Cooking Your Own Chicken Soup

There is nothing like a good bowl of chicken soup. It makes you feel better when you are sick. It warms you up on a winter day. It is kid friendly. How can you find anything better? Instead of just opening a can and adding some water, why not try making your own homemade chicken soup? It is not hard at all, and it tastes so good.
Basics for Cooking Chicken Soup
First, you need some chicken bones. These can be leftover from the roast chicken you had last night. Didn't know you could get two meals out of that single chicken, did you? Put the entire carcass in a stockpot and cover it with several quarts of water. Add some seasonings and a carrot, an onion, some celery and herbs. Bring the water slowly to a boil, and then turn it on low to keep it simmering. Skim off the foam that will appear on the top. This is caused by the protein in the chicken. Do not worry... the good stuff stays in the soup!
Simmer this slowly for several hours... all day if you have the time. Add more water if you need to, although covering it will help reduce the evaporation rate. On the other hand, reducing the stock will intensify the flavors. It all depends on how much soup you need to make to feed your family. Strain the stock. The bones and vegetables can be tossed at this point; they have given all they can.
Add in new vegetables, and the meat you have leftover. If you want to add potatoes, add them with the other vegetables. You may want to add any of the following: turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, carrots, zucchini, sweet potatoes, peppers, onions, or anything else you like.
Towards the end, you may want to add some rice or noodles (rice will take longer to cook than noodles), and any vegetables that cook quickly. This may include cabbage, broccoli, or anything else you have left in the garden.
What Else Can You Do with Chicken Soup?
The above description makes a classic chicken soup with a clear yellow stock. However, you may be wondering what else you can do with chicken soup. Creamed chicken soups are hearty, creamy, and delicious. You can serve them plain or you can add a little vegetables or noodles to it.
You can thicken a classic chicken soup by adding a roux and make it heartier. You can also turn a chicken soup into chicken and dumplings just by adding the dumplings in for the last twenty minutes of cooking. There is nothing better on a cold winter's night.
Change the flavor of your chicken soup by adding some ethnic ingredients. Soy sauce, some Asian vegetables, herbs, and some glass noodles make the usual chicken soup seem exotic. Add some spice and tortilla pieces to create a trendy tortilla soup.
You can also simplify. Reduce your chicken stock until you have a tasty golden consommé. This consommé can be eaten by itself, used to make gravies and sauces, or frozen for later use.

How to Cook BBQ Chicken

So, you want to know how to cook BBQ Chicken? This is one of the best summer foods available, but can also be a special treat all year round! The secret to how to cook BBQ chicken is simple...
...Cook over low heat, brush on the sauce after the chicken has cooked, and then serve. If you baste with barbecue sauce while cooking you may burn the sugars in the sauce and create a black, bitter barbecued chicken.
That's it! Simple wasn't it?! But, if you want more detail, read on...
Great barbecued chicken, with moist, tender succulent meat and sticky smoky skin, is made by cooking over low heat using a grill. You can get a great depth of flavour by using a spicy barbeque rub on the chicken before grilling. Salt and pepper can also be used in the same way. Salt will aid in keeping the moisture in the chicken while grilling and pepper will add to the aroma and bite.
Preparing the charcoal
A grilling temperature between 230° and 250°F, is optimal, to achieve this, stack charcoal in a pile in the centre of grill. Douse with lighter fluid and let it soak in. Light and leave it alone until grey ash has covered all visible charcoal. Spread out charcoal into an even layer and when it has an even layer of ash approximately 1/2 the depth of a charcoal briquette you are ready to grill. The actual grill should be at about 4 or 5 inches above the coals.
Cooking
Slowly cook the chicken until internal temperature is approximately 170 degrees and then add a BBQ sauce of your choice. Cook for another 5 minutes to allow the sauce to stick to the chicken and then remove from the heat.
BBQ Chicken Recipe
Now, here's a great little recipe for "Honey BBQ Chicken", which you don't need to cook on the BBQ; it's especially great for those wintery days of the year to remind you of summer!
Ingredients:

• Chicken wings
• Seasoned salt
• Adobo
• Garlic salt
• Garlic powder
• Honey
• BBQ sauce
• Oil
• Salt and flour
• Grated Almonds

