How To Tell If The Chicken Is Cooked: Even Without A Thermometer
I have completely lost track of the number of times I have cooked chicken and the number of times I have experienced serving half cooked chicken. Not to say that it was always the case but just the same I did serve half cooked chicken and I was completely embarrassed!
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There are two reasons why we should never serve half cooked chicken:
- It does not taste right.
- It is unsafe to eat half cooked chicken (food poisoning risks).
Of all the meat types, chicken is the hardest to judge whether it is completely cooked or not. Cutting a small portion of the chicken to check whether it’s done or not is the most common way. However, chicken tends to be dry when this is done. So, how to tell if the chicken is cooked?
The Ever Reliable Meat Thermometer
Roasted or baked chicken cooked the right way will be golden brown, crispy and tender. It will have a flavorful aroma and juicy flesh. To achieve these, you need to cook the chicken until it is done inside and out without overcooking it.
Without a doubt, a meat thermometer is your best bet to test the doneness of chicken. All you need to do is slip the thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken. If you are cooking a whole chicken, make sure not to make the thermometer touch its bone.
Chicken bone is a heat conductor thus you will not get an exact reading. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that the minimum internal temperature for chicken/poultry is 165ºF. If you get a thermometer reading within this range, your chicken is cooked!
While it is a must for every kitchen to have a meat thermometer, some just don’t. So, how to tell if the chicken is cooked without a thermometer? You need to find visual or touch signs that will confirm the chicken is cooked. There are tests you can do on the chicken so these signs become visible and felt.
Test # 1: The Feel Test
Slicing a portion of the chicken, usually the part between the meat and skin, to check for its doneness is often done. However, doing this will allow the escape of juices which will result in a dry chicken. The “Feel Test” will not alter any part of the chicken because you will only feel its texture/firmness.
Experts in cooking meat or chicken meat for that matter often use the “feel test” on how to tell if the chicken is cooked. There are a many ways to do the “feel test” but I am more comfortable with the “Finger Test” and the “Face Test.”
Chicken meat when cooked loses some of its moisture. Moisture loss will make the fibers in chicken tighten. This is why cooked chicken has a firm texture. How firm should chicken be to be able to determine its doneness? The Finger and Face Tests will show us how the different levels of firmness in chicken feels.
Method 1: The Finger Test
While a meat thermometer is the best way to check the doneness of chicken, slipping the thermometer on the chicken will cause some of its juices to escape. Of course, you would want all the juices to remain within the chicken. Start practicing on the” Finger Test.” All you need to do is to compare the feeling you get in your fingers with the feeling you get when you touch the chicken.
- Step 1: Relax your hand. (Always relax your hand before working on each finger)
- Step 2: Push your index finger between the palm and thumb of your other hand. Feel the fleshy area of your palm. That is the feeling you will get with RAW meat.
- Step 3: Push the tip of your pinky finger against the tip of your thumb. With the index finger of your other hand, feel the fleshy area of your palm. That is the feeling you will get when you press on WELL DONE meat.
- Step 4: Push the tip of your ring finger against the tip of your thumb. With the index finger of your other hand, feel the fleshy area of your palm. It should feel a little more. That is the feeling of MEDIUM DONE meat.
- Step 5: Push the tip of your middle finger against the tip of your thumb. The feeling you will get on the fleshy area of your palm is MEDIUM RARE.
- Step 6: Push the tip of your index finger against the tip of your thumb. That is the feeling you will get when meat is cooked rare.
via pinterest.com
Compare the feeling you get on the fleshy area of your palm, as you push each finger against your thumb, with the feeling you get when you feel the chicken. Then you will know the level of doneness of the chicken.
Method 2: The Face Test
This test is rather cute. Compare the feel of your check to the feel of chicken when you touch it to check for doneness.
- Step 1: Relax your face and do not smile.
- Step 2: Run your finger on your cheek. RARE meat is as soft as your cheek.
- Step 3: Run your finger on your chin. MEDIUM DONE is as fleshy with some hindrances as your chin.
- Step 4: Run your finger on the tip of your nose. The feel will be the same as MEDIUM RARE meat.
- Step 5: Run your finger on your forehead. Your forehead will feel firm and that is how WELL DONE meat feels.
This test looks cute and funny but a lot of cooks swear it is a reliable test.
Test #2: The Juice Test
The condition or color of the chicken juice will give you more than enough clues on how to tell if the chicken is cooked. There are two ways to do this.
Method 1: Prick the Chicken
Prick or pierce chicken and check the color of its juice:
- Clear juice that escapes from the chicken means it is cooked.
- Red or pink colored juices mean the chicken needs to be cooked more
Although this is a good way to check the doneness of chicken, not a lot of cooks like this method. It is always best to keep all of the chicken juice intact. Its juice keeps the chicken moist thus making it taste much better.
Method 2: Tip the Chicken
If you do not want to pierce or prick your chicken, tip it to allow juice escape through its cavity. This is a simple way to check for the doneness of chicken. Again clear juice means chicken is cooked. Red or pink juice means chicken is not yet ready to be served.
Test # 3: The Shrinkage Test
Sometimes chicken looks cooked from the outside but inside, it is actually still uncooked. This is true especially when you are grilling chicken. Another way on how to tell if the chicken is cooked is to take notice of its size.
- Even if chicken looks cooked on the outside but you did not notice any shrinkage, most likely chicken is still uncooked.
- If you notice that chicken is starting to shrink in size, then it is well on its way to getting cooked.
- When the change in size is extremely noticeable, chances are chicken is already overcooked.
Chicken shrinks when cooked because its muscles contract causing it to shrink. When cooked well-done, the chicken should shrinkage between 10-25% of its raw size. Checking for shrinkage is the easiest way to check for the doneness of chicken.
Do you have your own method on how to tell if the chicken is cooked? What do you think of the methods presented above? Which of the methods do you like the best? Share your thoughts in the comments section..
