All The Best Ways to Cook Chicken | Cooking 101 With Sohla | NYT Cooking

NYT Cooking

1 Mar 202436:15

EducationalLearning

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TLDRIn this informative and engaging video, Sola from the New York Times cooking studio shares essential techniques for preparing chicken that is both delicious and safe to eat. The video covers the importance of not washing chicken to prevent cross-contamination and the benefits of choosing organic or heritage chickens for better flavor. Sola teaches viewers how to spatchcock a whole chicken for even cooking, dry brine it for enhanced flavor and texture, and cook it to perfection. Additionally, she demonstrates how to prepare chicken breast and thighs using a stir fry method and a Filipino-inspired adobo recipe, respectively. The video concludes with a simple chicken soup made from leftover rotisserie chicken, emphasizing the use of all parts of the chicken to maximize flavor and minimize waste. Throughout the video, Sola emphasizes the importance of proper food handling and the joy of mastering poultry cooking.

Takeaways

🍗 Learn the basics of chicken preparation to confidently cook various cuts of chicken.
🔪 Spatchcocking a chicken is a simple technique that allows for even cooking and prevents the breast from drying out.
🚿 Avoid washing chicken as it can spread bacteria and make the meat waterlogged, instead, ensure thorough cooking to eliminate bacteria.
🧂 Dry brining chicken with salt and pepper enhances flavor and texture without the need for oil.
🍋 Use of wooden cutting boards can help reduce bacterial growth due to their natural antibacterial properties.
🔥 High heat is suitable for spatchcocked chicken, as it prevents the breast from drying out and allows the dark meat to cook properly.
🍖 The difference in cooking times between white and dark meat is crucial; white meat is leaner and requires less cooking time.
🍲 Making broth from leftover chicken bones is a cost-effective and flavorful way to utilize every part of the chicken.
🥘 For a quick and flavorful chicken dish, consider using a pre-made spice mix like garam masala and adjust the recipe for a stir-fry.
🍗 Using a rotisserie chicken as an ingredient in dishes like soup can save time and add depth of flavor.
🍖 When cooking with dark meat like chicken thighs, a slow braise can break down connective tissues and fat, resulting in tender and flavorful meat.

Q & A

What is the first step in preparing a chicken as mentioned in the transcript?
-The first step is to spatchcock the chicken, which involves removing the backbone and flattening the chicken so it can be cooked more evenly.
Why should you avoid washing chicken before cooking?
-Washing chicken can spread bacteria up to 10 feet in all directions and make the chicken waterlogged, which prevents it from browning and becoming delicious. The correct way to eliminate bacteria is through thorough cooking.
What is a dry brine and how does it benefit the chicken?
-A dry brine is a method of seasoning meat with salt and pepper and then allowing it to rest, uncovered in the fridge. This process helps to draw out moisture from the chicken, resulting in better browning and a more flavorful and textured meat.
What is the recommended internal temperature for cooked chicken breast and dark meat?
-The recommended internal temperature for cooked chicken breast is around 165°F, while the dark meat should ideally reach a bit higher, around 175°F, for the perfect texture.
Why is it important to rest the chicken after cooking before carving?
-Resting the chicken allows the juices to redistribute within the meat, ensuring that it remains moist and flavorful when carved and served.
What is the difference between a spatchcock chicken and a whole chicken with the backbone intact?
-A spatchcock chicken has its backbone removed and is flattened, allowing it to cook more evenly and quickly. A whole chicken with the backbone intact may take longer to cook and may not brown as evenly.
What are some of the key ingredients in the Filipino dish Adobo as described in the transcript?
-The key ingredients in the described Adobo are coconut oil, whole peppercorns, ground pepper, chili flakes, garlic, soy sauce, coconut vinegar, coconut milk, and bay leaves.
Why is it recommended to use a wooden cutting board when preparing chicken?
-A wooden cutting board is recommended because research has shown that wood has natural antibacterial properties. Bacteria can be absorbed into the wood through capillary action and starve, reducing the risk of cross-contamination.
What is the purpose of adding scallions, parsley, onions, and lemon under the chicken before roasting?
-These aromatics are added to infuse the chicken with flavor while it cooks. They also help to keep the meat moist and add a layer of flavor to the final dish.
How long should a whole chicken be dry brined before cooking?
-A whole chicken should be dry brined for a minimum of 6 hours, but ideally after 24 hours, and can be left up to 36 hours for the best results.
What is the final step in making the chicken soup after preparing the broth?
-The final step is to add cooked noodles and the picked chicken meat to the seasoned broth, and finish it off with some parsley and pepper.

