Are you thinking about preparing chicken dishes by broiling, but don’t know how to go about it? Then read the article to understand the best ways of doing it.
Chicken is one of the most versatile meat items, and there are many ways of cooking it. Poaching, grilling, baking, stir frying, deep frying, and broiling are some of the different cooking methods that can be employed for preparing it. One of the most nutritious and the best cooking methods is broiling. This method can be defined as cooking a food item, under dry and direct heat so that the food is browned. Broiling chicken has always received a bad reputation, as many people find that by cooking it this way, the meat becomes too dry and flavorless. Although this is true to a certain extent, with the proper method, the chicken cooked in this manner can be quite tasty and flavorful. Broiling is similar to grilling, and if you know about grilling, you can easily broil it, too.
Chicken Breasts
Broiled chicken breast can be used as filling for sandwich and panini, and it can also be used in salads and soups. Chicken breast is notorious for becoming dry and flavorless, and most people make a mistake of overcooking it. There is nothing worse than dry rubbery chicken in a salad or sandwich. To avoid this, knowing the right way of broiling it is very important. Chicken has very little fat in its flesh, and all the fat is concentrated just underneath its skin. So, while preparing, it is best not to remove the skin.
To cook it, first season it with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add other herbs like fresh thyme, minced garlic, rosemary, and oregano. Rub a bit of olive oil on it so that while broiling, it does not stick to the oven tray. After you have thoroughly seasoned all of them, place them on the tray, with the skin side down, and put them in the broiler compartment of your oven at 350º F. Closely observe, and when the top side is browned, turn it to the other side. After about 10 minutes, remove it from oven and use it in your recipe.
Chicken Legs
Broiled chicken legs are very delicious, provided they remain juicy and succulent. For preparing them, you need to first marinate them in herbs and spices of your choice, and then season them with salt and pepper. Place the legs on the tray, and place it in the respective compartment of your oven. After 10 minutes, when the legs are browned on one side, flip them over to the other side. Make sure that you use tongs for flipping the legs, and do not do it with a fork. Using a fork to turn the piece will pierce the skin, which will allow all the juices to ooze out. This will, in turn, make it dry and stringy.
When both the sides of the legs are well browned, take them out of the oven and allow them to rest for 4 to 5 minutes before serving. Resting of the pieces is very important, as this concentrates the flavor and keeps the pieces juicy.
Thus, broiling leaves the meat very moist and tasty. Rubbing a dry rub, or marinade on the chicken before cooking, makes the meat juicy and tender.