Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with food and chicken

How long can I safely keep steamed chicken wings in the refrigerator before baking them?

0xFCAF — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:35:42 -0800

How long can I safely keep steamed chicken wings in the refrigerator before baking them? I'm following this amazing recipe which has you steam them for 10 minutes, dry in the refrigerator for an hour, then bake at 425° for 40 minutes.

Can I turn the hour in the refrigerator in to 4 hours? 12? 24? Can I put them in the freezer for an extended period of time (and if so, how would I properly thaw them) ?

Note that I'm asking about how the wings keep after being steamed, not before.

Help me perform an expatriat culinary miracle.

bookish — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:07:18 -0800

How can I best approximate a real Thanksgiving turkey— with chicken, a gas burner, and toaster oven? What other kinds of traditional fare can I make, given the limited ingredients available where I live? Help me have a real Thanksgiving far from home! I'm studying in India for the year, and my fellow American students and I want to put on a Thanksgiving dinner. One girl is making cornbread, using corn meal she brought with her from home. There will be mashed potatoes. There will be mulled wine. But what else, and how?

I really would like something turkey-like, but there is no way I can find turkey meat. Chicken is my best bet. This is a pretty vegetarian city, but there are some butchers, and I could probably find basically any part of the bird I need (or the whole bird, but I don't think that will fit in the toaster oven). I'm not really sure how to go about cooking it though— I've never cooked a turkey and, having been a vegetarian for much of my life, I don't really have experience cooking meat in general. I need major help.

I would also like to fill out the selection of side dishes. Again, there are ingredient constraints. I can get fresh carrots, peas, potatoes, beets, white radishes, cauliflower, okra, green beas, cabbage, tomatoes, onions and garlic. I can get green bell peppers, but not red or yellow. I can get a variety of squashes, but they're all a little different than the varieties I'm used to. There are also yam-like things, but they're not the sweet potatoes of home. I can get corn, but only frozen. No broccoli, mushrooms, cranberries, celery.

No prepared convenience ingredients like chicken broth, cream of mushroom soup, pie crust. Cheese is possible but difficult, expensive, and comes in a very limited range. Flour, butter, eggs are go. Cooking oil, but not olive oil or anything fancy like that. European spices are of very limited availability, with the exception of those used in Indian food (coriander, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon). I have some dried basil and oregano, and may be able to find rosemary and thyme if I'm lucky.

I don't have any fancy kitchen equipment either— a few assorted pots and pans, a few knives, spatulas, spoons. I have a countertop gas range with two burners and a toaster oven to bake (smallish) things in.

If you have any ideas for Thanksgiving food that I could pull off using what I've got, please tell me. We're all homesick and really looking forward to putting on a delicious, heartwarming feast.

Why is Chicken Different from Beef?

DMan — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:13:48 -0800

Why is chicken meat so much different from beef? To narrow that very broad question, one thing I've always wondered is why beef (like steak, not hamburger meat) will bleed if it's not cooked enough, but chicken doesn't do the same thing. Why is that? What's different about the two meats?

I asked a friend who is a food science major, and she had no clue either, and said she's always wondered why intact beef muscle sterile, but not chicken. So why are chickens so much different from cows?

Is my Indian food safe three days later?

mingodingo — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:20:10 -0800

Safe to eat filter: I've had chicken korma in the fridge since Monday. Kept meaning to take it home for dinner and kept forgetting... Safe to eat, or gross and dangerous? It doesn't seem like too much time has gone by but then, I don't know.....

How important is the sell-by date on chicken?

underwater — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 10:43:09 -0800

Is the chicken sell-by date a safety paradox? I bought $30 of organic chicken parts on Tuesday--4 1/2 days ago--and have stored it in my fridge since then. Everything I've read on the web says you need to cook or freeze raw chicken within 2 days of purchase. But the chicken sell-by date is July 14--3 days from now. How is this possible? I am refrigerating it just as the store would, so why would it by safe to eat if I bought it from the store tomorrow, but not from my fridge? The store fridge isn't THAT much colder than mine (I keep mine cold), and certainly mine is cold enough to retard bacterial growth.

Are the online guidelines just being super-conservative? Maybe the suggestion really means that you should use or freeze the chicken within 2 days after the sell-by date?

