How to cook chicken thighs/legs? Kinda urgent before they freeze

[whocanibe2day]

I've just received a gift of a bag of about 8 pieces of chicken. I live alone. I have never before in my life cooked thighs or legs. I've seen a lady marinade them before (in what I don't know) and then she was frying them in a pan.
Can anyone tell me what to do with this food? I love fried chicken, I've just never cooked it myself.
Sorry for AIBU but I literally have never cooked this before.

[speakout]

whocanibe2day

Don't define your skills or success by what your mother cooked- it sounds as if your mother was a much better cook than mine. I didn't have cookery lessons at school either.

Forget the past and the limited cuisine you ate- time to look forward.
You have a wonderful opportunity to learn. The internet is at your fingertips- youtube is great for step by step.

I

[sashh]

OP

Do you have a slow cooker?

Do the portions have skin on?

If the portions have skin on then this is tasty and easy.

Buy some thyme - if you can't find fresh then dried will do. Buy some lemon juice, or a lemon.

Put the defrosted chicken in an ovenproof dish or oven tray.

If you have bought a lemon then juice it. If you have bought lemon juice then sprinkle it over the chicken - just as you would put binegar on chips, sprinkle over dried thyme or place sprigs of fresh over the chicken.

At this point you can add any spices you like, or salt and pepper, I tend to just add a little pepper.

Put in the oven (on full power) and cook for 20 - 30 mins. Check after 20, if you put a squewer or knife intot he chicken juices will come out, if they are clear the chicken is cooked.

If they are skinless, then buy a tin of campels condensed mushroom soup, some mushrooms and a tub of creme fraiche.

Slice the mushrooms.

Put the defrosted chicken in the slow cooker if you have one (and it is a small one) or into a large pan.

Add the soup, straight from the can, add the mushrooms and creme fraiche. If you have a slow cooker then switch it on, if you are using a pan bring it to the boil and then simmer for 20 - 30 mins.

[Mypathtriedtokillme]

In the case of the “great chicken thigh casserole fat burg”.
Next time chuck it in the fridge to cool.
Once the fat has solidified (next day) lift off with a spoon then Throw the fat away.

Reheat the casserole and enjoy fat free deliciousness.

[whocanibe2day]

Yes, I think following youtube might be better for me.
I like a pp's suggestion of salt/pepper/oil lol and bung in the oven!
I'm never going to set the world on fire with my cooking!
I never have much cause to cook for other people, so I tend to cook what's simple and what I know.

[whocanibe2day]

I have a slow cooker but have managed a fiasco of a raw looking whole cooked chicken and a leather beef stew, all of which had to be thrown out, so said implement has been relegated to the back end of my cupboard.

Yes, I think the thighs/legs have skin on, though I didn't open the bag.

[whocanibe2day]

I vomited at the sight of the Fat berg lol, so Once the fat has solidified (next day) lift off with a spoon then Throw the fat away. wasn't an option.

[Ginfordinner]

I think you should invest in a couple of cookery books aimed at beginners. Delia Smith is an excellent choice as is any book aimed at students. I like good food, and the only way to eat well affordably is to cook it myself. Good food is one of life's pleasures.

[whocanibe2day]

I rarely watch cookery programmes as they tend to use ingredients that either I don't have or that I wouldn't consider using.

I think someone could make a killing by doing a basic cookery class on TV (should I patent the idea?) lol. Well it's certainly something I'd watch. The simpler the better, until as a PP suggested you become more experienced and can get more adventurous.

[MaudebeGonne]

Honestly, roasted chicken thighs with a bit of salt and pepper and a splash of oil is really tasty. I am loving your description of your Mum's cooking! I remember a pal inviting me for dinner when we were newly fledged adults and just getting used to cooking for other people and she did her Mums spag bol recipe, which was fried mince, a beef stock cube and a load of ketchup. .

[dun1urkin]

I agree that a roasted chicken thigh with salt, pepper and a teaspoon of oil rubbed on the skin is delicious. If you’re lacking confidence then this is a good place to start with your thighs.
I love chicken thighs. They are my favourite part of a chicken by a long way. We buy them in bulk and freeze in portions so as to never be without

[UnfinishedSymphon]

Love chicken thighs too, had them last night. Skin on, brushed with oil, we've got one of those S&P grinders with garlic in so S&P and garlic, 40 mins in the oven and voila. Lovely crispy skin and very moist chicken

[whocanibe2day]

