Chicken Know-How & a Lovely Recipe

Chicken remains a popular and more affordable protein. It is however one ingredient that a lot of people have questions about, especially when it comes to the best way to safely handle chicken.

Here are Heleen’s tips when HANDLING CHICKEN

–      Always wash your hands with hot soapy water before and after handling chicken.

–      Use a clean chopping board and knife. Make sure to wash both thoroughly afterward to avoid cross-contamination with other ingredients.

–      It’s not necessary to wash raw chicken as it can spread bacteria to the surrounding surfaces. Rather wipe clean or pat dry with paper towel if necessary. The cooking process kills any bacteria when cooked through.

–      Don’t use the leftover marinade or spice mix that was in contact with raw chicken, rather discard. Also, wash the marinating container before using it again for the cooked chicken.

–      Chicken must be cooked completely but still be juicy. The liquid should run clear when the chicken is cut and not be pink at all.

–      When buying chicken, always check the ‘sell by’ and ‘use by’ dates on the packaging. Raw chicken will last for 2-3 days in the fridge but always remove it from the packaging and store it in an airtight container.

–      If you are not using the whole pack of chicken, DON’T freeze the pack, thaw and refreeze the remaining chicken. Rather freeze the rest in the quantities that you would need for another meal.

–      Make sure to press out any air from the bag, before freezing chicken.

–      Remember to label the bag with what it is and the date.

–      Always follow the principle of first in, first out and clearly label which is raw and which is cooked chicken – you’ll thank yourself later 😉

–      Cooked chicken can be refrigerated for 2-3 days, provided that it is in a clean, airtight container.

–      Always allow cooked chicken to cool down completely, before refrigerating or freezing it.

–      Thaw chicken (raw or cooked) overnight in the fridge, not in the microwave, as this will dry out the chicken very quickly.

–      NEVER refreeze raw or cooked chicken.

Make this chicken dish by Heleen Meyer as a family meal or even for a special dinner when entertaining friends. Everyone will think you spent hours in the kitchen, but it’s in fact done in just a few steps. The Mediterranean ingredients complement each other really well and are so flavourful.

Mediterranean chicken

Recipe by Heleen Meyer for Make five/Maak vyf

Serves 4 – 6

15 ml (1 tbsp) olive or avocado oil

8 chicken portions, excess fat removed

2 red onions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 each red and yellow pepper, seeded and cut into strips

2 x 410 g tins chopped or cherry tomatoes

125 ml (½ cup) chicken stock or Rooibos tea

5 ml (1 tsp) sugar

2 bay leaves

8 sprigs fresh origanum

8 sprigs fresh thyme

15-20 olives, pitted and halved

30 ml (2 tbsp) capers (optional)

salt and pepper

handful fresh origanum and thyme leaves

handfuls baby spinach for serving

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan and fry chicken until golden brown. Spoon out and drain on paper towel, if necessary.
2. Sauté onions and garlic until soft. Add peppers and sauté for a few minutes.
3. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except the chicken and the handful of fresh herbs. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Place chicken in the sauce and stir to coat the chicken. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Season to taste.
5. Stir in the fresh herbs and serve with handfuls of spinach as a low-carb meal. Alternatively, enjoy it on couscous seasoned with more herbs and a little olive oil for extra flavour if preferred, or small portions of brown rice.

Image by Adel Ferreira, for LiG Tydskrif. Visit Heleen’s website for more recipes like this.