What's the story with brown chicken livers?

markcmyers — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:42:45 -0800

What's the story with brown chicken livers? There always seem to be some in the carton, mixed in with red ones. They seem spongier. Are they lower in quality? Should I toss them?

how safe is this chicken

a womble is an active kind of sloth — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:03:43 -0800

I just found a frozen chicken dish in the freezer that is one year out of date. So hive mind, if I microwave it thoroughly, would it be safe to eat?

Why are chicken wings so differently sized?

iliketolaughalot — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:27:58 -0800

OK, so I've been eating a lot of fried chicken parts (maybe that's a question for another time). Yesterday it was buffalo wings. Today, regular ol' fried chicken. Today I was eating the drumstick and I started to wonder why it was so much bigger than the drumsticks from the wings I had yesterday. I thought maybe the chickens are bigger? Or maybe they're a different kind of chicken? Or maybe it's something else? I obviously tried googling, but I couldn't come up with a good string of keywords. Is this really obvious and I'm missing it? Help please!

I know my chicken. You got to know your chicken.

sourwookie — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:33:04 -0800

On the interior portion of a chicken leg quarter in a recessed portion of the bone is a small brown organ with a liver-like texture. What is this organ anatomically and does it have a culinary term attached to it?

Fried livers & gizzards in Houston?

mrbill — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:03:04 -0800

Where can one find fried chicken livers & gizzards in west Houston? Growing up, my dad introduced me to fried chicken livers n' gizzards as a perfect redneck finger food/snack food, especially for fishing trips. Buy some raw to use as bait, and another box of em cooked to eat while you fish!

I was able to buy them in high school (southwest Oklahoma) from the deli section of the local grocery store, right next to the egg rolls and stuffed jalapenos, but I've been unable so far to find any in Houston! I've tried Kroger, Fiesta, etc, and have come up empty.

So, where in west Houston (within 5-10 miles of BW8/Westheimer) can I go to buy fried livers and gizzards? Or am I out of luck, and just live in too urban an area?

It must be the chemical that makes you crave it fortnightly...

QUHZK — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:20:00 -0800

Fast-Food-Filter: How can I find the closest KFC restaurant that serves my childhood favorites? After a sudden breakthrough in my internet searching (thank you surprisingly informative Wikipedia article) I now remember the names of my two favorite foods from when I was younger; Kentucky Nuggets and Chicken Littles, both from KFC.

I don't know if this is common knowledge, but apparently there can be a wide variation of what's on the menu at individual KFC's so much so that some mythical KFC restaurants may still serve my beloved Kentucky Nuggets or Chicken Littles.

So far the internet has revealed that the entire nation of Australia still has Kentucky Nuggets, as well as at least two US restaurants: one in Essex, MD and possibly one in Prestonburg, KY. Apparently there may be at least one KFC in CA that still serves the Chicken Little too.

My question is this -

What is the easiest way for me to get the Kentucky Nuggets (and/or the Chicken Littles) from my childhood back? Can anyone confirm or deny my internet findings? I'm ready to do some driving if necessary (OH, KY, and IN are all on the table).

Frozen chicken breasts: Treasure or poison?

ignignokt — Thu, 29 May 2008 21:48:54 -0800

Frozen chicken breasts and other frozen meats: Are they worthwhile? I'm considering a membership to one of those "wholesale club"-type stores. While I can see there's great savings to be had on paper products and toiletries, I'm not so sure about the food. (Also, the lines.) I did notice that they have what look like good deals on frozen meats. I saw a ten-pound bag of chicken breasts for $22. I eat a lot of chicken breasts, so that looks like a good deal.

However, the only frozen meats I have experience with is fish. I don't know how frozen chicken breasts (especially ones containing 15% retained water) hold up in terms of taste and nutrition. How have you guys' experiences with frozen chicken breasts been? How different are they from fresh ones?

Are there any other frozen meats that are worthwhile?

What makes raw eggs dangerous?

lord_yo — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:20:15 -0800

What is the relationship between the age of a consumed raw egg and the risk of food poisoning, and what factors influence it - in general, but also specifically to salmonella? While I understand that the longer you wait to consume a raw egg, the higher the risk of food poisoning, I have trouble understanding some details about it - specifically:

- Are the dangerous organisms typically inside the egg, or is it contamination from other sources that introduce them?

