I am looking for exact instructions on how to cook chicken. I have bought fresh chicken numerous times and its mostly chewy. It can be in gravy, oven cooked, tandoori style etc etc I just want it cooked perfectly.
Chicken – Getting rid of chewy chicken
chicken
Related Topic
- Chicken – How to avoid chicken getting too tender when cooking in a crock pot
- Chicken – Aromatics from roasted chicken and sauce
- Chicken – cook chicken legs, but will be out of house for 2.5 hours at what temp do I need to cook it at so it’s not over or under cooked
- Baking – What makes cooked chicken chewy
- Chicken – How to cook boneless chicken thighs
- Chicken – Cooking Chicken in Skillet
Best Answer
No instructions are going to be that precise; there are too many variables at play. What temperature was the chicken before you started? Exactly how big are the pieces? How precisely can you measure and maintain the temperature of the oven or cooking medium?
What you need to be sure that your chicken is perfectly done is an instant read thermometer. At first, aim for 165F (74C), that's the minimum "safe" temperature. After that, you may choose to go a little higher, especially for dark meat. Some people prefer a few degrees lower, especially for breasts. Whether temperatures under 165F are safe is a bit controversial, you need to assess any risk on your own. Once you know the exact temperature that seems perfect for you, that's where to aim. The temperature will continue to rise after you remove the chicken from the heat. For small pieces that "carry-over" temperature rise will be pretty negligible; a whole chicken will rise a few degrees.
Whatever recipe you follow, take the temperature a few minutes before the time in the recipe. As you gain experience, you'll get better at zeroing in on doneness by appearance.