9 Easy Ways to Cook Chicken (2024)

Updated on 09/17/20

• 01 of 09

  See Also

  3 simple ways to add flavour to chicken breast | The Neff KitchenWhat Is Vegan Chicken Made Of? - Separating Fact from Fiction3 Ways To Cook The Ultimate Chicken BreastYour Chicken Needs Seasoning Pockets | America's Test Kitchen

  Roasted Chicken

  

  Roasted chicken is one of the tastiest, most satisfying dishes you can make. Not only that but roasting a chicken is also one of the easiest ways to prepare a delicious family dinner. Here's a tutorial on how to roast a chicken.

• 02 of 09

  Baked Chicken

  

  Baked chicken is different from roasted chicken in two ways. First, baked chicken is prepared with chicken parts (i.e., individual drumsticks, thighs, breasts, and wings) whereas roasted chicken is cooked whole. Second, baked chicken is dredged in seasoned flour before we cook it, which we don't do when roasting a whole bird.

• 03 of 09

  Braised Chicken

  

  Braising is a great technique for when we want to cook cheaper or less tender cuts of meat, but it's also a wonderful way to cook chicken. Braised chicken is a warming, soulful dish, and the meat will almost fall off the bone.

• 04 of 09

  Poached Chicken

  

  Whether you're just poaching chicken breasts or you're poaching a whole chicken, poaching is an easy and delicious method for cooking chicken. Poached chicken is naturally low in fat and always comes out moist and juicy. And as an added bonus, when you're done poaching the chicken, you're left with a delicious, savory chicken broth that you can use for making sauces, soups and all kinds of other recipes.

  Continue to 5 of 9 below

• 05 of 09

  See Also

  The secret to great-tasting chicken - Pamela Salzman

  Fried Chicken

  

  The key to deep-frying is maintaining the oil's temperature between 325 F and 400 F. Hotter than that and most oils will start to smoke. Fried chicken is a great example of the basic deep-frying technique where items are dipped in a simple batter or seasoned flour before we cook them, which helps to protect and further seal in moisture. Here's a recipe for buttermilk fried chicken.

• 06 of 09

  Broiled Chicken

  

  Broiled chicken is prepared using a smaller bird called a "broiler" (typically around two to three pounds) which is either split open around the backbone so that it can be cooked flator simply halved. Either way, flattening out the chicken helps it cook faster, which is important given that broiling involves very high heat.

• 07 of 09

  Grilled Chicken

  

  Grilled chicken is always a favorite dish, especially during the summer months. You can grill an entire cut up chicken, which is great because the breasts cook a lot faster than the thighs or drumsticks. Skinless, boneless chicken breasts are especially popular for the grill.

• 08 of 09

  Sautéed or Pan-Fried Chicken

  

  Sautéed or pan-fried chicken is really a two-stage procedure that involves cooking in a hot pan with a small amount of fat and finishing it either in the oven or by simmering it in some sort of sauce. This lets flavors develop while also ensuring that the chicken is fully cooked. Boneless chicken breast cutlets are great for this method.

  Continue to 9 of 9 below

• 09 of 09

  Smoked Whole Chicken

  

  Using the smoker (or grill set up as a smoker) is a nice alternative to simply roasting a whole bird in the oven. The chicken is covered with a flavorful spice rub and then left to slowly cook over low heat. The result is moist, rich-tasting meat with a crispy outer skin.

• Chicken Mains
• Dinner
• American Mains