Different Ways to Cook Chicken

Chicken is a staple of diets across the U.S. and the world, and no doubt yours as well. There are many, many ways to cook chicken, including pressure-cooking, slow-cooking, grilling, baking, frying, and many more. Regardless of the method, you want to make sure the chicken breast has reached an internal temperature of about 165 degrees Farenheit, which you can check with a meat thermometer. Of course, you can also check the color in the center of the chicken breast as well.

Bake

Let's start with baking. If you are baking chicken, you'll want to preheat your oven to around 400 degrees Fahrenheit. At this stage you can also add your choice of oil to the chicken, as well as salt, pepper, and other seasonings. You'll want to bake the chicken for about 25 to 30 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes (it will still be cooking because of the heat in your baking pan.

Saute

A little more prep is advised for this, like cutting up the chicken into smaller pieces or pounding the chicken to flatten it out. As always, season with salt, pepper, and whatever else you want. Oil your skillet and heat to medium-high. Add your chicken and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes.

Grill

Dry the chicken by patting it down, then season to your liking. Oil your grill and get it heated up to medium heat. Throw your chicken onto the grill and cook for around 5 to 8 minutes. Flip the meat and cook for the same time. Wait until the last minute or two to add any barbecue sauce, etc.

Slow Cook

Place chicken in your slow-cooker, then add 1/2 cup of chicken broth (or water) as well. Now cook at the low setting for around 6 to 8 hours.

Poach

Poaching chicken is a great way to prepare chicken to be pulled apart and used in dishes like soup, chicken salad, many Mexican dishes, etc. Take your boneless, skinless chicken breast and place it in a large skillet. Now take 1-2 cups of water or chicken broth and add it to the skillet as well. Heat the skillet and bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover. Let the chicken cook for 10 to 15 minutes (or until it reaches a temp of 165 or so). You can also poach chicken in the oven by putting it in a roasting pan. Separately, boil about 4 cups of water, then pour into the roasting pan over the chicken. Cover the pan and bake at 400 degrees for somewhere between 22 to 34 minutes.

Pressure Cook

This will give you the same kind of chicken as the slow cooker, in a shorter time. Add thawed chicken breasts and 1/2 cup water or chicken broth. Now cover and lock the pressure cooker and put the pressure on high. Cook for about 11-13 minutes, then check the chicken's internal temperature. If needed, cover again, bring the pressure up, and cook for a few more minutes.

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How to Cook Pasta
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