Essential Guide to Buying, Storing, Prepping, and Cooking Chicken

Chicken consistently ranks as one of the most searched ingredients on Dinogo, and for good reason. Its versatility makes it perfect for a wide range of savory dishes and cooking styles. In this guide, we'll walk you through expert tips for selecting, storing, freezing, thawing, prepping, and cooking chicken, along with answers to your most common questions.

The Best Ways to Buy, Store, and Freeze Chicken

• At the grocery store, pick up your raw chicken last, just before you head to the check-out line. And have the checker wrap the chicken in a plastic bag in case the package leaks.
• A whole cooked chicken can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 days; cut-up cooked chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days.
• Never leave raw or frozen chicken at room temperature, which encourages the growth of bacteria like salmonella and listeria. Cooked chicken should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
• Freeze any chicken that won't be used right away. You can freeze it in its store packaging, but if you plan on storing it for longer than two months, unwrap the chicken and rewrap it in heavy duty aluminum foil and a plastic freezer bag. Chicken can be frozen as long as one year without sacrificing quality.

How to Safely Thaw Chicken

Always thaw frozen chicken slowly and safely. Never leave chicken out at room temperature to thaw.

• It will take anywhere from 24 hours to two days to thaw a whole chicken in the refrigerator.
• Frozen chicken parts will take 2 to 9 hours to thaw in the fridge (boneless pieces take less time to thaw than bone-in pieces).
• You can thaw chicken more quickly by running a continuous stream of cold water over a frozen chicken that's wrapped in plastic, or by using the defrost cycle of your microwave.

How to Properly Clean and Prepare Chicken for Cooking

Is rinsing raw chicken necessary? The official advice from the U.S. Department of Agriculture is a clear no. Rinsing raw chicken does not eliminate harmful bacteria. In fact, it can spread bacteria around your sink and countertops, increasing the risk of contamination. Cooking the chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees will safely kill the bacteria.

Designate a separate cutting board exclusively for chicken. To avoid cross-contamination, always wash all surfaces, utensils, cutting boards, and hands with hot, soapy water for 20 seconds after handling raw poultry. The USDA also advises prepping any uncooked foods, like vegetables or salads, before touching raw poultry. A recent USDA study found that 26% of people who washed poultry spread bacteria onto their salad lettuce.

Ready to cut up your chicken? Here's the proper way to do it:

• Cutting Up A Whole Chicken
• Deboning a Chicken Thigh
• Deboning a Chicken Breast

Don't forget to save the bones — you can use them to make a rich and flavorful chicken stock.

The Best Way to Marinate Chicken

Marinating or brining? Always marinate your chicken in the fridge, even if it's just for a quick 30-minute soak. And never use the same marinade to baste cooked chicken that has touched raw poultry. Either set aside extra marinade for basting or bring it to a boil for 2-3 minutes to kill any harmful bacteria. Check out our selection of marinade recipes for inspiration.

How to Properly Cook Chicken

There are countless ways to prepare chicken. You can bake or roast it, fry or sauté it, or throw it on the BBQ or grill. If you prefer using appliances, try a slow cooker, air fryer, or multifunctional cooker (like an Instant Pot). Explore our full collection of Chicken Recipes for a variety of cooking methods and ideas.

How to Roast or Bake Chicken in the Oven

What’s the difference between baking and roasting chicken? We’ve got the details here. But here’s a hint: they’re essentially the same thing. Check out our collection of Baked and Roasted Chicken Recipes for more inspiration.

How to Roast a Whole Chicken to Perfection

For the best results, place your chicken on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan. This allows the bird to cook evenly while avoiding sitting in its own juices, resulting in crispy skin. For easy cleanup, line the pan with aluminum foil. If you want a juicier, faster roast, consider spatchcocking (butterflying) the chicken before roasting — here's how to do it. For more tips, check out our guide on how to roast chicken.

How to Braise Chicken for Tenderness

Braising is a two-step cooking technique: first, you sear or brown the meat over high heat, then you finish cooking it slowly in liquid at low heat. This method makes chicken incredibly tender and juicy, while the sauce takes on deep, complex flavors as it simmers.

