Healthiest way to prepare chicken?
Replies
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amusedmonkey wrote: »I think "healthy" in this context basically means "low calorie". I just stopped asking what people mean by healthy because more often than not, they mean lower in calories. Chicken is nutritious by definition, so there is no healthy or unhealthy way of eating it unless we are talking about calories and it actually means "easy to fit into the diet" vs "hard to fit into a diet".
You're right, of course, @amusedmonkey. When posters, especially new posters, ask about "healthy", they almost always mean "lowest calorie". Although occasionally they are looking for ways to add micronutrients.
That said, I think there's value in asking the question "What do you mean by 'healthy'?" It may help the poster reflect on their goals and strategies, and realize that "lowest calorie" doesn't necessarily mean "healthiest".
I agree. I'm just saying that I personally stopped asking because they often just mean low calorie and I'm burned out on discussing healthy. It's an "it's not you, it's me" kind of situation.
ETA: for the record and just to be clear, I strongly believe in diets being healthy or unhealthy rather than individual foods being healthy or unhealthy.3 -
The healthiest way to prepare chicken is to wash your hands before and after touching raw chicken, consider using food handler's gloves, wash/bleach all utensils and surfaces. Avoid cross-contamination.4
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I don't think I could eat unsalted chicken 🤨
I like the thighs baked with skin on, salt, garlic powder and cayenne. Bake on a rack in a pan skin side up until the skin is really crispy - most of the fat is melted off by then and is under the rack. Sooooo good and thighs stay juicy. They are higher calorie so I have to plan this into a day.
Lower calorie option would be either bake or saute a skinless breast just until done before it dries out. Seasoning varies depending on what it's with or in. Always at least salt before cooking though.0 -
A lot of people's sense of taste weakens with age so a statement of "chicken use to have more flavor" could very well be true for a lot of people. That has nothing to do with the chicken, though.1 -
WholeFoods4Lyfe wrote: »
Chicken today are bred to grow fast and to grow way bigger than they use to. Whether you believe this or not, these genetic changes do affect the overall flavor of the meat. If you want to see for yourself, I highly recommend buying an Organic, Free-Range Chicken that is fed a natural diet and not one of corn, and you will notice 2 things. It's MUCH smaller than a chicken that you can buy in the grocery store, and it just tastes better.
The diet of any meat animal will affect it's taste. That's not a "back then" situation. Chickens were bred en masse and fed a diet of grains even "back then" and there are chickens raised on mixed or free range diets today.
That also has nothing to do with the breeding or any supposed genetic changes. Chicken flesh is chicken flesh.0 -
Safari_Gal wrote: »Safari_Gal wrote: »I typically poach/convection roast chicken and different breeds of chicken do taste different. If you get a chance to do a taste test / try it out!
They do, and different breeds of pork, same (although I think the tastier breeds of pork are often a big higher cal). (But again, this is a difference between different chickens available now.)
Just not fair that the tastier breeds are higher cal!! 😊
That's why they're tastier
Higher fat content.2 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »
A lot of people's sense of taste weakens with age so a statement of "chicken use to have more flavor" could very well be true for a lot of people. That has nothing to do with the chicken, though.
And they only cost a nickel. A NICKEL! But we had to walk through three feet of snow uphill both ways to get them!6 -
SuzySunshine99 wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »
A lot of people's sense of taste weakens with age so a statement of "chicken use to have more flavor" could very well be true for a lot of people. That has nothing to do with the chicken, though.
And they only cost a nickel. A NICKEL! But we had to walk through three feet of snow uphill both ways to get them!
Barefoot!0 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »SuzySunshine99 wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »
A lot of people's sense of taste weakens with age so a statement of "chicken use to have more flavor" could very well be true for a lot of people. That has nothing to do with the chicken, though.
And they only cost a nickel. A NICKEL! But we had to walk through three feet of snow uphill both ways to get them!
Barefoot!
Both ways!0 -
I'd also recommend poaching. We just poached our first chicken breasts this week using the cold start technique and adding aromatics in the water. We were blown away by the flavour and versatility. We used the cooked chicken in salad and as a topping in homemade pizzas, and want to try using some in summer Asian-style soups later this spring.
Would recommend adding poaching to cooking0 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »WholeFoods4Lyfe wrote: »
Chicken today are bred to grow fast and to grow way bigger than they use to. Whether you believe this or not, these genetic changes do affect the overall flavor of the meat. If you want to see for yourself, I highly recommend buying an Organic, Free-Range Chicken that is fed a natural diet and not one of corn, and you will notice 2 things. It's MUCH smaller than a chicken that you can buy in the grocery store, and it just tastes better.
The diet of any meat animal will affect it's taste. That's not a "back then" situation. Chickens were bred en masse and fed a diet of grains even "back then" and there are chickens raised on mixed or free range diets today.
That also has nothing to do with the breeding or any supposed genetic changes. Chicken flesh is chicken flesh.
I have a hobby farm and eat chickens I’ve raised. Different breeds of chickens grow at different rates and can taste different. Diet is a factor, but hybrids that are bred for fast growth really do have less flavor than slower growing breeds that have been fed the same. They’re usually more tender though, and are better for recipes that involve quick cooking over low and slow methods.3
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