Cooking Chicken

BEFORE COOKING:

Before cooking, rinse the chicken meat thoroughly.

COOKING:

If making broth or soup, add the meat to cold water. If cooking the chicken as a standalone dish, add it to boiling water, which ensures juiciness and greater nutritional value. Cook an entire young chicken for 1–1.5 hours. An old hen for 2.5–3 hours. Separate pieces (drumsticks, thighs, breast, wings) for 30 minutes over low heat. If necessary, add water to keep the meat covered at all times. Do not replace the water. If making soup, skim off the scum (a brownish foam formed from coagulated protein) during the first 10–15 minutes – this keeps the broth clear. Forty minutes before the end of cooking, add cleaned vegetable mix. Salt is added at the end when making soup or immediately after adding vegetables if cooking the meat as a main dish. You may also add spices, e.g., juniper, pepper, bay leaf, cloves. After skimming, continue cooking covered. The meat is done when a knife or fork goes in easily.

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Serve the cooked chicken with your favorite sides and a salad (e.g., with cabbage).

Enjoy your meal!