9 Easy Ways to Cook Chicken (2024)

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Danilo Alfaro

9 Easy Ways to Cook Chicken (1)

Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.

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Updated on 09/17/20

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One of the most versatile foods on the planet, chicken can be roasted, baked, grilled, sautéed, braised, or fried. Whether you've never cooked a chicken before, or you're looking for a new twist on the same old bird, here's the ultimate guide on how to cook chicken.

  • 01 of 09

    Roasted Chicken

    9 Easy Ways to Cook Chicken (2)

    Roasted chicken is one of the tastiest, most satisfying dishes you can make. Not only that but roasting a chicken is also one of the easiest ways to prepare a delicious family dinner. Here's a tutorial on how to roast a chicken.

  • 02 of 09

    Baked Chicken

    9 Easy Ways to Cook Chicken (3)

    Baked chicken is different from roasted chicken in two ways. First, baked chicken is prepared with chicken parts (i.e., individual drumsticks, thighs, breasts, and wings) whereas roasted chicken is cooked whole. Second, baked chicken is dredged in seasoned flour before we cook it, which we don't do when roasting a whole bird.

  • 03 of 09

    Braised Chicken

    9 Easy Ways to Cook Chicken (4)

    Braising is a great technique for when we want to cook cheaper or less tender cuts of meat, but it's also a wonderful way to cook chicken. Braised chicken is a warming, soulful dish, and the meat will almost fall off the bone.

  • 04 of 09

    Poached Chicken

    9 Easy Ways to Cook Chicken (5)

    Whether you're just poaching chicken breasts or you're poaching a whole chicken, poaching is an easy and delicious method for cooking chicken. Poached chicken is naturally low in fat and always comes out moist and juicy. And as an added bonus, when you're done poaching the chicken, you're left with a delicious, savory chicken broth that you can use for making sauces, soups and all kinds of other recipes.

    Continue to 5 of 9 below.

  • 05 of 09

    Fried Chicken

    9 Easy Ways to Cook Chicken (6)

    The key to deep-frying is maintaining the oil's temperature between 325 F and 400 F. Hotter than that and most oils will start to smoke. Fried chicken is a great example of the basic deep-frying technique where items are dipped in a simple batter or seasoned flour before we cook them, which helps to protect and further seal in moisture. Here's a recipe for buttermilk fried chicken.

  • 06 of 09

    Broiled Chicken

    9 Easy Ways to Cook Chicken (7)

    Broiled chicken is prepared using a smaller bird called a "broiler" (typically around two to three pounds) which is either split open around the backbone so that it can be cooked flator simply halved. Either way, flattening out the chicken helps it cook faster, which is important given that broiling involves very high heat.

  • 07 of 09

    Grilled Chicken

    9 Easy Ways to Cook Chicken (8)

    Grilled chicken is always a favorite dish, especially during the summer months. You can grill an entire cut up chicken, which is great because the breasts cook a lot faster than the thighs or drumsticks. Skinless, boneless chicken breasts are especially popular for the grill.

  • 08 of 09

    Sautéed or Pan-Fried Chicken

    9 Easy Ways to Cook Chicken (9)

    Sautéed or pan-fried chicken is really a two-stage procedure that involves cooking in a hot pan with a small amount of fat and finishing it either in the oven or by simmering it in some sort of sauce. This lets flavors develop while also ensuring that the chicken is fully cooked. Boneless chicken breast cutlets are great for this method.

    Continue to 9 of 9 below.

  • 09 of 09

    Smoked Whole Chicken

    9 Easy Ways to Cook Chicken (10)

    Using the smoker (or grill set up as a smoker) is a nice alternative to simply roasting a whole bird in the oven. The chicken is covered with a flavorful spice rub and then left to slowly cook over low heat. The result is moist, rich-tasting meat with a crispy outer skin.

9 Easy Ways to Cook Chicken (2024)

FAQs

What are all the ways to cook chicken? ›

Seven Different Ways to Cook your Chicken
  1. Roast Chicken. Roasted chicken is one of the tastiest, most satisfying dishes you can make. ...
  2. Baked Chicken. Baked chicken is different from roasted chicken in two ways. ...
  3. Braised Chicken. ...
  4. Poached Chicken. ...
  5. Fried Chicken. ...
  6. Grilled chicken. ...
  7. Pan-Fried Chicken. ...
  8. Hugh Phillips Gower Butcher.
Apr 16, 2018

How to cook chicken for dummies? ›

Method
  1. Let chicken come to room temperature by sitting out 15-60 minutes depending on the size.
  2. Preheat oven to 400-425F.
  3. Heat a skillet over medium heat.
  4. Season chicken with salt (if not using a marinade or brine). ...
  5. Add a few glugs of olive oil to the skillet. ...
  6. Sear for 3-5 then transfer to oven.

