Chicken is one of the most versatile meats. It?s not surprising then that it is a staple in practically every cuisine. From roast chicken and coq au vin to stir-fried chicken and chicken tikka, it?s a hot favourite almost everywhere.

Chicken is also popular with those hoping to lower the fat in their diets. But not all the chicken we eat is low-fat. If you eat it with the skin, you?ll double your fat and saturated fat intake.

When buying a whole chicken, look for a well-shaped bird with a plump, rounded breast and more breast than leg. Also remember, if the breastbone is pliable, the chicken is young.

Keep chicken refrigerated until ready to cook. Wash the chicken in cold running water and dry with paper towels. Never thaw frozen chicken at room temperature. Leave it in the refrigerator to defrost on a plate to catch the drippings. Allow three to four hours of thawing time per pound of chicken. Use a microwave oven for thawing only if you plan to cook the chicken right away.

Remove any visible fat on the chicken, but don?t remove the skin before cooking. No significant amount of fat is transferred from the skin to the meat during cooking. Skinning poultry before cooking only leads to drier ? not leaner ? meat. Remove the skin before eating.

Chicken breasts often have a tough white tendon under the fillet. If the breast is boneless, you can easily remove this tendon with a sharp paring knife. To tenderise boneless chicken breasts, pound them lightly between two sheets of plastic wrap.

Marinate chicken in the refrigerator, not at room temperature. Chicken can spoil if left out even for three hours or so.

home-made chicken stock

It?s easy to make your own stock to use for cooking. It?s healthier than buying canned stock since you can control the amount of salt you add and can remove fat from the stock after cooking. All you have to do is to place the chicken in a large pan with yellow onions (with the skins on), celery ribs, carrots, bay leaves, whole peppercorns, thyme and salt. Cover the ingredients with water and bring to a boil. Remove any debris that floats to the top, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Once done, strain the liquid to remove the vegetables, bones and any meat pieces. Let the stock cool completely and refrigerate. Remove any fat that congeals at the top.
Cooking time: 3 to 4 hours