Chicken: Cooking series A-Z with SSG Sadler - Part 5

B'Onko Sadler, Michigan State University Extension - March 24, 2013

Chicken is not only nutritious, but a common dish around the world.

In part five of Cooking series A-Z, we will discuss chicken. Chickens are native to Asia and Europe and are considered an ancient food, dating back some 4,000 years ago. Chicken is the most popular dish throughout the world. While it is used as a primary source of protein, it is also very lean in the breast portion of the meat. Chicken is very versatile, meaning you can cook it in many w Recipe:Chicken curry with rice ays and use in many dishes. No wonder it is a favorite amongst the world! Chicken is also healthy because of the nutrients it contains, such as tryptophan, selenium vitamin B6, protein, phosphorus and choline. Some of these nutrients have been known to increase bone density in the elderly, reduce cancer in patients and protect against Alzheimer’s disease.

When purchasing chicken you have to look for chicken that is firm to the touch and doesn’t have a foul smell to it. The skin on the chicken should also be opaque and not spotted. Before cooking chicken you also have to be careful for the surfaces it comes in contact with. Michigan State University Extension says that chicken carries salmonella and needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are using chicken with other dishes, make sure you use separate knives, cutting boards and wash your hands between working with the chicken and other items to prevent cross-contamination. We will be looking at a chicken curry recipe in this article.

Chicken curry with rice

Makes 4 servings

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. curry paste

2½ cups chicken stock

1 Tbs. corn starch

1 Tbs. curry powder

1 stalk of broccoli

2 medium onions

3 medium carrots

1 can baby corn

Asian sticky rice

Directions

Pre-prepare all of the veggies into bite size pieces, as well as the chicken thighs.
Place a medium pot on the stove and add the two tablespoons of olive oil.
After the pot is hot, add your chicken and curry paste and season thoroughly.
Stir the meat in the pot to ensure even cooking throughout the pot.
After the chicken is almost done, add your onions carrots and baby corn to the pot.
Next, add your chicken stock and curry powder; let simmer for five minutes.
Add broccoli and then corn starch.
Let mixture thicken.

Serve on a bed of rice and enjoy.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).