Chef Taras Shevchenko and nutritionist Lyudmila Matishinets gave the media a statement explaining how to cook different parts of the chicken so that the meat stays juicy. When baking whole drumsticks, make sure to bake them at a high temperature for a long time. For grilling, dry breasts and fillets are best when cooked quickly over high heat. When breading (strips), use the sous-vide method or boil them in cubes for soups and dietary meals. Thighs are perfect for shish kebabs, and they caramelize in teriyaki sauce. You can also use them as ground meat. Wings are best enjoyed on the barbecue with honey-mustard sauce or in a crispy breading. Experts say to bake a whole chicken after marinating it for up to two days. When choosing poultry, they recommend selecting a flavorful, free-range chicken for long-simmered broths and a tender, store-bought chicken for quick frying and cutlets. They also note that you can’t wash the meat before cooking.
Chicken is a pretty versatile product, but each part has its own culinary characteristics and is best in certain dishes. Chef Taras Shevchenko and nutritionist Lyudmila Matishinets explained which parts of the chicken are best for what, how to properly cook a whole chicken, and which parts to buy for specific dishes. They also shared tips on how to avoid the meat drying out when you cook it.
What can you make with chicken drumsticks?
Shevchenko said that, in his opinion, drumsticks are the part of the chicken with a bone and a little bit of meat. They’re usually cooked whole: fried or baked in the oven, as well as grilled or cooked over an open flame, like on a barbecue.
In some cuisines, like Israeli food, drumsticks can be stuffed, and it’s even considered a traditional dish. “In our cuisine, the most common method is baking or frying until golden brown,” the expert added.
What can you make with chicken breast?
Chicken breast is the driest part of the bird. It’s lean, so it’s usually used to make strips or nuggets. These are typically breaded and fried at very high temperatures so that the breast itself remains juicy and not dry. “It’s usually served with sauces, too, which makes the not-so-juicy breast more flavorful,” Shevchenko explained.
He mentioned that if you cook certain dishes with chicken breast using the sous-vide method, it turns out much juicier and more tender, even though it’s quite lean meat.
The chef said that the breast is one of the best parts of the chicken, but you’ve got to handle it right. Otherwise, it can get dry really fast.
What can you make with chicken fillet?
Shevchenko said right away that there are usually two types of fillets: large (the main part of the breast) and small, which have a more tender texture. “At home, chicken fillet is often just boiled, especially by people who follow a sports nutrition regimen. It’s an affordable and simple source of protein,” says the expert.
“You can also use fillets in soups, for example, in broths. They’re low in fat, and when we serve consommé with diced boiled breast, it’s juicy and very nutritious,” the expert noted.
What to Cook with Chicken Thighs
The chef says that thighs are a fattier cut. “It already has layers of fat, so ideally it’s cooked over an open flame, like a shashlik. It’s super juicy and delicious. It’s also great for cutlets because if you make cutlets from chicken breast, they’ll be a bit dry, not as juicy as those made from chicken thighs.”
He mentioned that if you want the noodles or rice to be more juicy and slightly fattier, you can use chicken thighs. If you’re looking for a leaner, healthier option, go for chicken breast.
The chef says that thighs also taste great in teriyaki sauce. You can grill them on skewers or spits over an open flame, basting them periodically. “As you cook, the sauce caramelizes and forms a tasty glaze, which keeps the meat juicy inside and gives it a sweet, caramel-like crust on top, just like on barbecue ribs,” the expert explains.
What to Make with Wings
Shevchenko says there are two main ways to prepare chicken wings: either grill them or barbecue them over an open flame with spicy marinades, or bread them—like KFC does.
The expert suggests using a mustard-honey or smoked tomato barbecue sauce for the wings, coating them well before serving to enhance the flavor.
“These are the kind of fast-food items that are very tasty and have become very popular today. No matter how you cook them, drumsticks are always better than wings. People like wings better because they get crispier. There are those little cartilage bits and crunchy bones that you can gnaw on. That’s why they sell better, I think,” the chef noted.
How to Cook a Whole Chicken
The expert says that if you want your whole chicken to be juicy and tasty, you should marinate it first.
For a chicken weighing up to a kilogram, it’s best to leave it in a cold marinade for at least a few hours, and preferably for a day or two. During this time, the meat soaks up the salt and spices, making it more flavorful.
The marinade also affects the meat’s texture: the salt helps draw out excess liquid (blood and serous fluid), which allows the chicken to cook faster.
“The marinade helps us get rid of excess moisture, and when we roast it, we can save a lot of time and get a tasty, not dry, and truly golden crust on our chicken. That’s why I think this is exactly how it should be prepared, because these days, in principle, you rarely see a whole cooked chicken anymore,” says Shevchenko.
He mentioned that just a few years back, this dish was way more popular. You could always find street stalls selling grilled chicken, kind of like shawarma, but now it’s pretty much gone.
What’s the deal with free-range chicken versus store-bought? Which one’s better?
Well, Matishynets says that free-range chicken is more dense and firm, but it’s also got more flavor and a richer taste. So, it’s perfect for making broths, soups, and cold cuts. If you want your free-range chicken to be tasty and easy to chew, you’ve got to spend more time cooking it. You’ve got to simmer or braise it for a long time. Thanks to free-range chicken, dishes have more depth of flavor.
The expert says that store-bought chicken is usually more tender, so it cooks faster. It’s great for baking — you can use it to make cutlets or schnitzel, and it can be quickly pan-fried.
When you’re trying to decide between chicken thighs and drumsticks, it’s best to go with whatever you’re planning to cook. But the expert says not to wash the chicken before cooking. If there’s any dirt, just wipe it off with a paper towel.