Put the oil in the frying pan and turn the stove to medium heat while you season your chicken.
Put a little bit of salt all over the chicken and let it stand for about 10 minutes; the salt opens the holes in the skin of the chicken and will allow the other seasonings to permeate.
Sprinkle enough, but not too much, of each listed seasoning over the chicken.
Put some flour inside a medium sized bowl and add a little bit of each of the seasonings (also sprinkle with some grated almonds). Make sure that there is enough flour in the bowl to coat all the chicken pieces.
Check to make sure that the oil in the frying pan is hot and dip your chicken into the flour, covering it all over, then transfer it into the frying pan.
Let the chicken cook in the oil until it is golden brown all over, then poke a fork through the chicken to see if it's cooked, there shouldn't be any pink coloured meat and the juices should run clear.
Mix the BBQ sauce and honey together in a medium-sized bowl.
Preheat the oven. Take the chicken out of the pan and put it into the Honey BBQ sauce, then put it in the oven on a baking pan for about 6-8 minutes. Then serve.
So there you have it... all you need to know about how to cook BBQ chicken, for summer or winter!

How Long to Cook Chicken Wings

People really love to eat chicken wings. There are so many ways to prepare chicken wings and they make fantastic appetizers and party foods. One of the questions I am often asked is, "How long to cook chicken wings".
Chicken wings can be cooked using several different methods. I prefer deep frying wings but you can also pan fry your wings or bake them. Let's take a look at each method and you can decide for yourself which method is best for you.
Before you cook your chicken wings you will need to make sure they are completely thawed. This can be accomplished by letting them sit in the refrigerator for a day or two before cooking. When you are ready to cook your wings, rinse them in cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel.
If you will be deep frying your chicken wings be sure they are dry before placing them in the hot oil to avoid painful splatters. Heat your oil to 375 degrees. Once the oil is hot you can begin cooking your wings. Fill the fryer basket with a single layer of wings. You want the oil to just cover the wings when lowered into the oil. Lower the wings into the oil slowly and cook for 12 to 15 minutes. This will make a nicely browned chicken wing that is crispy on the outside and juicy and tender inside.
You may also opt to pan fry your wings if you do not have a deep fryer. This would be my second choice. Use a large frying pan for this method. Pour enough oil in the pan to cover the bottom. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot place your wings in a single layer into the hot oil. Cook the wings for 6 to 7 minutes and then turn them over to cook for another 6 to 7 minutes. You could also use a wok to fry your wings. This will also make a nice crispy outside and tender inside.
My least favorite method of cooking chicken wings is to bake them. Baking them is a much healthier alternative to all of the frying but the wings will not be nearly as crispy. However if you need to bake your wings heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the wings in a glass baking dish that has been coated with a little non-stick cooking spray. Bake the wings for about 30 to 40 minutes. You want to be sure the juices run clear from the wings.
Well there you go three methods to cook chicken wings. Always remember to wash your hands and all utensils when working with raw chicken. Enjoy those tasty little treats.

Gas Grill Cooking - Time For Chicken

Cooking Chicken on the Grill - Facing The Grilling Time Dilemma
Have you ever tried to cook chicken on a grill? Do you often get stuck with the chicken grilling time dilemma? Very few of us are successful in grilling chicken, especially those who practice it only over the weekend. Several days efforts are needed to learn how to get that perfect grilled chicken with mouthwatering aroma and taste. Any wrong estimation of gas grill cooking time for chicken will actually land you in a soup if you do not follow the right method. Timing is crucial for a nicely grilled chicken. So, read on if you want to avoid overcooked, uncooked or burnt chicken and enjoy a great barbecue party at home.
Know When Your Chicken is Cooked
It is important to know the exact time to cook chicken on a grill so that you get the desired results. The best way is to grill chicken on a low heat (230 degrees F. to 250 degrees F.) for about 45 minutes or maybe just a few minutes, depending upon how hot the grill is. A meat thermometer will help you to monitor the internal temperature of the meat without slicing it in the grill. Thus, you'll be able to avoid the releasing of moisture in the grill while cooking and will also reduce your chances of undercooking or overcooking.
The Right Cooking Time for Chicken - With or Without Bones
If you are cooking for the first time, you need to keep in mind whether the chicken is boneless or not. In case of boneless chicken, the internal temperature is about 170 degree F. when it is fully done. The ideal chicken cook time for bones is 180 degree F.
Tips for the Perfect Taste
Those who have an iron grate on the grill need to brush it with vegetable oil and olive oil before grilling the chicken. This will help to prevent the chicken from getting stuck to the grill while cooking. Those who are using gas bbq grill can prepare some of the best and tasty barbequed chicken by keeping in mind the various factors affecting the chicken cooking time.
If you baste your grilled chicken with BBQ sauce you will surely have your guests wanting for more. It gives a mouthwatering taste to the chicken prepared in gas bbq grill, but if used before the grilling, the chicken can burn and taste bitter as the sugar in the sauce burn with the chicken.
Pre-Serving Tips
Once you have cooked your chicken in a gas bbq grill or any other grill, let it rest for some time before cutting it into slices. If you start cutting the hot chicken immediately after taking it off the grill, the fluids may run out of the meat, reducing its softness. If the chicken is allowed to rest for some time in a grill after being cooked this won't happen.
So next time, you plan a party outdoors, make a sumptuous meal of grilled chicken and enjoy it with your family and friends.

