littlebylittlemore

I am a chicken fanatic! Yes, I am referring to the actual animal the chicken. They are so soft to pet, fun to feed and watch for friends, and very entertaining to observe. I feel like much can be learned from chickens’ behavior- although, that is a post for another day. I love fresh farm eggs. I love to wear chicken feather earrings (Seriously. They are one of my favorite pairs!) I love their funny beaks and sounds they make.
And lastly, call me morbid, but I love to eat chicken. I cook chicken at least 2 times a week, sometimes more. It is one of my favorite proteins, and I am always pecking (see what I did there) for a simple or delicious recipe to try. I realize that some people struggle with cooking tender and delicious chicken, so they may not quite share my love of it. But I’m here to help change that. Hence the title, Cooking Chicken 101.

To start out with. Here are a few things NOT to do when cooking chicken. Think of this as a list of things I have had to learn little by little the hard way in my journey of cooking.

1. Don’t serve raw chicken. Basically, my best advice in this area is to always treat raw chicken meat as though it is covered in the Ebola virus. Believe me, it might as well be if you’ve ever had severe food poisoning. Need I say more? Gross. Therefore, Wash your hands frequently, and do not cross contaminate it with anything else. And again, always make sure it is cooked thoroughly before serving!  (One way to avoid this is to make sure your chicken is fully thawed before attempting to cook it. I once tried to cook frozen chicken breasts for Scott when we were dating. I was trying to impress him with my cooking skills. He cut into it, and it was still raw. Bless his heart! He cut around the raw and ate the “cooked” part. After he didn’t die, I knew he was a keeper!) Basically, the general consensus from several cooking resources and the FDA is that chicken should be 170F at its thickest point when it is done.
2. Don’t overcook the chicken. No one loves dry chicken. No one.
3. Don’t overdo the spices and seasonings. Chicken is very mild in flavor, so it absorbs other flavors very easily. Don’t feel you have to go too crazy with the spice rack. Remember the motto: A little goes a long way.
4. Don’t cut into your chicken breasts too soon. Always let them rest 5 minutes before you go crazy cutting into them. When you let them rest a few minutes, they absorb the cooking juices around them and it makes the chicken even more delectable.

That’s not so bad, right? So here is one of my current favorite recipes for cooking roasted chicken breasts. It is easy, and it makes for a delicious dinner and simply marvelous leftovers to add to a salad, put in a wrap, or just eat straight out of the tupperware (don’t judge).

This recipe is inspired by a pinterest blogger lady that I follow very regularly called GimmeSomeOven.com (go ahead and check out her recipes as soon as you finish reading this. Or go now. I’ll wait.) She is amazing, and every recipe of hers that I have tried I have loved.

Okay, so back to cooking your AMAZING Roasted Chicken. Start by preheating your oven to 450F. That may seem high, but remember you are roasting the chicken, and the higher temperature will make the outside golden and the inside tender as can be. Take a pack of  3-4 chicken breasts and butterfly filet them. In other words, half the thickness of your chicken breasts by cutting them horizontally. This makes them cook more evenly and allows the meat to have more flavor. Fill a large bowl with warm (not hot and not cold) water and about 1/2 cup of salt (enough water to cover all the chicken breasts when you put them in it). This is a process called “brining“. It is basically just going to flavor the meat and make it more tender. It only takes 15 minutes, and believe me it is worth it!

While they are being brined, you can get out a large casserole dish or rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle a small amount of olive oil on the bottom.

Now make this “Chicken Rub”

• 2 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika (if you’d like a smoked flavor, you can use smoked paprika)

*mix these together in a little bowl and set aside for now.

After you’ve brined your chicken breasts for 15 minutes, rinse them in cold water to get the saltwater off. Place them in your olive oil prepared baking dish. Now brush a little more olive oil (or melted butter) over the tops of the chicken breasts. Use a spoon or your fingers to sprinkle the “chicken rub” on the chicken breasts- both sides! 

Now put the your chicken in the heated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. Once you’re sure the chicken is completely cooked(and looking deliciously golden), take it out of the oven. Set it on the stovetop or the counter to cool and rest it for 5 minutes. Some people recommend covering it with aluminum foil, but I think it’s okay to skip the foil if you want. The resting is the most important part (besides actually cooking it!)to getting your chicken to be tender. While it is resting, the chicken is absorbing all those delicious juices around it. Another important life lesson could be found even in this chicken recipe. See? Inspiration really is everywhere. 😉

Once your chicken has had a chance to rest a little bit, you can put it on your favorite plates with your favorite sides. The evening I took this picture, I paired the roasted chicken breasts with some couscous and pan-roasted butternut squash mixed with kale. Both sides were simple to make while the chicken was roasting in the oven. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I have! Let me know what you think. Also, I am new to sharing recipes through blogging, so any constructive input you have for formatting and or delivery is always welcome.

Blessings, Karen