- What is more important - the quality of the egg, or the waiting time before consumation?

- Is the risk of getting salmonella via raw eggs a stochastic one (i.e. there either are salmonella in the egg, and then you will surely get it, or there isn't, and you will not get it), or is it a risk that's getting bigger over time (i.e. if there are salmonella in the egg, the chances of you getting food poisoning depends on the time you wait before eating it).

Is it good?

Snyder — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 14:55:58 -0800

How long can chicken be frozen and remain good (as in not dangerous) to eat? Thanks

How do we know if food used to be better?

L. Fitzgerald Sjoberg — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 21:02:33 -0800

Were produce and meat really better in the old days? How can we be sure? The most recent Achewood got me thinking about food. Seems to me that in my youth, the tomatoes at the supermarket used to be more red. I've heard people of my mother's generation say that beef used to taste better, the way only the best beef does today. And now we have the idea that chicken used to taste more chickeny, at least to cartoon cats.

Here's my question: is there any way to determine objectively whether this is so? Sure, lots of people will tell you it is, but lots of people will tell you that teenage crime and pregnancy are higher than ever, even if it's not true. Can we be sure this isn't just a rose-colored -- or red-colored, in my case -- look back at the foods of a mythical youth?

Chicken & Waffles in NYC

ThePinkSuperhero — Wed, 30 May 2007 07:56:19 -0800

Where can I get the best chicken and waffles in New York City? Personal recommendations preferred. I will travel to any borough.

What's the best way to keep food warm and moist for a party?

zembla3 — Wed, 02 May 2007 08:41:01 -0800

I'm making some chicken chipotle and Mexican rice for a party this Saturday. I'd like to prepare the food about an hour before people arrive, and I'm looking for the best way to keep everything warm without drying it out. (I don't have a proper chafing dish -- just a buffet set with uncovered aluminum pans and sternos underneath.)

Don't want the nice chicken to go to waste

stewiethegreat — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 12:03:00 -0800

Should I eat this cooked chicken in my fridge? 6-7 days old, and in a zip-loc. Last Sunday or Monday (I really don't remember), my lovely girlfriend brought back three extremely tasty chicken breasts she got as take-out from a French restaurant. We ate one, and put the other two in a one gallon zip-loc freezer bag in the fridge.

Then we went to Chicago for Thanksgiving.

I'm back in SF now, and she's in Portugal for the week, and I don't feel like cooking from scratch or going out to get something today, if I can avoid it. Yes, it's bachelor time for me.

The chicken is covered in olives, some small, soft, dark things resembling peppercorns (yes, they were there when we ate it the first time), and I remember tasting some cranberry as well. The sauce seems to have congealed a little bit on to the meat, but doesn't smell gross. I just opened it now for the first time since we put it in there.

Please advise? If it's good, I'll stick it in the oven to reheat.

Chicken parasite?

nervestaple — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 15:08:42 -0800

Found a "worm" in a supermarket chicken! Is it fair game or foul play? In the neck of a supermarket chicken, just under the skin, I found something that looks suspiciously like a worm or a parasite. I found one once before a few weeks ago and returned the chicken to the supermarket. Now, finding one again, I'd like to know what exactly it is, and if the chicken is safe to eat!

Here's a (gross!) picture of what remained of the anomaly (it's on the left, still attached to some skin) after being cut from the chicken. If it is a parasite, i'm assuming the head was lopped off in the cut and remains inside. I was thinking it could be a normal part of chicken anatomy, but the fact that I've only seen it twice raises my suspicion.

Broth vs. Stock

1fish2fish — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 16:40:45 -0800

Would you substitute chicken stock for chicken broth (or vice versa) in a recipe? How interchangable are they? From what I've read, stock is made from bones, and tends to have a richer texture than broth. I'm wondering if its generally okay to substitute one for another in recipes.

Do you ever substitute one for another? Are there times where you would advice against doing so?

I am mystified by what to do. (I am a beginning cook making basic recipes, nothing delicate or complicated.)