How to Cook Shoyu Chicken - The Hawaiian Treat

Last year, my husband and I took a dream vacation to Hawaii. We got to tour most of the islands and saw all sides of Hawaii, from Honolulu and the glitzy beach resorts to little towns well off the main tourist track.
Everywhere we went, we could count on finding an ubiquitous dish called shoyu chicken. Sometimes it came served with exotic garnishes, usually in the fancier restaurants, and sometimes it came straight out of the cooker and served on paper plates from some roadside stand, but it was always delicious.
When we got home, I knew I had to try cooking some shoyu in my own kitchen.
There must be thousands of different recipes for this dish. The differences are mainly in the ingredients for the sauce, but even the chicken itself can be cooked any way you like, from boiling in a pot to baking in the oven to grilling on the barbecue.
No matter the recipe, one ingredient you'll always find is soy sauce. That's because that's what shoyu means--soy sauce. If you want, you can just call this dish soy sauce chicken. But I prefer to use the word "shoyu" in tribute to its native home in Hawaii.
If you would like to cook shoyu chicken, why not go all the way and make it the food centerpiece of a Hawaiian-themed party? Break out the leis, put on some ukulele or Don Ho music, and have some tropical fun.
This shoyu chicken recipe serves 12 people. If you want to make it just for your family instead of for a party, cut back the recipe portions accordingly.
Ingredients
12 pounds of chicken thighs
3 cups brown sugar
4 cups soy sauce
4 cans chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
6 cups pineapple juice
1 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
chopped green onion tops
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 cans pineapple rings

Cooking The Perfect Chicken

One of the main dangers when cooking chicken is the risk of salmonella. The neatest thing about cooking chicken is watching it turn from this pale, fleshy mass into edible-looking pieces of charred poultry meat. Cooking chicken is generally very easy to do and it's easy to get a lean piece of meat without paying an excessive amount.
Chicken is easy to prepare, boneless frozen chicken breasts may be cooked in many ways. While boneless, skinless chicken breasts offer us dinner in the blink of an eye, cooking chicken breast on the bone allows us a little more flexibility. Put the cooked chicken breasts on a platter and keep warm. Dress up baked chicken breasts with a pistachio coating for a special taste treat. Cook over direct heat with lid down, reducing heat to medium this is usually a good method of cooking chicken. When shopping for chicken try to purchase boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs that come pre-trimmed. When rubbing the chicken breasts with lemon juice and sprinkling it with salt and pepper this is a fast way to prepare a meal and it will give the chicken a great taste. Boneless chicken breasts will usually defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Chicken breasts are one of the easiest meats to barbecue. You'll find a delicious selection of chicken breasts and stuffed chicken breasts in the market. Beat chicken breasts flat with a mallet, this make the chicken softer and easier to cook.
Many of the recipes you will find on chicken tell you to use sliced or chopped chicken in salads. Some recipes call for a long cooking time and others use quick-cooking chicken breasts. Stuffing chicken can be done with anything from stuffing the chicken with spinach or medley of vegetables which will add extra flavor to your chicken recipes. Try to find recipes for cooking chicken in a healthy way; what is meant by this is find recipes that don't call for frying or using a lot of oils. Knowledge on cooking for large groups is always helpful, some cooking methods and techniques are advanced but try to master them and the next time you throw a party it will be that much easier. Using pre cut or shredded chicken will help you save time when preparing a meal.
Prepare the grill by heating it appropriately, if using a gas grill just turn it on, if using a non gas grill use single layer of coals. Barbecuing chicken is very healthy way to cook because the fat juices do not get absorbed by the chicken.. So, which chicken should you choose for great barbecue, and how should you prep it. Fresh chicken legs and chicken pieces can be cooked on the barbecue, but should never be cooked from frozen. This is the kind of barbecue food that people love to eat. To have a successful barbecue, you should have the following, prepared chicken, tongs, and seasoning. It's definitely a great way to prepare chicken. Great barbecue chicken is fast and easy to prepare and it is also healthy for you. So just have fun barbequing.
There are so many people barbequing today because everything taste better when cooked on an open flame.

