Preparing Chicken

You may want to ask your butcher to prepare your chicken, or simply buy ready-prepared meat, but it is more economical to buy a whole chicken to joint and prepare, so why not have a go. You will find that, with a little practice, it will soon become second nature. It is really important to have at least one good-quality knife in the kitchen. A sharp knife will make a massive difference to your cooking, from chopping to crushing to filleting.

Just the same as with proper storage, remember a few common-sense hygiene rules when you are preparing chicken. There’s no need to wash chicken before you cook it. In fact, the nasty microbes or bacteria are destroyed by proper cooking, whereas you are much more likely to spread them around the kitchen if you are trying to wash the bird in the sink. Keep other ingredients out of the way while you get your chicken ready, so there are fewer chances of cross-contamination, especially with raw foods. Don’t answer the phone if it rings or rake through the knife drawer. Concentrate on the chicken, then clear up all your working tools, knives and so on. Wash your hands, all your work surfaces and your utensils with antibacterial hand wash or cleaner, then dry them with disposable cloths or kitchen paper.