Chicken is a staple of the American diet: chicken nuggets, fried chicken to go, chicken salad, General Tso’s Chicken (who is he anyway), chicken soup to eat, chicken soup to read, popcorn chicken, chicken pot pie – you name it, America has it!

About 30 years ago, the first thing to do to eat a chicken was to raise your own, which took about six months. After spending half the day catching the bird, there was the ruthless ritual of killing and cleaning it, which I won’t go into! Luckily, we can run down to the store and get exactly what we need.

Chicken is easy to prepare and good for a variety of recipes. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs can go from refrigerator to table in about 15 minutes, and the fat content of a three-ounce, skinless portion of roasted or baked chicken is less than half of beef and about one-third of pork, with most of the fat in chicken being unsaturated.

CHICKEN FACTS/SAFETY:

• Broiler-fryer – a young, tender chicken about seven weeks old that weighs two to four pounds.

• Rock Cornish Game Hen – a small broiler-fryer weighing between one and two pounds.

• Roaster – an older chicken about 3 to 5 months old, weighs 5 to 7 pounds.

• Never brown or partially cook chicken to refrigerate and finish cooking later – any bacteria present wouldn’t have been destroyed.

• When testing for doneness, rubbery pink meat and pink juices are signs that the chicken needs additional cooking. However, if the chicken has reached 180 degrees, the juices run clear and the meat is tender but looks pink, it is safe to eat. The pink color in safely cooked chicken is due to the hemoglobin in tissues, which can form a heat-stable color. Smoking or grilling may also cause the reaction, which occurs more in young birds than older ones.

TRUE/FALSE:

1. To cut fat and calories, chicken should be cooked without the skin.

False – A thin membrane between the skin and the flesh holds the moisture in while keeping fat out. Remove skin after cooking to get juicy flavor/less fat.

2. White meat chicken has less fat and calories than dark.

True – It does have less fat and calories, but dark meat supplies more iron and flavor.

3. Yellow-skinned chicken has more fat than lighter skinned chicken.

False – Differences in skin color are caused by different feeds. Skin color does not affect nutritional value, flavor, tenderness, or fat content.

4. Darkening around the bones is a sign of spoilage in cooked chicken.

False – Darkening is from natural pigment that seeps through the bones during cooking. It contains iron and is safe to eat.

Kay Bona can be contacted at The Daily Record, 501-374-5103, or by e-mail at [email protected]

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

1 pound chicken breast

1 pound chicken thighs

Vegetable oil

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup diced celery

4 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup sliced carrot

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

2 cups uncooked egg noodles

Arrange chicken on a baking sheet – bake for 25 minutes in 350 degrees oven. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion and celery until tender. Dice chicken and add to the pot along with the remaining ingredients, except the noodles. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes or until the carrots are soft. Add the noodles and simmer 15 minutes, or until tender.