Cooking Chicken- Different Ways Of Cooking Chicken

Chicken can be cooked in different ways- it can be grilled, steamed, fried and even barbecued. Any method you choose to cook your chicken can still result in tender juicy meat if you follow certain procedures.
One of the most useful kitchen gadget you can when cooking any meat is the meat thermometer. It allows you to determine the temperature of your meat accurately and that is the key to successful cooking.
For starters, I do recommend that you season the chicken before you begin. Brining is an easy way to add flavor to your chicken. You can varied the amount of salt and sugar to your liking. All you need to do is to soak the chicken in this salt and sugar solution before you begin cooking for about an hour and you should be set to go. All you need to do after this is to ensure that you washed off the brine and dry the meat before you cook.
Here are some ways you can choose to cook your chicken.
Microwave
Cooking a chicken in a microwave can very convenient but you should be mindful that it can result in uneven cooking.
For this method, place your chicken (should be boneless) in a microwave-safe dish. Add about 3/4 cup of buttermilk over the chicken. Add in your herbs and spices before you cook the meat on high temperature for about 10 minutes. Remove the meat from the buttermilk once it is cooked and your chicken should be ready to serve.
Sauteing
This is a fast and easy way. By ensuring that your meat is thin, you should be able to cook your meat in less than 5 minutes.
Pressure cooker
For this method, choose to add your thawed chicken to the cooker together with your herbs and spices. Add about 1/2 cup of water and you can cook it on high. Your meat should be ready in about 12-15 minutes.
Whichever method you choose, do check your meat before you serve them. The above methods should allow you to dish out a variety of mouth-watering chicken dishes from now on.

How to Cook Whole Chicken in a Barbecue Oven

So how do you cook whole chicken in a barbecue oven? Is it any different than cooking it in a traditional convection oven? Sure is. And we're going to share a few tips with you to make sure your chicken barbecues up just right!
Whole chickens are used a lot in commercial environments to cook for restaurants, company picnics and other large events where they're cooked in much larger ovens that will handle 20 to 40 chickens at one time.
For this article, I'll focus on how to cook whole chicken on a smaller scale, your barbecue oven, one chicken at a time.

1. Don't undercook or overcook chicken. It usually takes about 2-1/2 to 3 hours to barbecue and must be checked off and on to make sure it is not getting cooked too much, which will burn your chicken, but you don't want it undercooked either.
2. Keep your grill at low temperatures, about 230 to 250 degrees. The secret to most great barbecued chicken, one with moist, tender meat and smoky skin is to keep your grill at low temperatures and cook slowly. Don't think that the chicken is not cooking or getting done quick enough. Give it time and you will be happy with it at the end by just taking your time. Be patient and the end results will be very tasty.
3. Spice rub before you put chicken on the barbecue. Rubbing the chicken with spice rub is a great idea in the beginning will give it great taste at the end.
4. Add sauces at the end. Don't add any sauces until near the end of the barbecue. When the chicken is almost done, start applying the sauce. The sauce only needs about five minutes to cook on the chicken. Remove the chicken with tongs when you start seeing any signs of charring.

To bring this all together and make things work correctly on how to cook whole chicken, it takes patience and close attention to what you are doing in order to have your meal of chicken come out correctly and enjoy it after putting the time into barbecuing chicken. Add any vegetables to the chicken and make it a very healthy meal.

Cooking Chicken Safely

When dealing with chicken for meals, then cooking chicken safely is very important because of the harmful bacteria that live within and throughout the chicken meat. If the chicken isn't cooked properly then the bacteria can lead to food poisoning for whoever is eating it.It is therefore important to cook it properly. Chicken is a popular and cheap method of getting together a great main course, starter, soup, salad, lunch or snack. It is very safe to eat it, unless it hasn't been cooked as it should be and you end up eating the raw, pink meat where the bacterian live.
The article below give tips about cooking chicken safely, chicken thawing, and defrosting chicken. Basic food safety tips for working with chicken include:
- Washing your hands thoroughly with warm soapy water before handling poultry, whether it's raw or cooked.
- Washing your hands thoroughly again, after you've handled raw or cooked poultry.
- Using different kitchen equipment for cooked and raw poultry, such as chopping boards, knives, plates and bowls.
- Cleaning all your equipment and work surfaces thoroughly, including knives or and other utensils used, chopping boards and kitchen worktops.
When cooking chicken safely, it must be thoroughly defrosted throughout before cooking has commenced. If an attempt is made to cook the meat that hasn't thawed properly, then it probably won't cook correctly throughout the whole chicken. Food poisoning is therefore still likely to occur.
With a whole frozen bird, such as turkey or chicken, allow plenty of time for it to thaw. The larger the bird, the longer it will take to defrost. For a chicken fillet, or breast, for example, it could easily be defrosted in the microwave.
When you thaw frozen poultry, lots of liquid comes out. The liquid spreads bacteria to anything it touches, including other food, plates and work surfaces, as well as your hands. So good hygiene is very important.
With each chicken and cooking method, times for defrosting chicken, or cooking chicken, will differ. Cooking times for whole birds should always be available on the label. When checking if the bird has cooked properly throughout, just cut open the thickest part of the bird with a clean knife. Between the drunstick and thigh is uaually the thickest part.
Check the colour of the juices that come out. If the bird is cooked, the juices will be clear, not red or pink. If any of the juices are not clear, or any part of the meat is pink then the chicken hasn't been cooked properly and it needs to be done for a bit longer.
Cooking chicken safely is very easy. Just make sure that the chicken thawing has been given enough time, all the equipment and your hands have been washed accordingly and that the chicken had been cooked thoroughly.

