, and we’ve also heard the news reports about someone getting sick from salmonella from undercooked poultry.
But you don’t have to be scared – cooking chicken is really very simple. The secret for beginners is getting the right cut and following a few basic instructions.
The grocer’s fresh meat section is typically chockfull of chicken choices. That sometimes can make you reach for the cheapest option, but you shouldn’t. What should you look for when choosing chicken?
What to Look for When Shopping for Chicken
It’s important to look for chicken that is labelled free range, organic & humanely raised. Free range promises the consumer that the chickens can roam freely outdoors when the seasons permit, behaving naturally. An organic label means that the chickens ate a certified organic feed that hadn’t been exposed to chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Humanely raised means that they likely participated in a meaningful animal welfare labeling program. Fortunately, the FDA has banned the use of antibiotics and hormones in chickens for consumer use.
Why is any of this important to us?
Well, we are what we eat. So, if our chickens have been exposed to pesticides, chemicals or other unnatural food additives – that will certainly be passed onto us when we eat their meat. Free range chickens and those that have been humanely raised are less stressed. That sounds pretty silly for us to care about but think of it this way. When we are stressed, cortisol levels spike in our bodies. It’s our system’s natural way to manage stress. For brief periods, it’s no big deal. But increased cortisol levels over an extended period can lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, depression, cognitive difficulties, or muscle weakness in humans.
In chickens, a similar hormone called corticosterone is secreted. When chickens are stressed, this leads to increased glycogen, reduced lactic acid, increased fat development, and altered pH. All these factors lead to reduce meat quality. That means you aren’t putting good meat in your belly. And you aren’t getting what you paid for!
Chicken that is free-range, organic and humanely raised can have a higher price tag than those that do not follow these practices. While that can be a financial challenge for most people, consider this – animal proteins should be a relatively small part of a healthy diet. So, consuming smaller portions and less frequently, say eating chicken once (maybe twice) a week is far more affordable (for both your pocketbook and body) anyway.
The Secret to Affordable (& Healthy) Chicken – Buy Local!
As you’ve read in previous posts, I’m a big fan of buying local foods. It’s often healthier, it’s certainly fresher, and guess what – it’s often more affordable in the long term! Plus, you get to keep your money in your local community. Local farmers cannot always pay the fees associated with securing the federal organic label, but most do subscribe (and have long been) to and use organic, humane, and free-range practices. Get to know your local farmers – they’ll be happy to tell you their practices. Plus, taking the kids to the farm will teach them where food comes from, giving them (& you) an even bigger appreciation & respect for our food.
The Basic Chicken Cuts
Breast:
Chicken breasts are the most widely used portions of the chicken and the most readily available. They are also lowest in fat and can be easily flavored for variety. Boneless, skinless portions make cooking even easier! When you are in a hurry – say weeknight dinners – go this route. When you have time – say, Sunday dinners – choose bone-in, skin-on for more flavorful dishes. Because chicken breasts are more lean cuts, this is often the meat of choice for those watching their diets for health or medical reasons.
Pros: Leanest cut of meat, easy to cook, can impart any flavor you like
Cons: Can dry out if overcooked, a little more expensive cut, mild natural flavor
Thighs:
Chicken thighs are darker meat, providing a deeper, more game-like flavor and are typically a bit fattier. This cut is better for slower roasting applications or a trip through the Instant Pot. It can stand up to either cooking application and still retain its moisture.
Pros: Cheaper cut, more juicy, bigger flavor
Cons: Fattier meat – less healthy
Drumsticks:
Chicken drumsticks are fun to eat. You’ll feel like Fred Flinstone taking a bite out of a brontosaurus leg at dinner time. They are typically a cheaper cut of meat and cook fairly quickly in the oven. You can flavor them a multitude of ways and feed your entire family cheaply.
Pros: Fun to eat, easy to portion, cheaper price, can impart flavor easily, perfect size for kids
Cons: Not a ton of meat per drumstick, fattier meat, more tendons/cartilage
Wings:
Chicken wings can be a cheaper alternative, but pound for pound, you aren’t getting a lot of meat. You’ll work harder for the meat in a wing, so it’s not the best choice for feeding a hungry family. Reserve your wings for game time or another party option as a fun snack. You can do some cool things with wings. And they can be baked or fried easily.
Pros: Super fun party food, can be flavored many ways
Cons: low meat to bone ratio – won’t fill your belly, currently more expensive due to popularity
Whole Bird:
The entire chicken is a showstopper of a meal. You’ll get all the parts listed above, plus the beautiful presentation only a roasted chicken can bring to your dinner table. For a family with varied tastes, this is the best option – everyone is happy with their own favorite cuts. Also, roasting a chicken is largely hands off, once you put it all together. And it’s often a cheaper way to get all the cuts your family prefers. Plus, you’ll have the bones left over to make homemade chicken stock.
