chicken – Hoots of a Night Al

How to Make the Juiciest Chicken EVER!

January 7, 2017 6 Comments

I love baked chicken breasts as a healthy weeknight meal. However, my chicken breasts always used to come out dry, which drove me crazy. That is, until I discovered dry poaching. It’s a basic cooking technique that is used to keep the chicken moist and juicy during baking. Read on to see how easy it is!

All you need is a baking dish (I use and love this one), parchment paper, and olive oil. Pour around a tablespoon of oil into the baking dish, and use a pastry brush to spread it on the entire dish.

Once your dish is coated in olive oil, place your chicken breasts in. You can marinate them beforehand, or add your chosen spices at this point. I have been loving the Grill Mates Mesquite marinade lately.

Next, tear off a piece of parchment paper that is roughly the size of your baking dish. Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil on the parchment paper, and spread it out with a pastry brush.

Finally, place your parchment paper (olive oil side down) into your baking dish and tuck it around the sides of your chicken. It doesn’t have to be tucked too tightly, just enough so the moisture won’t escape during baking.

Bake your chicken at 400 degrees for around 40 minutes (more or less depending on the size of your chicken breasts). Once your chicken reaches 165 degrees internally, remove it from the oven and enjoy!

I have used this method time and time again, and every single time it results in moist, flavorful chicken. I promise if you’re sick of eating dry chicken, this is the answer to your prayers!

Do you have any other easy cooking techniques I should try?

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on these links or make a purchase using these links, I may receive a small percentage of the profit at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Hoots of a Night Al!

Food, Recipe

Seasoned Garlic Roast Chicken

October 6, 2015 5 Comments

Chicken is a staple in our weekly meal rotation, but I’ve only ever cooked chicken breasts or chicken strips. I’ve heard that cooking bone-in chicken parts (thighs, wings, etc.) yields juicier and moister chicken, but cooking a whole bird has always intimidated me. I guess it doesn’t take much for me to be intimidated? Hah. This week though, I decided to face my “fears,” and go for it!…And I’m so glad I did.

I couldn’t find a recipe that looked like exactly what I wanted (you know based on all my experience of never having cooked a chicken), so I sort of made up my own. First open your chicken, remove the innards (I squealed unpleasantly and immaturely the entire time I did this.), rinse well under water, and pat dry. Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with heavy duty aluminum foil. Cut up 1 to 1 1/2 sticks of salted butter and allow it to soften. While your butter is softening, slice the top inch off of a head of garlic and rub the exposed cloves all over your chicken.

Slice the top inch off of 2-3 more heads of garlic and deposit them into your chicken’s…butthole? Rear cavity? Hahah. I’m sorry. I felt wildly inappropriate anytime I did anything in this “area” of my little chicken and laughed awkwardly the entire time. Liberally season the inside of the chicken with seasoned salt, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper, as well.

When your butter is softened, add in 2-3 Tablespoons of seasoned salt (I used Lawry’s), and Kosher Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste (I probably used 1-2 teaspoons of each). Stir the seasonings into the butter until they’re well mixed in and it looks like the sickly orange color below. It will look better after it’s cooked…promise. Spoon the butter mixture onto your chicken and smooth it all over including any crevices (like the “armpit” beneath the wing). I felt like I was frosting a hideous cake, and that’s basically how it looked when I was done! I’m a wizard in the kitchen, what can I say?

Cook your chicken in the oven for around 1 hour at 425 degrees. My chicken was just over 3 pounds, and it was fully cooked after an hour at this temperature. If your chicken is closer to 5 pounds, it will probably take around an hour and a half. Be sure to check that your chicken’s internal temperature is 165 degrees to ensure it’s cooked completely. The seasoned butter should have created a beautiful brown skin all over the exterior.

Once you’ve confirmed your chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the oven, loosely cover it with foil, and let it rest for at least ten minutes. After what will feel like forever, you can finally carve into your little birdie and enjoy the moist, juicy meat! I was amazed at how easy this was, and I felt silly for being so intimidated! Louis has coined this his new favorite meal that I make, so I’m marking it down as a success!

Another perk of cooking a roast chicken at home is that you get to smell the delicious scents wafting throughout the house! I had Christmas music playing while I cooked, so it felt just like the holidays to me. (Even though we eat turkey not chicken….eh. Poh-tay-toh, Poh-tah-toh.) While the chicken is in the oven you can use that hour to whip up some garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, or a yummy salad to accompany it. I hope this encourages anyone else who is nervous to try out a new recipe! Happy cooking! (Not really, I hate cooking, but as it’s a necessity of daily life, might as well make the best of it 😉 )

Food, Recipe

Crock-Pot BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

February 5, 2015 3 Comments

Who’s ready for a delicious, easy dinner recipe? If you’re not…um…quit reading? 🙂 I found these Crock-Pot BBQ Chicken Sandwiches months ago, and I have since made them my own with a few modifications. They have quickly become one of my go-to dinner options. Read on for the recipe!

There are only a few ingredients in this recipe: chicken breasts, garlic powder, vinegar, brown sugar, and BBQ sauce. I always use Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce because I can find it anywhere, it’s inexpensive, and most importantly, it’s DELICIOUS. They have several varieties, but the original is definitely the best.

Another “ingredient” I use is a Reynolds Slow Cooker liner. These can be found by the Ziploc bags at the grocery store, and they make cleaning up the Crock-Pot a cinch! No more scrubbing and scraping and taking up half of your dishwasher after each Crock-Pot meal! They’re awesome, and I would totally add them to your routine when using your slow cooker.

Once you’ve assembled your ingredients, toss everything but the chicken in your lined slow cooker. Mix the ingredients together well, add in your chicken breasts, and coat them with the sauce.

Cook the chicken on low for 4-6 hours until it is thoroughly cooked and can be easily shredded with a fork.

Once your chicken is shredded, you can serve it a number of different ways. My favorite is to spoon it onto some lightly toasted buns and serve it with my simple homemade baked fries.

I know this meal is a hit because Louis always asks for seconds when I make it! Three chicken breasts usually make enough meat for about six to eight sandwiches, depending on how much chicken you put on each one. It’s great because it is so easy to make, and it typically lasts us for two meals!

I hope you enjoy these sandwiches as much as we do! Feel free to pin or print the recipe below, and let me know if you give it a try!