Some Useful Tips on Cooking Chicken Feet Dishes

Although eating chicken feet is an acquired taste, those who love to eat chicken feet will swear by it. It is a delicacy in its own right. Chicken feet can be cooked in many ways. The chicken feet is rich in cartilage, hence it is known among old folks that it is good for their joins. In this article , I am going to talk about some easy tips to prepare chicken feet dishes.
I prefer to use chicken feet to boil soups or stews. I use them to boil nutritious such as black bean soup, lotus root soup, peanut soup and old cucumber soup. They can be used to boil in various type of soups such as herbal soup, black bean soup, lotus soup and old cucumber soup. For the stews, you can refer to my Chicken Feet stew with Chinese Mushroom. Some people prefer to use fried chicken feet for stews, that is tasty too. You can easily enhance the flavour with clove and star anise, and cinnamon stick. Chicken feet can be used to cook curry too.
Basically, there are two types of chicken feet. The white feather chicken feet that we consume almost daily, is easily available in the markets. The other type is "Kampong chicken" (Kampong is the Malaysian dialect for village) which is often found in rural village areas have feet which is firmer and tougher. Why is it firmer? Because the free range chickens run around a lot and thus its meat contain less fat. Of course, you can find "kampong chicken" in any supermarket nowadays, and not only in the "kampong". This is best to use in boiling soups as mentioned in the above.
If you are not used to cleaning chicken feet, it can be quite tricky. These are some steps to prepare the chicken feet for cooking. First, you have to cut off the claws and trim of the harden unwanted spot normally seen beneath the feet. Then, rub the chicken feet with salt to clean it thoroughly. Rinse it. Finally, scald the chicken feet in hot boil water for 5 minutes. Then the chicken feet is ready to be cooked in any way you want.

Some Useful Tips on Cooking Chicken Feet Dishes

Although eating chicken feet is an acquired taste, those who love to eat chicken feet will swear by it. It is a delicacy in its own right. Chicken feet can be cooked in many ways. The chicken feet is rich in cartilage, hence it is known among old folks that it is good for their joins. In this article , I am going to talk about some easy tips to prepare chicken feet dishes.
I prefer to use chicken feet to boil soups or stews. I use them to boil nutritious such as black bean soup, lotus root soup, peanut soup and old cucumber soup. They can be used to boil in various type of soups such as herbal soup, black bean soup, lotus soup and old cucumber soup. For the stews, you can refer to my Chicken Feet stew with Chinese Mushroom. Some people prefer to use fried chicken feet for stews, that is tasty too. You can easily enhance the flavour with clove and star anise, and cinnamon stick. Chicken feet can be used to cook curry too.
Basically, there are two types of chicken feet. The white feather chicken feet that we consume almost daily, is easily available in the markets. The other type is "Kampong chicken" (Kampong is the Malaysian dialect for village) which is often found in rural village areas have feet which is firmer and tougher. Why is it firmer? Because the free range chickens run around a lot and thus its meat contain less fat. Of course, you can find "kampong chicken" in any supermarket nowadays, and not only in the "kampong". This is best to use in boiling soups as mentioned in the above.

If you are not used to cleaning chicken feet, it can be quite tricky. These are some steps to prepare the chicken feet for cooking. First, you have to cut off the claws and trim of the harden unwanted spot normally seen beneath the feet. Then, rub the chicken feet with salt to clean it thoroughly. Rinse it. Finally, scald the chicken feet in hot boil water for 5 minutes. Then the chicken feet is ready to be cooked in any way you want.
For more simple and delicious chicken feet recipes, and handy cooking tips,