Pros: more affordable – stretch your dollar further, contains all cuts, looks impressive, usually enough for leftovers
Cons: more work to prep, longer time to cook, need to know how to carve a bird
The Extras:
If you ever purchase a whole bird, you’ll likely also receive a bag of organ mat (giblets) and the neck. Before you toss those away, consider using the neck to make a flavorful chicken stock or the gizzards for a hearty winter stew. The giblets used to be a delicacy for many immigrants. Now I think they’re largely used as an extra special dog treat!
My Favorite Cut & Cooking Technique
My favorite way to prepare chicken for a weeknight meal is to roast a boneless, skinless breast on high heat. It’s easy and on the table in 20 minutes or less.
I’ll occasionally head to a local butcher and buy 10# of fresh, quality chicken breasts for a very fair price. When you buy in bulk, it’s always more affordable. Then I’ll take an hour once home to make a variety of marinades we enjoy.
I’ll divide the meats into dinner sized portions (usually four 4-ounce breasts), place them in resealable bags and add whatever marinades I choose. Once sealed, I’ll leave a single package in the fridge for that night or the next, then I’ll freeze the rest. That will give me several dinner time proteins to work with or even a quick snack on a hungry day.
BONUS – My Stock the Freezer Secret: If my serving size is 4 oz, then a 10# bag of chicken will give me 40 SERVINGS! Want to feed your family all month? Try this easy freezer marinading trick.
When you are ready to use the chicken, remove a bag from the freezer and thaw it in the fridge overnight. For faster thawing, place the sealed bag in a bowl of cool water, changing the water every hour, until thawed. If your cuts are thin, it should thaw in under an hour. Whatever you do – never thaw out your meat in the microwave! That will start cooking the protein and it won’t turn out well.
My favorite marinades are usually jerk seasoning, some type of teriyaki, mesquite, a honey chili sauce or a lemon pepper. There are tons of options, just pick something you’ll enjoy eating. Plus, it’s fun to experiment.
Here’s my process:
Step 1:
Prep your chicken. I prefer to use thinner chicken breasts for faster weeknight cooking. If you get a larger breast, just slice it in half, longways. Determine your portion size for each quart sized bag. You can add one 4 oz (eyeball it – or weight it if you are type A like me) piece for a single serving, or 2 for two people. If you are feeding a family, use a gallon sized bag and double the meat & marinades.
Step 2:
Get your bags ready. I find it is helpful to sit the bags upright on your counter and fold the top outward. This prevents any of the marinade or chicken juices from getting on your sealing surface.
Step 3:
Place your preferred portion sizes in each bag and top off with your marinade(s).
Step 4:
Seal the bags, removing as much air as you can, and lie flat on a cookie sheet. This will allow them to freeze into a thin, solid square, making each bag much easier to fit into the freezer. Alternatively, you can place the bag in the fridge for up to 24 hours. It is recommended not to marinate chicken > 24 hours, as the proteins will begin to break down. As it freezes, the chicken is marinating and as you thaw it out, it continues to marinate, creating one flavorful chicken breast. Flavor from spices means less salt use. Less salt leads to a healthier you!
Step 5:
To cook, preheat the oven to 450°F. Place your breasts on a foil line baking sheet that has been sprayed with Pam (or some alternative). If your breasts are thin cut (say ½”), it’ll only take 15 minutes to cook. As your thickness increases, it will take longer – use your discretion. Roughly speaking, think 18-20 minutes for ¾” and 20-22 minutes for 1”. Chicken is properly cooked when a food thermometer reads 165°F.
Step 6:
After removing from the oven, let the meat rest for a few minutes, so that the juices can redistribute throughout the meat. If you cut it too soon, the juices spill out and the meat becomes dry.
Step 7:
Enjoy!
There you have it – the easiest way to cook chicken and keep it moist and flavorful!
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Remember, anything the chickens (animals) eat will be passed on to us. Our systems are designed to detox and rid the body of unwanted chemicals naturally, but only to a specific level. Our western diets have too many antibiotics, chemicals, hormones, etc for our bodies to naturally process. As a result, our bodies make changes to adapt, and those changes aren’t always helpful long term.
So invest in quality proteins that will fill your bellies without harming your health. Adhere to portion sizes to keep costs low and calories appropriate. An ideal healthy plate has 50% produce, 25% protein and 25% grains. Following this strategy will help you keep your costs low and your family healthy!
Looking for other ways to easily cook chicken? Stay tuned for more favorite recipes!
