Moist juicy chicken. Mmmm Doesn’t that sound good?
NOT IF YOU ARE VEGAN CHEF!
No worries. I’m taking care of everyone! I’m at the fair this Thursday and the following Tuesday teaching nothing but vegan and vegetarian meals. Even if you do Meatless Monday’s, these are the shows to come out for. 2pm. The Family area outside stage. And I’m sending samples into the audience and as always there’s a free raffle where 3 people sitting there win something! Whoo hoo!
NICE CHEF!
Why thank you. Getting back to this blog, I’ve got to say it’s only after years and years of cooking, that some things come naturally. Most people count on a thermometer for chicken. They say 165 degrees for white, 180 degrees for dark. What are you, chicken? I’m not. I don’t check the temp. I just follow a simple game plan.
Wanna hear it?
SURE CHEF!
Two days before you are going to cook the chickie (bone in/skin on and use pieces only) slather it with hoisin sauce and fresh ginger. Stuff the skin with thin slices of garlic. More is better. Then put it into your Foodsaver (it sucks the air out of the bag, separating the meat so that the marinade can really get in) and store it in the fridge a day or two. Pull it out, onto a sheet with a lip to catch the juices, into a 450 degree oven.
WHOOOT? 450 DEGREES?
You bet!
20 minutes seals in the juices and browns the skin. Turn down the heat to 350 degrees put some foil on the top and cook for another 40-50 minutes. Now of course it depends on your stove. Every stove is different. But notice the size of your chicken. When you go to pull it out, did it shrink? Are there juices in the bottom of the pan?
Today, with the breasts I did, I cut into the chicken to the bone right through the middle when the bell rang. In my house? That was exactly the right amount of time. Did I cut the chicken up right away?
DID YOU CHEF?
Noooo. Just like steak, I let it still for 10-15 minutes to let the juices redistribute throughout the pieces.
I want to say (everyone who ate it said) it was tender and juicy, the absolute best chicken.
And what can you use as a side dish? My old faithful, brown rice. Only this time I strained the pan dripping and liquid right into the water I used to cook the rice. Good idea?
YES CHEF!
Lots of flavor. And since we skinned the chicken before we served it, making sure we grabbed all the roasted garlic from under the skin to sprinkle back over the chicken, so we’re sooo good I think we earned a little gravy! And if you’re distributing it through a pot of rice, the amount per cup is next to nothing! Aren’t I great at rationalizing? lol
So there you have it. Juicy moist chicken every time.
Come out to the Fair on Thursday or the following Tuesday! My favorite veggie sandwich this Thursday and a Vegan Lasagna Cookoff next Tuesday where YOU decide which lasagna is best!
Pick me! Pick me! lol
Hope to see you there!
Happy Eating,
Chef Marian