7 Expert Tips for Cooking Chicken

For beginners and experienced cooks alike, preparing chicken can come with a lot of questions (and nerves!). Am I going to get salmonella? How do I butcher a whole bird? Am I doomed to an eternity of dry breast meat? In the third installment of her YouTube series, Cooking 101, the chef and cookbook author Sohla El-Waylly will help you master the basics of the bird, then set you up with a handful of recipes that highlight white and dark meat.

Recipe: Spatchcock Roast Chicken

Learn how to shop for chicken: Understand the many ways poultry is labeled in grocery stores, including organic, pasture-raised, heritage breed and air-chilled.

Avoid cross contamination: Learn why washing your chicken is not recommended for optimal food safety.

Spatchcock a whole bird: Buying a bird whole is often more cost-effective. Learn how to remove the backbone so you end up with consistently cooked meat.

Evenly brown your chicken, every time: A few techniques and a supremely simple dry brine will set you up for success.

Never cook dry breasts again: Delicate and lean breast meat is ideal for easy weeknight stir-frying.

Braise dark meat effectively: The fat and connective tissue in dark meat means it can stand up to long cooking.

Use up any leftover bones and meat: Make the most of a carcass with a simple, flexible stock formula.

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