Sunday, March 4, 2012

Succulent Chicken

by Kris Pitcher

I am a utilitarian cook. I want to get in, get the job done, and get out. Hopefully it tastes good too. And I am a good cook. I do come from a family of good cooks.

We go through a lot of chicken at our house and we cook it by the bag-full. I confess, I don't buy free range organic chicken. I'm not a billionaire.

One day last week when I asked my husband if he had time to cook the chicken the next day he said he thought so. I looked at his schedule...packed. I suggested if he didn't have time I could throw it in the crock pot overnight.

He will not eat it that way. So, I guess my suggestion came out as a threat. He said he indeed had time. As it turned out though the wind was gusting at 50 MPH and grilling was out of the question.

"What did you do to this chicken?!" I asked him taking a bite. It was the most moist, succulent chicken I'd ever had. Turns out, I've been doing it all wrong. He baked it at 325 degrees for 20 minutes, turned it added spices and baked another 20 minutes.

He went on to explain the extravagant foil structure he created on a cookie sheet to facilitate this process. I think men like to build stuff. He explained how he built two structures on two sheets rotating the sheets to get both batches done. I was very proud of him.

I had been baking it too hot, drying it out so that it was hardly tolerable. Let's just say I have changed my chicken ways and our family is much happier. I put my foil inside my broiler pan though, it already has sides.

For the most moist and succulent chicken, turn down the heat, or just put a man in charge of it. *smile

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