Easiest way to cook chicken? (new to cooking)

[krynn]

Hey all,

I'm completely new to cooking, but I'm sick of eating out all the time so I'm trying to learn how to make some simple things. The first thing I want to make is just some chicken and vegetables on brown rice (trying to get protein and eat healthy at the same time). Asking around a bit I think I have all of my ingredients - bought some boneless/skinless chicken breast, a frozen vegetable mix, some Mrs. Dash, and brown rice. I have a rice cooker so that's not a problem, but as for the rest I'm fairly clueless. Can anyone walk me through it? I would like to make enough for 4 dinners or so, I'm told any more than that and the chicken will dry out.

All I've been able to gather is that baking is the easiest, but some people say to bake on tin foil, some say to wrap in tin foil, and some say to use a pyrex cooking tray. Which is the easiest? How do I clean the chicken beforehand? When do I add the Mrs. Dash, and how long do I bake for at what temperature?

Thanks for any help!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Place 1 serving of chicken on a square of foil to wrap it up, before wrapping top with a serving of the frozen veggies and sprinkle with the Mrs. Dash. Wrap tightly, place in baking pan and bake @ 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Make sure the chicken is cooked through. You can freeze the wrapped chicken and veg either uncooked or cooked.

 

[Ronzy]

Place 1 serving of chicken on a square of foil to wrap it up, before wrapping top with a serving of the frozen veggies and sprinkle with the Mrs. Dash. Wrap tightly, place in baking pan and bake @ 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Make sure the chicken is cooked through. You can freeze the wrapped chicken and veg either uncooked or cooked.

Use boneless chicken breast; it cooks most evenly. Also, just use a cooking spray (such as Pam) to spritz a fry pan. 4 at a time, if you want. Season and cook over medium heat on stove top about 5-7 min per side. Cook veggies separately. Follow package directions.

 

[Linux]

Roast it, according to the weight. Easily enough done, stuff a whole lemon up the chicken's cavity, pricked with a fork to let lemon juice out. Also add a handful of fresh herbs, the same: thyme, coriander and a spring of rosemary. Its fragrance is unspeakably beautiful.

 

[Ronzy]

Roast it, according to the weight. Easily enough done, stuff a whole lemon up the chicken's cavity, pricked with a fork to let lemon juice out. Also add a handful of fresh herbs, the same: thyme, coriander and a spring of rosemary. Its fragrance is unspeakably beautiful.

I take it you're single and cooking for one? Simple is good.
If you're talking whole chickens...Grocery store chickens are very passable and some markets, like Safeway, have "Chicken Fridays", when you can buy 2 for $10. Great for making chicken sandwiches, chicken salad or a full dinner with mashed potatoes and a veggie or green salad. Whatever you can't use right away, pick off the bone and freeze for later. Make soup out of the bones. Very practical!

 

[Linux]

I take it you're single and cooking for one? Simple is good.
If you're talking whole chickens...Grocery store chickens are very passable and some markets, like Safeway, have "Chicken Fridays", when you can buy 2 for $10. Great for making chicken sandwiches, chicken salad or a full dinner with mashed potatoes and a veggie or green salad. Whatever you can't use right away, pick off the bone and freeze for later. Make soup out of the bones. Very practical!

I am not single inasmuch that I live with six other girls including my 13 yo foster daughter. Simple is still good, though, for roasting a chicken means just as you said: you get to eat it next day, only in a fine pasta meal, or as a gorgeous chicken sandwich in wholemeal bread, and then you boil the carcass up and make wonderful chicken broth.

You can also freeze chicken broth. What I do is freeze it in cubes ready to be popped into some future cookpot. Or melting to become lovely gravy. 2 for $10 is good value, but I recommend a farm bird, free range preferably. Its flavour is outstanding.

 

[Kayelle]

Place 1 serving of chicken on a square of foil to wrap it up, before wrapping top with a serving of the frozen veggies and sprinkle with the Mrs. Dash. Wrap tightly, place in baking pan and bake @ 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Make sure the chicken is cooked through. You can freeze the wrapped chicken and veg either uncooked or cooked.

krynn, since you specifically asked for the easiest way, I'd follow Princess Fiona's advice above. Once you feel successful with the simplest method, you'll gain the confidence to move on to more complicated suggestions.
One bit of advice I would give you is to purchase an instant read thermometer. It's imperative for your health that chicken be thoroughly cooked, and there's nothing more unappetizing than over cooked chicken either. Good luck, Krynn, you can do it!

 

[Ronzy]

I am not single inasmuch that I live with six other girls including my 13 yo foster daughter. Simple is still good, though, for roasting a chicken means just as you said: you get to eat it next day, only in a fine pasta meal, or as a gorgeous chicken sandwich in wholemeal bread, and then you boil the carcass up and make wonderful chicken broth.

Aw, Linux... I know you're a pro! I was still advising KRYNN, who sounds like she(he) is living alone. I just thought it would be easier to buy chicken already cooked. No doubt, free-range and organic are best, but some of us don't have the funds and/or the time to make gourmet meals at home every day.

 

[Kayelle]

My opinion (the only one I'm entitled to) about "free range orgainic" chickens is they are a marketing hype. I've been cooking ordinary Foster Farms grocery store chickens for more years than I want to admit. I bought into the hype and purchased a free range chicken that cost 5 times more than it should have, and I could tell absolutely no difference in the quality or the flavor, I call that a rip off. Again, this is just my opinion.

 

[Constance]

My opinion (the only one I'm entitled to) about "free range orgainic" chickens is they are a marketing hype. I've been cooking ordinary Foster Farms grocery store chickens for more years than I want to admit. I bought into the hype and purchased a free range chicken that cost 5 times more than it should have, and I could tell absolutely no difference in the quality or the flavor, I call that a rip off. Again, this is just my opinion.

I agree.

 

[Matt Kay]

My opinion (the only one I'm entitled to) about "free range orgainic" chickens is they are a marketing hype. I've been cooking ordinary Foster Farms grocery store chickens for more years than I want to admit. I bought into the hype and purchased a free range chicken that cost 5 times more than it should have, and I could tell absolutely no difference in the quality or the flavor, I call that a rip off. Again, this is just my opinion.

Sadly, I agree as well. The organic chicken that I've purchased was more neatly butchered but the flavor difference (if there is one) is imperceptible.

Most people buy organic free range with the trust that the chickens are treated humanely and the hopes that their chicken isn't laden with pesticides and hormones. The price point needs to change though.

That said, easy way to cook chicken...

• Pound chicken breast(s) between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to 3/4 inch thickness. This makes them super easy to cook evenly. Use a rolling pin if you don't have a mallet.
• Season both sides of the chicken lightly with salt, pepper and a sprinkle of cumin and coriander.
• Saute the chicken in a pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until cooked through and lightly browned on both sides.
• Shred the chicken with 2 forks and wrap the chicken in warmed corn tortillas.
• Heat some jarred salsa verde, pour it on top and you have quick chicken enchilada verdes.

It doesn't involve your available ingredients but it's an alternative to mix it up a bit. Cheers!