Chef John Ash

Chicken is the ubiquitous food of our era.  It crosses multiple cultural boundaries with ease. With its mild taste and uniform texture, chicken presents an intriguingly blank canvas for the flavor palette of almost any cuisine. It’s generally quick to prepare.  Perfect for mid-week meals and its cost is so much better than other protein meats. For most Americans it remains a nostalgic, evocative dish.

In my classes there are a couple of questions that often come up:

• Which is better bone-in or boneless chicken breasts?
• Should I wash chicken before I cook it?

Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, also known as “Split” breasts, are the most traditional and versatile cut. Their distinct anatomy, including the breastbone, rib cage, and skin, imparts a rich flavor and succulent texture to any dish. The advantages of a bone-in breast are several:

• It is more flavorful by far. The bone and skin contribute to an intense, savory flavor that enhances any marinade or seasoning.
• It’s juicy because the bones and skin retain moisture during cooking, resulting in a succulent and tender breast. This juiciness is hard to beat. The bone helps the chicken cook more evenly and the skin locks in moisture.
• The skin crisps up beautifully when roasted or grilled, adding an extra layer of texture and flavor.

Boneless chicken breasts, as the name suggests, have had the bone and skin removed, resulting in a lean and convenient cut. Their streamlined shape and lack of bones make them ideal for quick and easy meal preparation.

Compared to bone-in:

• They are timesaving. Boneless breasts eliminate the need for deboning and skinning, saving you time in the kitchen.
• They are very lean. With the bone and skin removed, boneless chicken breasts contain fewer calories and fat.
• They are very versatile taking to a wide range of cooking methods, including grilling, sautéing, and baking.

My choice: bone-in every time because of their flavor. They take a little longer to cook: 35 to 45 minutes to bake at 350 degrees F, compared to the 15 to 25 minutes at 425 degrees F needed to bake boneless breasts but the time is worth it.

Equipment tip

• The most important thing you can do to make sure your chicken is not dry is to avoid overcooking it. While bone-in chicken will give you more moist results and a bit more leeway, if you cook any cut of chicken too long, no matter what you will dry it out.
• The best, most foolproof way to know if chicken is done is to use an instant read thermometer. When it registers 165 degrees F at the thickest part (make sure the thermometer is touching meat, not bone) the chicken is done.

Should You Wash Chicken Before Cooking?

Many people do because they think it’s safer to rinse chicken to get rid of bacteria or germs. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you don’t need to wash your chicken. In fact, the CDC advises against washing any raw meat including chicken, turkey and eggs because the splashing water can spread germs to your sink, countertops and other surfaces. Those germs could then get on other foods you’re preparing and make you sick.

The CDC issues a reminder every year to home cooks about preventing food poisoning while cooking chicken or turkey. The heat of cooking will kill any germs sooo don’t wash.

Recipes:

“Fried” Corn Flake Crumbed Chicken
Miso Chicken
Yakitori (Japanese Grilled Chicken Skewers)
Chicken Avocado Soup
Chicken Piccata
Chicken Livers with Bacon and Ginger Cream Sauce
Quick Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken Breasts with Vinegar
Pan Seared Chicken Breasts with White Wine, Mustard and Crème Fraiche
Sauce
Simple Marinated and Roasted Chicken Breasts