Outlines

00:00

🍗 Introduction to Chicken Cooking Techniques

Sola introduces viewers to the basics of chicken preparation, emphasizing the importance of not washing chicken to prevent cross-contamination and the benefits of using whole, organic, or Heritage chickens. The video covers spatchcocking a chicken for even cooking, dry brining for flavor, and cooking chicken parts like thighs and drumsticks. Sola also discusses the different properties of chicken cuts, such as the breast being leaner and the legs having more connective tissue, and how they require different cooking times.

05:01

🔪 Spatchcocking and Dry Brining a Chicken

Sola demonstrates how to spatchcock a chicken by removing the backbone and flattening it. She explains the process of dry brining using salt and pepper, ensuring even coverage for enhanced flavor and texture. The chicken is then placed on a rack in a sheet tray for drying in the fridge, which helps in achieving a crispy skin. The importance of using a wooden cutting board for its natural antibacterial properties is also highlighted.

10:02

🌿 Preparing the Chicken with Aromatic Vegetables

The video moves on to preparing the chicken with aromatics like scallions, parsley, onions, and lemon. Sola discusses the choice of fat for coating the chicken, opting for coconut oil over butter to prevent burning. The chicken is seasoned, massaged with the fat, and then roasted in the oven at a high temperature. She also covers how to check for doneness using a meat thermometer and the importance of resting the chicken before carving.

15:03

🍳 Cooking Chicken Breast as a Stir-fry

Sola shares a quick method for cooking chicken breast on the same day without dry brining. She emphasizes the importance of mise en place, which means having all ingredients prepared before cooking. She demonstrates basic knife skills for chopping onions and cutting the chicken across the grain for even cooking. The chicken is cooked in a stir-fry with garlic, ginger, and a blend of spices, creating a flavorful dish.

20:05

🍛 Making a Shortcut Adobo with Dark Meat

The video continues with preparing chicken dark meat using a slow cooking method called braising. Sola makes a Filipino-inspired adobo using coconut oil, vinegar, and milk, along with soy sauce for a rich and flavorful sauce. She details the process of toasting whole spices to bring out their flavors and searing the chicken to render fat before adding the liquid components for the braise. The dish is simmered low and slow to break down connective tissues and infuse the chicken with the adobo sauce.

25:05

🥘 Creating a Simple Chicken Soup with Leftovers

Sola concludes the video by showing how to make a chicken soup using leftover rotisserie chicken. She explains how to create a quick broth using the bones, skin, and any leftover meat from the chicken. The broth is seasoned and then noodles are boiled in it. Finally, the chicken is added back into the soup along with some vegetables, parsley, and pepper to finish it off. She encourages viewers to adjust the recipe to their preferences, whether that's adding more noodles or vegetables.

30:05

📚 Summary of Chicken Cooking Techniques

In the final paragraph, Sola recaps the various techniques and recipes covered in the video, from spatchcocking and dry brining to stir-frying and braising. She encourages viewers to feel confident in cooking chicken in different ways and to make use of all parts of the chicken, including the bones for broth. The video ends with a reminder to stop washing chicken and to enjoy the versatility it offers in cooking.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Spatchcocking

Spatchcocking is a method of butchery where the backbone of a chicken is removed, allowing the chicken to be flattened. This technique is used in the video to ensure even cooking of the chicken by allowing the heat to penetrate more evenly. It is a key concept as it is presented as a simple way to prepare a whole chicken for roasting.

💡Dry Brine

Dry brining involves rubbing a raw meat with salt and then allowing it to rest before cooking. In the context of the video, dry brining is used to season the chicken and help it achieve a better texture and flavor. The process is emphasized as being simple yet effective for enhancing the chicken's taste without the need for oiling it up.