Chinese shredded chicken dishes at home?

CunningLinguist — Sun, 26 Feb 2006 08:38:42 -0800

Calling all chefs: How can I "shred" raw chicken to re-create the spicy shredded chicken from my local Sichuan joints? Is it just a matter of slicing the breast into thin matchsticks? That sounds arduous and also sounds like it would produce stiff strips of chicken instead of the tender floppy shreds I'm trying to copy.

Duck, duck, frozen chicken

hamster — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 13:55:09 -0800

I have three pounds of frozen chicken stew meat. What should I do with it? It's great stuff, from what I can tell: organic, free-range and from a local farm. Problem is, it's just me and sometimes a friend, and it all has to be thawed at once. I'll definitely make a simple chicken soup in my small crock pot, and if I do that once or twice, I'll have some to freeze and save. I've never made chicken soup "long-hand," on the stove, but I'm open to trying. Is stew meat good for anything else--can I use it in place of cubed chicken in recipes, or stir-fry it?

Where can I learn more about the dangers of harmful bacteria in poultry?

rorycberger — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 16:13:14 -0800

Where can I learn more about the dangers of harmful bacteria in all kinds of poultry? In preparation for this, I've been trying to learn all that I can about the food safety risks involved in cooking a wide variety of poultry. Unfortunately, everything I've found thus far has been very chicken-centric and really only told me a few things:
1. Don't cross contaminate
2. Cook to an internal temperature of X degrees (varies by source)
3. Avoid the "danger zone" of Y - Z degrees (also varies by source)

The main thing I'm looking for is much more detailed info about Salmonella: e.g. At what temperatures (precise range) does it thrive? What exactly does it mean for it to "thrive"? How long (really) can it stay in "the danger zone" and still be safe? Why does "the danger zone" even matter if I cook it to a safe temperature? If my meat is contaminated, how likely are people to get sick? What symptoms will they experience? Anything (other than thorough cooking) that kills it or slows it down?

Beyond that I am curious about a number of other factors, such as:
-Bird choice: Which birds are most likely to be contaminated? Which are least likely? Are there certain birds that are especially dangerous? Is an organic bird safer? A wild bird? Are different birds safe at different temperatures?
-Beyond Salmonella: What else should I be worried about (esp. in the game birds), and what are the properties of these other bacteria?
-Other precautions: Anything else I can do to minimize the risks? Does brining help/hurt? Rinsing? Drying? Wrapping tightly in plastic wrap? Leaving unwrapped in the fridge? Bringing to room temp before cooking? Sticking it in the freezer for a little while before cooking?

While I would certainly appreciate answers to my specific questions here, I'm mostly looking for suggestions of primary sources (books, reputable websites, etc.) to do further research. Thanks in advance for any help!

Delicious Meal or Bacteria Party?

catfood — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 13:14:15 -0800

Will I get sick from eating this? In an attempt to eat healthier, I broke out the crock pot last night and filled it with raw vegetables and raw chicken, in preparation for a day of slow cooking all day today. However, today I learned that you're very much not supposed to store raw veg & raw chicken together in the fridge overnight, and now I know better than to do it again.

But I've had chicken and vegetables cooking in Cream of Chicken soup all day, and after 10 hours of cooking it should all be at a safe temperature. My apartment smells heavenly and we're hungry. Are we asking for a world of hurt if we eat this?

I'm annoyed at myself because I never plan ahead. The one time I do, I do it all wrong. Grr!

It Takes a Tough Man...

Miko — Sun, 25 Sep 2005 18:49:28 -0800

Help me learn to use up a whole roast chicken. I'm single and a good cook. I try to get the most out of a smallish grocery budget. With fall-y weather setting in, I decided to experiment with roasting a whole chicken each Sunday, and then using the chicken for the next several days. I'm looking for your tips on getting the most out of said chicken after that first serving of carved white meat is gone.

I don't especially relish wings and dark meat, so I need some recipes that sort of disguise their heavier flavor. Healthier recipes are especially appreciated. Sandwich and salad suggestions, preferably those that travel well to work for lunch, are welcome. Also, do you use the roasted carcass to make stock? Is it worth the trouble? Thanks in advance.