Know Your Chicken
Cooking Skills: Chicken 1
Chapter 1 · Know Your Chicken
Skill goal
Buy, store and handle raw chicken safely, and learn when it is cooked and still juicy.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
Chicken is cheap and quick, but it is the meat where mistakes matter most, in both directions: too little cooking is a health risk, too much leaves it dry and stringy. Learn the cuts first. Breast is lean and cooks in 20 to 25 minutes but dries out fast. Thighs have more fat and connective tissue, so they stay juicy and are hard to overcook. Drumsticks are cheap and good for glazes, and wings crisp up beautifully. Bone-in, skin-on pieces are the most forgiving and the tastiest.
The only reliable test is a probe thermometer: 75°C in the thickest part. A chicken breast that reaches 75°C and is rested is moist; one taken to 85°C is dry. Buy chicken by the use-by date, keep it cold, and check the safety box before you do anything else. Cooking Skills: Knife Skills 1, chapter 7 shows how to joint a chicken; this course starts with the pieces already cut.
The method
- Keep raw chicken cold and separate: on the bottom shelf, in a covered dish, with its own board and tools.
- Pat it dry with kitchen paper before cooking; dry skin crisps, wet skin steams.
- Season generously with salt, ideally an hour or more ahead.
- Cook hot and measure, using a probe thermometer in the thickest part (75°C).
- Rest for 5 to 10 minutes on a warm plate under loose foil, then serve.
| Cut | Fat | Time at 200°C (approximate) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breast, skinless | Low | 20 to 25 minutes | Slicing, salads, pan-frying |
| Thigh, bone-in | Medium | 35 to 40 minutes | Roasting, casseroles, grilling |
| Drumstick | Medium | 40 to 45 minutes | Glazes, barbecues, children |
| Wing | High | 35 to 40 minutes | Crisp snacks, glazes |
Raw chicken, temperature, hot oven and allergens
Raw chicken: the safety rules: raw chicken often carries campylobacter and salmonella. Never wash it (the splashes spread bacteria around the kitchen), keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, use its own board, knife and tongs, wash your hands, boards and tools in hot soapy water afterwards, and never put cooked food back on a plate or board that held raw chicken. Use it by the use-by date, or freeze it on the day you buy it.Is it cooked? Use a thermometer: chicken is safe when the thickest part reaches 75°C (or 70°C held for 2 minutes), the meat is white all the way through with no pink, and the juices run clear (general guidance, in line with current FSA advice). Push a probe thermometer into the thickest part without touching bone, and for a whole bird check the thickest part of the thigh. If in doubt, cook it longer.
Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away.
Allergens: chicken itself is not a major allergen, but the dishes around it often contain milk, gluten, egg, mustard, celery, soya and sesame. Check stock cubes and sauces, tell guests what is in a dish, and use separate tools for anyone with an allergy.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
Oven-baked thighs with lemon and herbs
The easiest way to cook chicken well. Bone-in, skin-on thighs on a tray with lemon and thyme, roasted hot until the skin is golden and the meat is cooked through. Check with a thermometer: 75°C in the thickest part, away from the bone.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, half sliced and half juiced
- 6 sprigs thyme
- 4 garlic cloves, left in their skins
- 1 tsp flaked sea salt
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6). Pat the thighs dry, rub with the oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice, and arrange skin-side up on a tray with the lemon slices, thyme and garlic.
- Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp.
- Check the thickest thigh reads 75°C, rest for 5 minutes, and serve with the pan juices.
Raw chicken, temperature and hot oven
Raw chicken: the safety rules: raw chicken often carries campylobacter and salmonella. Never wash it (the splashes spread bacteria around the kitchen), keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, use its own board, knife and tongs, wash your hands, boards and tools in hot soapy water afterwards, and never put cooked food back on a plate or board that held raw chicken. Use it by the use-by date, or freeze it on the day you buy it.Is it cooked? Use a thermometer: chicken is safe when the thickest part reaches 75°C (or 70°C held for 2 minutes), the meat is white all the way through with no pink, and the juices run clear (general guidance, in line with current FSA advice). Push a probe thermometer into the thickest part without touching bone, and for a whole bird check the thickest part of the thigh. If in doubt, cook it longer.
Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away.
Level 1 · Glaze
Baked drumsticks with a honey-mustard glaze
Drumsticks are cheap and children like them. The honey in the glaze burns if it goes on too early, so bake the chicken first, then brush on the glaze for the last 15 minutes, turning once.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 8 chicken drumsticks
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp runny honey
- 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 lemon, juice
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6). Toss the drumsticks in the oil and seasoning and roast on a lined tray for 25 minutes.
- Mix the honey, mustard, soy sauce, garlic and lemon juice. Brush it over the drumsticks, turn them, and roast for 15 to 20 minutes more, brushing again halfway.
- Check the thickest drumstick reads 75°C and the glaze is sticky and dark. Rest for 5 minutes.
Raw chicken, hot oven and allergens
Raw chicken: the safety rules: raw chicken often carries campylobacter and salmonella. Never wash it (the splashes spread bacteria around the kitchen), keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, use its own board, knife and tongs, wash your hands, boards and tools in hot soapy water afterwards, and never put cooked food back on a plate or board that held raw chicken. Use it by the use-by date, or freeze it on the day you buy it.Is it cooked? Use a thermometer: chicken is safe when the thickest part reaches 75°C (or 70°C held for 2 minutes), the meat is white all the way through with no pink, and the juices run clear (general guidance, in line with current FSA advice). Push a probe thermometer into the thickest part without touching bone, and for a whole bird check the thickest part of the thigh. If in doubt, cook it longer.
Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away.
Allergens: contains mustard, soya and gluten (soy sauce).
Level 2 · Lean
Chicken breasts baked in a parcel
Breast is the easiest cut to dry out. A foil parcel with a little butter, lemon and herbs holds in the steam so the meat stays juicy. Open the parcel at the table and spoon the juices over. Check the thickest part reads 75°C.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 4 skinless chicken breasts (about 150 g each)
- 20 g butter, divided into 4
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 4 sprigs thyme or tarragon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp flaked sea salt
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas 6). Place each breast on a sheet of foil, rub with oil and salt, top with butter, lemon slices and herbs.
- Fold the foil into sealed parcels, leaving room for steam, and bake on a tray for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Open one parcel (away from your face), check 75°C in the thickest part and no pink. Serve with the juices.
Raw chicken, hot steam and temperature
Raw chicken: the safety rules: raw chicken often carries campylobacter and salmonella. Never wash it (the splashes spread bacteria around the kitchen), keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, use its own board, knife and tongs, wash your hands, boards and tools in hot soapy water afterwards, and never put cooked food back on a plate or board that held raw chicken. Use it by the use-by date, or freeze it on the day you buy it.Is it cooked? Use a thermometer: chicken is safe when the thickest part reaches 75°C (or 70°C held for 2 minutes), the meat is white all the way through with no pink, and the juices run clear (general guidance, in line with current FSA advice). Push a probe thermometer into the thickest part without touching bone, and for a whole bird check the thickest part of the thigh. If in doubt, cook it longer.
Hot pot and hot steam: a big pan of simmering stock or soup is heavy and scalding. Keep the handle turned in, use a ladle rather than pouring, lift the lid away from your face, and keep children and pets out of the kitchen while you move it.
Level 3 · Crisp
A dry-brined chicken thigh
Salt the thighs and leave them uncovered in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. The salt seasons the meat, and the open air dries the skin so that it crisps in the oven. It is the single best trick for chicken skin.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tsp flaked sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Pat the thighs dry, rub with the salt, pepper and paprika, and leave them on a rack over a plate, uncovered, in the fridge for 4 to 24 hours.
- Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, gas 7). Rub with the oil and lay skin-side up on a tray.
- Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until the skin is deep golden and crisp and the thickest thigh reads 75°C. Rest for 5 minutes.
Raw chicken, hot oven and temperature
Raw chicken: the safety rules: raw chicken often carries campylobacter and salmonella. Never wash it (the splashes spread bacteria around the kitchen), keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, use its own board, knife and tongs, wash your hands, boards and tools in hot soapy water afterwards, and never put cooked food back on a plate or board that held raw chicken. Use it by the use-by date, or freeze it on the day you buy it.Is it cooked? Use a thermometer: chicken is safe when the thickest part reaches 75°C (or 70°C held for 2 minutes), the meat is white all the way through with no pink, and the juices run clear (general guidance, in line with current FSA advice). Push a probe thermometer into the thickest part without touching bone, and for a whole bird check the thickest part of the thigh. If in doubt, cook it longer.
Hot oven and hot trays: ovens, trays and tins are hot enough to burn badly. Use dry oven gloves (a damp cloth conducts heat), pull the shelf out a little before lifting a tray, put hot things on a heatproof surface and keep children away.
Experiments
Experiment
Skin on or off
Moisture and crunch.
- Roast one skin-on and one skinless thigh at 200°C for the same time.
Look for: The skin-on thigh is juicier and the skin is crisp; the skinless one is drier and paler.
Experiment
Bone-in or boneless
Time.
- Roast a bone-in thigh next to a boneless one.
Look for: The boneless thigh cooks faster (about 20 to 25 minutes) but is drier; the bone-in one is juicier and takes longer.
Experiment
Thermometer or knife-cut
Doneness.
- Cut into one thigh at 25 minutes and then check the next with a thermometer.
Look for: A thermometer tells you exactly; cutting shows pink juices that confuse, so use a probe for confidence.
Experiment
Salting an hour first
Seasoning.
- Salt one thigh an hour ahead and another just before cooking.
Look for: The early-salted thigh is seasoned through and the skin is crisper; the late-salted one is only salty on the surface.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baked thighs with lemon and herbs | ||||
| Glazed drumsticks | ||||
| Chicken breast in a parcel | ||||
| Dry-brined chicken thigh | ||||
| Skin on or off | ||||
| Bone-in or boneless | ||||
| Thermometer or knife-cut | ||||
| Salting an hour first |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Pink near the bone | Not cooked enough, or young chicken | Check 75°C; cook longer until juices are clear |
| Dry breast | Overcooked | Use a thermometer; take it off at 75°C |
| Pale, soft skin | Wet skin or oven too cool | Pat dry, dry-brine, and use a hot oven |
| Burnt glaze | Glaze added too early | Brush on for the last 15 minutes |
| Chicken sticks to the tray | Tray unlined | Line with baking paper or oil the tray |
| Bland chicken | Not enough salt | Salt ahead of time and season well |
Raw chicken, leftovers and allergens
Raw chicken: the safety rules: raw chicken often carries campylobacter and salmonella. Never wash it (the splashes spread bacteria around the kitchen), keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, use its own board, knife and tongs, wash your hands, boards and tools in hot soapy water afterwards, and never put cooked food back on a plate or board that held raw chicken. Use it by the use-by date, or freeze it on the day you buy it.Leftover chicken: cool cooked chicken quickly (within about 1 to 2 hours), cover and refrigerate, and eat within 2 days. Reheat only once, until steaming hot all the way through. Never leave chicken on the table for more than 2 hours. Cooked chicken can be frozen for up to about 3 months.
Allergens: chicken itself is not a major allergen, but the dishes around it often contain milk, gluten, egg, mustard, celery, soya and sesame. Check stock cubes and sauces, tell guests what is in a dish, and use separate tools for anyone with an allergy.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can store and handle raw chicken safely.
- I know the safe temperature, 75°C.
- I can use a probe thermometer.
- I can tell the cuts apart and cook each well.
- I can salt chicken ahead for better skin.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Chicken 1, chapter 2 is Roast Chicken: roasting, resting and carving a whole bird.