How do you cook your chicken, and how do you know when it's cooked?

Question

The first and last time I fried my chicken it was rock hard. Can you give me an app. time and heat for each side on the frying pan? Plus, whenever I bake my chicken it turns out uncooked on the inside. Can you also give me the time I should put my chicken for in the oven and some tips as well? THAnks!

Answer 1

The best way to cook ANY meat evenly and properly is to let it warm to room temperature first. This way it won't get overcooked on the outside and undercooked in the middle. (Make sure it JUST comes up to room temp. Don't leave it out all day.)

If you're FRYING chicken, you want to keep your oil around 350 degrees. It's best to use a candy/deep fry thermometer since it's hard to eyeball the correct temp unless you fry all the time. Cook until golden brown. The inside will be cooked.

If you're BAKING chicken, I usually say around 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Most people overcook chicken until it has a cardboard texture. Do your best NOT to do this. Use a probe or instant thermometer and don't cook it past 165 degrees. Also remember that once you take it out of the oven, it will continue to cook and will gain 2-3 degrees of doneness.

Another way to test doneness is to cut into the meat with a knife. If you see pink meat or liquid, keep cooking. If the meat and juices are white/clear, it's done.

Answer 2

I go to KFC

Answer 3

I used to have problems with under-baked chicken until I got one of the chicken beer can cookers. It's just a metal rack that holds a can of open beer; you put the chicken down over the beer can. As the beer gets hot in the oven it cooks the inside of the chicken and makes it really moist and the outside gets nice and crispy. I usually do a 4 1/2 to 5 pound chicken in 1 1/2 hours this way at 350 degrees on the bottom shelf of the oven. Also, I spray the chicken with olive oil spray and rub some seasoning salt or other seasoning over it. After having chicken baked this way, I won't bake it any other way, now. Try putting some garlic cloves or rosemary sprigs in the beer can, it gives a subtle flavor to the meat.

Answer 4

I grill and fry it. When I grill it I usually cut the inside open and check for color, if it's still red, pinkish I know it's not ready, when I fry it I just wait until the outside is very crispy. Usually I hate the frying pan and medium heat and cook them for about 15-20 minutes.

=]

Answer 5

for fried chicken or baked chicken

season some flour HEAVILY with salt pepper onion garlicpowder and paprika

coat chicken well

get oil really hot or pre heat oven to 350

fry in skillet for 8 min on each side or bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes

Answer 6

For frying:  Paula Deen at foodnetwork.com has an outstanding recipe for fried chicken.  Enjoy!

For baking cut-up chicken parts:  Remember to spray oil your baking sheet generously.

Dark leg/thigh meat take longer than white breast meat.  Generally, if the chicken is coated with something - 40 minutes total at 400 degrees.  Turn chicken over half way (at 20 minutes) during baking.  

Chicken is done when the juice runs clear (not bloody).

Answer 7

I suck at cooking whole chicken! I usually buy the breast fillets. So easy to grill or pan-fry!

Answer 8

Something I learned from my mother ... when cooking chicken, either whole or pieces, boil them first. I would go by the following guidelines ...

whole chicken - 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours

boneless b*****s - 30 minutes

bone-in b*****s - 45 minutes

thighs & legs - 30 to 45 minutes

After boiling, drain the stock and let the chicken sit for about 5 or 10 minutes. When you go to bake, broil, grill, or fry, cut the cooking time in half or only cook it 1/3 of the time needed to keep the chicken from drying out.

If you add a little chopped onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaves (2-3), salt, and pepper to your water and you'll not only add extra flavor to your chicken, but you'll wind up with a great chicken broth for soups and sauces.

Hope this helps.