Tips & Tactics for Chicken

• For best flavor, buy a premium chicken or a kosher one. In taste tests, both beat regular supermarket chickens.
• To make 4 generous servings, buy one 4-pound chicken or 3 1/2 pounds of chicken pieces.
• If a recipe calls for chicken pieces, you can use only legs or only breasts if you prefer. Remember that white meat cooks faster than dark.
• Freeze wing tips, necks, backs and giblets (except the liver) to make a simple homemade broth.
• Never crowd the skillet when sautéing chicken or it won’t brown. For most recipes, a heavy 12-inch skillet or 10-inch sauté pan will do.
• If all of the chicken pieces won’t fit into the skillet, cut off the wing tips.

Published February 1997