Food: Chicken, 7 amazing ways
Our favourite staple has been given a super-tasty makeover by YOU’s Eleanor Maidment
Lime and chipotle chicken tinga tacos
5 TIPS FOR PERFECTLY COOKED CHICKEN
1
Just as with a steak, take your chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes or more before cooking. Chilled meat seizes up when it hits heat, so this will help it stay more tender.
2
Always season your chicken. It can be a bland meat so a little salt goes a long way. Do this as soon as you take it out of the fridge before cooking to allow the salt time to penetrate the flesh and give it a good flavour.
Chicken and avocado salad with basil and parmesan dressing; Chicken braised in turmeric and coconut milk
3
Change things up by marinating your chicken. A marinade should usually have an acid element to help tenderise the meat. Citrus juice, vinegar or yogurt are always reliable.
4
Make sure you rest chicken after cooking to let the juices redistribute through the meat. A couple of minutes is fine for smaller boneless cuts, and at least 20 minutes for a whole bird. Don’t worry that the meat will cool too much… it won’t!
5
Overcooking chicken is guaranteed to dry it out. If you want to be really precise, use a meat thermometer. Chicken is fully cooked when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 75C. When it’s this temperature, you can take it out of the oven.
Food styling: Sunil Vijayakar. Styling: Lydia McPherson