How do you get moist yet browned chicken?

spinkles ↓

Fri, Jun 13 2008, 1:59 pm

How do take-out places and caterers get their chicken looking browned on top, but saucy and moist too? Mine always ends up either stewed in all the juices or incredibly dried out.

flowerpower

Fri, Jun 13 2008, 2:10 pm

They cook it covered for an hour then uncovered the next. Bake it upside down for the first hour then oncover and turn it over for the next.

Tehilla ↓

Fri, Jun 13 2008, 2:11 pm

I usually put a little water in the pan, and more than a drizzle of olive oil. I cook covered most of the time to keep moisture in, then uncover to brown/crisp.

my husband is not a picky eater, but one thing he really asked for was chicken cooked this way. it took me a little while of playing with it to get it right, but this has worked for me for years now.

mom7270

Fri, Jun 13 2008, 2:16 pm

I just made the best chicken ever!!! I cut up about5 onions (not diced- strips) and put it on top of the raw chicken and sprinkled about 3 Tablespoons of onion soup mix on top and a can of mushrooms. I baked it covered for 2 hours it is heaven!!!

NotInNJMommy

Fri, Jun 13 2008, 2:19 pm

I cover and cook at 325, for 1-2 hours--until done--then uncover and turn up to 375 and baste every 5 min for about 15-20 min.

Rosemarie

Fri, Jun 13 2008, 2:40 pm

I slice an onion into rings on the bottom of the pan. Place cleaned chicken on top of the onion. Then I make a paste of onion soup mix, paprika, and oil, (no measurements just pour) which I then rub onto the skin of the chicken. Cover and bake at 400 for about 2 hours, and then leave on very low, like 200 for any amount of hours after that. Comes out brown and moist, delicious! I make this chicken almost every week for shabbos, sometimes I even stuff it with a very easy stuffing.

↑ Tehilla ↓

Fri, Jun 13 2008, 2:41 pm

I forgot flower, that's a good one. even if I cook it with one side up the whole time, I make sure to flip it somewhere along the line.

and of course olive oil and water aren't the only spices, LOL.

costanza

Fri, Jun 13 2008, 2:52 pm

I roast a whole chicken on a contraption that the cavity of the chicken fits into - so when it's in the oven roasting the whole chicken is roasting standing up. I shmear a bit of olive oil on the chicken and then cover it with garlic powder, paprika and pepper. I roast it for about an hour (depending on the size). It always comes out perfectly. The skin is brown and crispy and the inside is juicy.

Garden-Gnome ↓

Fri, Jun 13 2008, 4:01 pm

I use cut chicken, roast it uncovered for 45 mins (maybe up to an hour if it's packed in), so that when pierced with a fork clear juice runs out. Presto, chicken that is not overcooked, is browned on top and moist inside. (This is for back and legs. Fronts and wings need less time roasting.)

Side point - Tehilla - Why would you add oil to chicken which has enough of its own fat? Just wondering.

↑ Tehilla

Fri, Jun 13 2008, 4:06 pm

GG, because I usually put lots of vegetables on and around, and my husband loves the extra flavor the olive oil adds to the vegetables. I drain off when I'm finished.

it's not sopping, LOL!

↑ Garden-Gnome

Fri, Jun 13 2008, 4:09 pm

Oh, makes sense then Tehilla! My mother used to do that too. But she'd roast the chicken for like two hours and all my siblings and I have grown up to like "medium - rare" meats & poultry.

Tefila

Fri, Jun 13 2008, 7:24 pm

Quote:

I usually put a little water in the pan, and more than a drizzle of olive oil. I cook covered most of the time to keep moisture in, then uncover to brown/crisp.

Yep I do the same Wink

remember too mayonaize seals in moisture too.
I like to marinate though with pineapple onions or garlic honey or duck sauce depending .......................

Tamiri

Sat, Jun 14 2008, 11:07 am

chana_f wrote:

How do take-out places and caterers get their chicken looking browned on top, but saucy and moist too? Mine always ends up either stewed in all the juices or incredibly dried out.

First of all they use oil (too) liberally. Second, they roast on the right heat. You don't need liquid for good chicken, but oil does help.

ihyphenated

Sat, Jun 14 2008, 7:34 pm

2 things are really important for this- high enough heat, and not overcooking.
Overcooking makes chicken intolerably dry, especially breast meat, so it might be easier to get the effect you want w dark meat pieces, but I have had good luck with whole cornish hens and medium-size chickens baked for about 20 mins at 425 and then the rest of the time at 350.

SZ mother ↓

Sat, Jun 14 2008, 7:56 pm

Mine are ALWAYS VERY MOIST AND SOFT...
I do the opposite, I bake UNcovered fro 30 - 35 minutes until brown and then cover for 1 hour. always always moist

↑ SZ mother

Sat, Jun 14 2008, 7:58 pm

Forgot to say, I do not add oil... soy sauce, honey and mustard, that's it!

greenfire

Sat, Jun 14 2008, 9:23 pm

you bake the chicken for about an hour and then broil for 5 min ... do not over cook it dries it out ...

you can rub olive oil with spices onto the top it helps seal in the juices ...

Toot

Sat, Jun 14 2008, 10:43 pm

My chicken this week came out exactly like that - my husband hates meat that's too underdone, he would rather it be totally dry! But I managed to get it moist enough for me this week too. I had just two chicken breasts on the bone, I spiced them and rubbed with duck sauce, and baked at around 375-400 for about 1.5 hours, then for a little longer at 350. The outside was dark and the inside was so juicy!

goodheart

Sat, Jun 14 2008, 11:34 pm

I have a very good recpie for chicken and potato slice onions and pota. and sweet pot. add chicken and pour ducksauce over it a little water cover it bake all day on 200 it will be soft like butter and well done