Chicken is a staple in most homes, restaurants, and street food outlets, but it is a well-known fact that this source of protein does require some getting used to if you were to begin whipping up tasty creations in the kitchen. Whether you want it fried, barbecued, grilled, or smeared in the finest white wine you can get your hands on, chicken is a dish that can be mastered with time but knowing each and every trick in the book can help you become a master chef in the comfort of your own home.

BBQ Chicken - Image via Flickr

Now who wouldn’t love the thought of a fantastic chicken stock to go with a favourite soup, stew, or sauce of yours? With a reputation for being a pivotal inclusion when it comes to balancing flavour and consistency in a selection of dishes, the trick to having the right chicken stock boils down to how well you simmer the stock. In terms of additions, you can toss in fresh garlic en route to making steamed eggs for a hearty breakfast.

On the topic of roasted chicken, know that what sets this dish apart from other chicken-based options is that no dish is created equal. When the time arrives to roast your chicken, take great care in ensuring that the meat remains extra juicy. For this to materialise, allow the olive oil and seasoning to remain on the chicken for a minimum period of 15 minutes. Further, a cardinal error that many home cooks commit is that the herbs are placed on top of the meat and not below. Another way to guarantee the juiciness of the chicken is to salt brine the same and thereafter, roast it for around an hour while adding the necessary spices and condiments accordingly.

Named after the island of Hainan in China, Hainan chicken rice is a popular serving in Malaysia and Singapore that can be conveniently made at home as well. For this, you will require one whole chicken to be poached in a mix of ginger and scallions. After this stage is complete, the meat will have to be sliced and you can toy with the thought of serving it with savoury garlic rice. As accompaniments, you can have a steaming chicken broth or chilli dipping sauce.

An excellent way to infuse flavour in chicken, and that too, a whole chicken will be to make the most of a harissa-based marinade. If you do not wish to get your hands on chilli, then you can opt for premade harissa at any local speciality market. However, to the passionate home chef, the thought of using the finest dried chillies will surely motivate you towards mastering a marinated chicken dish that can be enjoyed by everyone at home. Aside from the dried chillies, utilise canola oil in the marinade. Also, you should marinate the meat under the skin and air-dry same for a few hours before placing it in the refrigerator. The penultimate stage will be to grill the chicken until it reveals a crispy skin. In conclusion, you can lightly baste the meat with marinade before cooking the chicken to the point at which it showcases a beautiful colour that will be irresistible in every sense of the phrase. Furthermore, you can also compare your creations with similar servings made available through the Inasal menu at restaurant outlets such as Mang Inasal Philippines so that you know exactly where you stand as a chef.

Thought of as a staple in every Filipino home, BBQ chicken is an absolute must whenever thoughts of making a satisfying and delectable chicken dish for lunch or dinner come trickling through. To cut a long story short, the sauce is what makes each variant of this smoky speciality stand out from the others. For this purpose, extra attention must be devoted to achieving the right sauce balance. Ideally, opt for a soft drink of your choosing, such as Sprite or the grapefruit-flavoured Mexican Squirt, to be included as part of the marination.14 This will aid the meat to become juicer, tender, and, most importantly, bear a char from the sugar. Once done, mix and match your preferences in terms of what would make for an outstanding side, and in terms of ideas, make a simple dipping sauce consisting of black pepper, garlic, vinegar and soy.