Having to transform a raw chicken into something not only edible but delicious can strike fear into the heart of any novice cook. It is also true that raw chicken poses a salmonella risk and you have to take care when handling it and preparing it. Following a few simple hygiene rules however means that you will be fine. Wash your hands before and after handling raw chicken and clean all the surfaces touched by the chicken with hot, soapy water.

Store raw chicken in the refrigerator in its plastic wrap, preferably on a low shelf so it does not drip on to other foods in there. Chicken must be cooked so it does not have any pink bits inside. As long as you can follow these simple rules, you can cook a delicious chicken recipe!

Chicken does not cost much and is widely available. It is a low fat health food. Perhaps deep fried chicken is not as healthy as grilled chicken salad or chicken baked in a tomato sauce but chicken is wonderfully versatile and you can cook it in many different ways and pair it with hundreds of different ingredients.

Simple Chicken Dishes

If you have never cooked chicken before, a good dish to start off with will be something using boneless chicken pieces. Boneless chicken recipes are very simple and you can make a great meal by slicing some chicken breasts and vegetables and stir-frying them together before adding some sauce. Meals like this are quick to make, as well as easy.

Baked chicken recipes are usually not complicated either and you can brown a boneless chicken breast, pour over a can of soup or some sauce, and bake it until it is done. Grilled chicken recipes and poached chicken recipes are equally simple unless you have to make a complicated marinade or sauce. As long as your chicken cooks for the right amount of time at the right temperature, it should come out juicy and tender.

Undercooked chicken is pink inside and is not safe to consume. Overcooked chicken is tough, stringy, and dry and is unpleasant to eat. The best way to see if your chicken has finished cooking is to cut into the thickest part and check the juices are clear and the meat is white all the way through. If so, your chicken is done.

As you become more confident with chicken recipes, you can have a go at slightly trickier chicken dishes. The chicken casserole recipes which once confused you will be something you can make your own by varying the ingredients, herbs and flavors.

You can also try your hand at making a roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings when you have had some experience with easy chicken recipes.

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