💡Cross Contamination

Cross contamination refers to the transfer of bacteria from one surface to another, which can lead to foodborne illnesses. The video script highlights the importance of avoiding cross contamination when handling raw chicken by preparing all ingredients and tools before touching the chicken, thus ensuring food safety.

💡Connective Tissue

Connective tissue is the substance in meat that holds the muscles together and is abundant in darker meat like chicken thighs. The video discusses how cooking methods like braising help break down these tissues, resulting in tender meat. This concept is crucial for understanding how to cook chicken parts with different textures and compositions.

💡Carryover Cooking

Carryover cooking is a phenomenon where the temperature of cooked meat continues to rise even after it has been removed from the heat source. The video mentions this when discussing the doneness of the chicken, indicating that the temperature may increase a few degrees after the chicken is taken out of the oven.

💡Braising

Braising is a cooking technique that involves cooking food slowly with a small amount of liquid in a covered pot. The video features a braising technique for chicken thighs and drumsticks, emphasizing how it allows for the meat to become tender by breaking down the connective tissues.

💡Aromatics

Aromatics in cooking are ingredients that add flavor and aroma to dishes. In the video, scallions, parsley, onions, and lemon are used as aromatics under the chicken to infuse the meat with flavor while it cooks. This concept ties into the overall theme of enhancing the chicken's taste through various cooking techniques.

💡Render

To render, in a culinary context, usually refers to the process of melting fat from a meat source, often to crisp the skin or to concentrate flavors. The video describes rendering the fat from the chicken skin as a way to achieve a crispy texture and to avoid flabby meat, particularly when making a dish like adobo.

💡Adobo

Adobo is a popular Filipino dish characterized by its use of vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper, and garlic. The video provides a recipe for chicken adobo using coconut oil, coconut milk, and coconut vinegar, which is a variation on the traditional recipe and highlights the flexibility of the dish.

💡Chicken Broth

Chicken broth is a stock made by simmering chicken bones, skin, and cartilage in water. The video emphasizes the value of making chicken broth from leftover bones and skin, which not only adds flavor to dishes like soup but also maximizes the use of the chicken, aligning with the theme of efficient and flavorful cooking.

💡Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is a classic comfort food made with chicken broth, noodles, and cooked chicken meat. In the video, a simple chicken soup is prepared using the broth made from leftover rotisserie chicken, demonstrating how to create a nourishing meal from readily available ingredients.

Highlights

Sola teaches the basics of preparing chicken to become a confident poultry cook.

Demonstrates how to spatchcock a chicken for even cooking without drying out the breast.

Provides a simple recipe for juicy chicken breast that doesn't suck.

Introduces a basic brazing technique for chicken thighs and drumsticks.

Advises against washing chicken to prevent cross-contamination and bacterial spread.

Uses a wooden cutting board for its natural antibacterial properties.

Explains the difference in cooking times between chicken breast and dark meat due to their composition.

Shows how to dry brine a chicken for enhanced flavor and texture.

Uses scallions, parsley, onions, and lemon for added flavor and moisture during the roasting process.

Details the importance of resting the chicken before carving to retain juiciness.

Carving techniques for a spatchcocked chicken are demonstrated.

A stir-fry method for cooking chicken breast using a dry brine is presented.

Provides a quick chicken breast recipe that doesn't require dry brining.

Demonstrates how to chop onions efficiently using a radial cut.

Cutting chicken across the grain ensures even cooking and prevents toughness.

Prepares a quick stir-fry version of Harab Masala with yogurt.

Uses ghee for cooking to handle higher temperatures and impart flavor.

Making adobo with coconut oil, coconut milk, and coconut vinegar for a unique Filipino twist.

The importance of toasting spices before adding them to a dish to enhance flavor.

Creating a simple chicken soup using leftover rotisserie chicken and a quick homemade broth.

Utilizing all parts of the chicken, including bones and skin, to make a flavorful broth.

Seasoning the broth to taste and adding noodles directly into the soup for a thicker consistency.

Final soup touches include adding cooked chicken, parsley, and pepper.

Transcripts

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