MaudebeGonne I lived in Italy back in a former life and my Italian boyfriend came over one Christmas. While in Italy, I discovered proper pizza (something entirely different to the frozen variety we had in Ireland). I also discovered that they were pasta, as we were to spuds. My mother was fretting over what to cook for him when he came over. I told her cooking anything BAR the spaghetti Bolognese she had ventured on to (mince and Dolmio sauce with mushy spaghetti). As it turned out, he loved Irish cooking, put on a half a stone in 2 weeks though was a little traumatised at a plate piled high with meat/veg/spuds haha. Their method of eating is so different to the Irish way. Also, portions in Ireland are massive, which is why we're so hefty compared to the waif like Italians

[whocanibe2day]

UnfinishedSymphon

40 mins in the oven and voila. Lovely crispy skin and very moist chicken
Do you put tin foil on for a part of the cooking, or just roast them uncovered?

[sashh]

I think someone could make a killing by doing a basic cookery class on TV

I learned to cook properly from watching 'Ready Steady Cook', see if you can find it on YouTube.

Do you have a BBQ? I have a recipe I do with chicken wings on ther BBQ but it would work with thighs or drumsticks.

OK you need to buy

Ginger - 1 piece
Garlic - 1 bylb
Runny honey
lemon juice
Soy sauce
Chilli powder

You can get ginger and garlic frozen into little cubes, you could use one cube of each instead of shopping fresh.

About 1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled (peel with a teasoon) choped as finely as you can
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped or crushed
55ml of honey
50ml Soy sauce
50mls of lemon juice (it works with orange as well)
1 teaspoon of chilli powder.

Mix everything except the chicken together, this is your marinade, then put the defrosted chicken in, cover and put in the fridge, it needs at least 2 hours but is better after 24, you need to just tirn it occasionallyand keep covering the chicken with the marinade.

If you do them on the BBQ keep brishing with marinade as they cook.

You can also put them in the oven and pour the marinade over.

Serve with rice and salad.

[whocanibe2day]

Unfortunately sassh, I live in a flat, so no bbq. Sounds simple enough though if other readers are as plebian as myself in the cooking dept. They may benefit from your recipe!

[sashh]

whocanibe2day

Just stick it in the oven, aftewr15 mins turn it over, cook for another 15 and that's it.

I suggest lining a tray with foile though because without it the tray is a pig to clean.

[sashh]

foil, not foile

[whocanibe2day]

Lol, don't confuse me with typos such as foiles lol. Until I read your clarification I was a little baffled.

[ElizabethinherGermanGarden]

Chicken thigh meat is nicer than breast for most things, although they are harder to cut up. You can make a good kebab with them by cutting into pieces and spiking on kebab sticks with pieces of red pepper, courgette and mushroom and putting under the grill (or just putting all the bits under the grill or in the oven without the sticks of need be). It's nicer if you marinade/coat with soy sauce and honey, but plain is okay if you have something to dip it in when cooked eg mayo or tzatziki. Serve with a pitta bread.

[Pacmanitee]

I just pop them into a baking dish in the oven on 200 degrees with a small amount of olive oil on top (maybe paprika too if I'm feeling adventurous) and just keep an eye on them, take them out when the skin is looking nice and crispy; usually around 50 minutes or so. It's really hard to burn chicken (although the texture changes if too well done) so I'd err on the side of over cooking them.

[inappropriateraspberry]

You don't need to do anything with them. Freeze them raw, then defrost as needed and just roast them with some oil, salt and pepper. 1 or 2 will make a 'mini roast' perfect for one person.

[whocanibe2day]

Pacmanitee Growing up with a mother paranoid about salmonella, everything was basically cremated, so I do tend to err on the side of overcooking too. Imagine my consternation upon arrival in Italy to discover that they would cook a slice of chicken breast for 1 minute on each side then plonk it raw looking (to me) on my plate. I used to have to ask for people to cook things until it was 'brusciata' which means burned! Even then it might only be slightly medium cooked, which I finally got used to. Quite the Neanderthal in Italy I was. I'm sure I caused much flustering of my chefs. 'Ti fa mal a la pancia'! they'd exclaim! Which means, loosely translated 'it will damage your stomach'. I think they figured I came from some bizarre country with strange tastes in cuisine.

[WittyUser]

If you tend to err on the side of overcooking then chicken thighs are perfect - a higher fat content (which also means more flavour) than breast, so less likely to dry out.

[Pacmanitee]

Haha I'm the same OP! I have faith that you can cook them and enjoy them, may the force be with you.

[Sourcat]

Lots of great ideas here:


alexandracooks.com/2018/11/09/18-favorite-fall-chicken-recipes-weeknight-ish/