© MELISSA BELANGER

Finger lickin’ chicken

Take your recipes across a new road

by MILLY DAWSON

A friend of mine says roasting a seasoned whole chicken is “the world’s easiest dinner.” It’s also one of the most satisfyingly delicious.

Whether it’s fried, barbecued, roasted, braised, curried, in kebabs or in soup with noodles or matzo balls, chicken is endlessly variable, affordable and nourishing. About as big as a deck of cards, a 100-gram (3.5-ounce) serving of roasted chicken with skin contains 239 calories, 27 grams of protein and 13 grams of fat.

Skinless chicken breasts are very healthful, with 165 calories, 31 grams of protein and only 4 grams of fat per serving. Boneless breasts can be pounded or rolled thin for use in recipes such as chicken cordon bleu, schnitzel and chicken Marsala. It’s best to flatten breasts when cooking with even, direct heat, such as searing or frying them in a pan, baking them in the oven, or poaching or braising them. The breast is the costliest part.

In contrast to breasts, leg quarters are the least expensive part. Containing more fat, thighs and legs are richer, more flavourful and perfect for grilling. Season them heavily and pan-fry them, skin side down, for delicious crispy skin, or oven roast them or use your air fryer. These scrumptious dark parts contain heart-healthy monosaturated fats.

Whether you prefer drumettes, which resemble small chicken legs, or wingettes, also known as flats, wings are great for sharing. They can be deep-fried, baked, air-fried or even cooked in a slow cooker and flavoured with sweet, savoury and/or spicy sauces or the traditional Buffalo sauce.

One note: Although chicken skin can be yummy, it contains saturated fat. For example, a baked breast with the skin has more than twice the fat of the same breast without the skin. To cut back on the fat, prepare chicken parts skinless, or leave the skin on, so the fat moistens the chicken during cooking, and then discard it.

Avoid overcooked and dry chicken by removing it from the heat source when the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast is 82 C (180 F) for whole birds and 74 C (165 F) for pieces.

Simple, easy and delicious!