Food & Receipts

The Secret to Perfectly Crispy Chicken: Don’t Chop it Straight Out of the Pot!

With this foolproof poaching technique, you'll be able to enjoy perfectly cooked, tender, and flavorful poached chicken that holds its shape beautifully.

Administrator

15 July, 2024

122

How to Choose and Boil a Delicious Chicken

To boil a delicious chicken, you first need to know how to choose a good one. An ideal chicken should weigh around 1.5 to 2 kg. Larger chickens may have cracked skin after boiling. For the best taste and texture, go for a freshly egg-laying hen that still has unripe eggs inside. The meat will be tender, fragrant, and firm.

When choosing a chicken, always opt for a free-range chicken (gà ta). These chickens have a distinct golden skin color, with deeper yellow hues on the breast, wings, and back. Avoid chickens with purple, spotted, or black marks on their skin.

The Secret to Boiling a Delicious Chicken

How to Boil a Chicken with Crispy, Tender Skin

Step 1: Start by rubbing the chicken (inside and out) with salt to clean and remove any odors. Rinse with clean water and pat dry. To prevent the skin from tearing during boiling, cut the feet off after washing.

Step 2: Choose a pot that is tall and wide enough to accommodate the chicken comfortably. This ensures even cooking and a pleasing presentation. Before placing the chicken in the pot, use a skewer to secure the head to the body. This step is crucial to preventing skin tears.

Step 3: Place the chicken in the pot with its belly down and head above the water level. Add cold water until the chicken’s head is submerged, then place the pot on the stove and turn the heat up high. For extra flavor, add some ginger and smashed onion to the pot, along with a pinch of seasoning powder or salt. Start boiling the chicken in cold water to ensure even cooking from the bones to the meat.

Step 4: Once the water starts boiling, reduce the heat and continue boiling for 10 minutes. Keep the lid off during this process. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the chicken sit for another 20 minutes to finish cooking.

Step 5: Remove the chicken from the pot and plunge it into ice-cold water to tighten the skin and keep the golden color. For an even more golden appearance, mix turmeric with the chicken broth and sprinkle it over the chicken. Alternatively, you can rub the chicken with turmeric before boiling (Step 1) and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Step 6: For crispy skin, prepare a bowl of ice and place the chicken in it to tighten the skin. After about 20 minutes, your chicken will be ready to serve with deliciously crispy, tender skin.

Frequently asked questions

The key to achieving that perfect crispiness is to remove the chicken from the pot or pan while it’s still slightly pink in the middle. Don’t worry, it’s safe! The carry-over cooking will ensure the chicken is fully cooked and juicy.

Chopping the chicken immediately can result in a loss of those delicious juices, making your chicken dry and less flavorful. Instead, let the chicken rest for a few minutes to retain its moisture.

Cook the chicken until it’s almost done, which is usually around 7-8 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of your fillets. You want to make sure the internal temperature reaches 165°F to ensure food safety.

Firstly, ensure your cooking oil is hot before adding the chicken. This creates a nice sear. Also, don’t overcrowd the pan – give each piece of chicken enough space to cook evenly. Finally, pat your chicken dry before cooking to remove any excess moisture that could prevent crispiness.

Absolutely! This technique can be applied to other meats like pork chops or lamb cutlets. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly, ensuring the meat is cooked to the appropriate internal temperature for food safety.