Did I cook my chicken enough? ›

Poke the Meat

This method applies to chicken specifically. For properly cooked chicken, if you cut into it and the juices run clear, then the chicken is fully cooked. If the juices are red or have a pinkish color, your chicken may need to be cooked a bit longer.

What is the best way to cook chicken breast without drying it out? ›

Make sure your chicken breast is well-seasoned before adding it to the pan. Cook each side evenly until brown. Once done, bake the chicken breast in a pre-heated oven until juices run clear. The crispy skin from the sear will help keep juices intact while baking cooks the insides through without drying them out.

What are the 5 methods of cooking poultry? ›

Broiling Meat; Broiling Poultry; Deep-frying; Grilling Meat; Grilling Poultry; Roasting Meats. Roasting Poultry; Sautéing; Stewing; Stir .

What are 3 ways chicken can be used? ›

3 Different Ways to Prepare Chicken
  • Crispy Chicken. Fried chicken is a fan favorite because it's moist and packed with flavor. ...
  • Grilled Chicken. Like roasted chicken, grilled chicken is healthy and requires only basic ingredients. ...
  • Chicken made Roasted - Crispy - Grilled. All at La Rosa Chicken & Grill.

What is the fastest way to cook chicken? ›

On the upside, broiling uses super-high heat, usually about 500 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes it a crazy-quick way to cook. Chicken breasts can be done in as little as 5 to 8 minutes per side. (Even bone-in chicken parts can cook quickly this way, although not as quickly as breasts).

How many ways can you cook chicken? ›

One of the most versatile foods on the planet, chicken can be roasted, baked, grilled, sautéed, braised, or fried. Whether you've never cooked a chicken before, or you're looking for a new twist on the same old bird, here's the ultimate guide on how to cook chicken.

What is the secret to cooking chicken? ›

Chicken breasts must be at room temperature before going in the pan as cold chicken can cook unevenly and tends to be tough. Allow the chicken breast to sit out for 20 minutes. That should do the trick.

Is slightly pink chicken ok? ›

Safely cooked poultry can vary in color from white to pink to tan. All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F (73.9°C) as measured with a food thermometer. For whole poultry, check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.

How long should chicken fry for? ›

This usually equates to around 10 minutes for wings and 12 minutes for breasts, thighs and legs. For the best tasting fried chicken with a beautifully even golden crumb, turn your chicken pieces with tongs (being careful not to splash yourself with hot oil) every 1 – 2 minutes.

What is the secret to moist chicken breast? ›

Brines and marinades help tenderize the meat by bringing more moisture in the protein. With that extra moisture, you lose less when you cook. The simplest way to do this is with a dry brine — unwrap the chicken breasts, salt them on both sides and let them sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

What dries out chicken when cooking? ›

6 Chicken Breast Mistakes That Can Easily Leave You With a Dry, Flavorless Meal
  1. You Didn't Thaw Them Soon Enough.
  2. You're Not Using Skin-on, Bone-In.
  3. You're Not Marinating Them.
  4. You're Not Adequately Seasoning Them.
  5. You're Overcooking Them.
  6. You're Not Letting Them Rest.
Jan 4, 2023

How do you make chicken soft and tender? ›

  1. Flatten the chicken breasts. ...
  2. Heat the pan. ...
  3. Cook the chicken breasts over medium heat for 1 minute without moving. ...
  4. Flip the chicken breasts. ...
  5. Turn the heat down to low. ...
  6. Cover the pan and cook on low for 10 minutes. ...
  7. Turn off the heat and let sit for an additional 10 minutes. ...
  8. Remove lid and take temperature.

What are the different methods of cooking? ›

There are many methods of cooking, most of which have been known since antiquity. These include baking, roasting, frying, grilling, barbecuing, smoking, boiling, steaming and braising. A more recent innovation is microwaving.

How many ways are there to eat chicken? ›

There are countless ways to prepare chicken for a meal. You can grill it, bake it, fry it, roast it, or even cook it in a slow cooker. Each method offers a unique flavor and texture to the chicken, allowing for a variety of options when it comes to meal preparation.

How many types of chicken food are there? ›

There are three main types: chick starter, grower, and layer feeds.

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