A perfect braise starts with a good sear on the chicken skin — don't rush it or remove the chicken too early. Let it develop a rich, dark color. The next step is deglazing the pan to release the flavorful brown bits stuck at the bottom. Use wine, stock, beer, cider, or even water to do this. This forms the base of your sauce! Then, let it simmer gently. Check out a few of our favorite braised chicken recipes:

• Braised Chicken with Lemon and Carrots
• Pollo al Ajillo (Chicken and Garlic)
• Citrus Chicken

How to Fry Chicken to Crispy Perfection

Frying chicken is a beloved American tradition, but to do it right requires precision. The oil temperature is key — too hot or too cold can ruin the texture. The type of oil you use is also important. There are countless 'secret recipes' for the perfect fried chicken, and we break it all down for you in our guide on How to Fry Chicken.

Browse through our collection of Fried Chicken Recipes for inspiration and tips.

How to BBQ and Grill Chicken to Perfection

Grilling isn’t just for the warmer months anymore. It’s a cooking tradition that can be enjoyed all year long.

Chef John has mastered the art of barbecue chicken on the grill. His method creates perfect grill marks without any burnt or blackened spots. The secret? Start by placing the chicken skin-side down to get those beautiful marks, then flip the chicken and brush on the sauce. After that, close the lid and let it roast. Get the recipe for Chef John's Barbecue Chicken.

Here’s a tip for grilling boneless, skinless chicken breasts: pound them to an even thickness before grilling. Why? Boneless, skinless breasts cook quickly on a hot grill, and pounding them ensures they cook evenly. Without this step, thinner parts could dry out while thicker sections remain undercooked.

For all the details on direct and indirect heat, how to preheat your grill, must-have grilling tools, and more, check out our grilling tips. Plus, to learn cooking times for various cuts of chicken, see our guide on cooking times for grilled chicken, organized by heat type and intensity.

Browse our collection of BBQ'd and Grilled Chicken Recipes for delicious ideas.

How to Perfectly Stir-Fry Chicken

Stir-frying is similar to sautéing but with key differences. Typically, it’s done at very high heat in a wok — a pan with sloped edges — and often uses peanut oil, which has a higher smoke point than olive oil or butter. While a wok is traditional, you can also use a regular skillet for stir-frying.

With stir-frying, preparation is crucial. Since the cooking time is short, ingredients should be sliced into small, even pieces and prepped next to the hot wok or skillet. Then, quickly toss them into the sizzling oil for a fast, flavorful finish. Want to create restaurant-quality chicken stir-fry? Learn how to "velvet" chicken for the juiciest, most tender results.

Explore our collection of Stir-Fried Chicken Recipes for more delicious ideas.

How to Slow Cook Chicken to Perfection

Nothing beats the convenience of a slow cooker for easy, hands-off cooking. For many recipes, you simply toss everything in, choose HIGH or LOW, set the timer, and walk away. However, here are a few tips to get the most out of your slow cooker chicken meals:

• Thigh meat stays juicier than breast meat in slow cooker recipes.
• Thaw frozen chicken before it goes into the pot to avoid any risk of harmful bacteria developing at low temperatures.
• To get the richest flavor, brown chicken and vegetables in a skillet before slow cooking. Don't forget to deglaze the skillet with wine or broth to capture every tasty bit and add it to the slow cooker.
• Every slow cooker has different specs for everything from how much you can fill it to how long you can leave food on the Warm setting. Always check the manufacturer's handbook for specific recommendations.

How to Cook Chicken in an Air Fryer

By circulating super-heated air around the chicken, you can enjoy the crispy texture of fried food without all the grease. We have a variety of ways to cook chicken in an air fryer, but here are a few tips to ensure the best results:

• Don't crowd the pieces. You want to let air circulate around them, so it might mean cooking in batches.
• Shake and flip the chicken about halfway through cooking so everything gets browned evenly.
• If your food has a delicate breading, use tongs to reposition the food instead of shaking it.

How to Cook Chicken in the Instant Pot

The Instant Pot (or multifunctional cooker) is a game-changer because it lets you do everything in one pot: brown the meat, sauté other ingredients, and cook it all together quickly or slowly. The key is understanding how different cuts of chicken respond to various cooking methods. Don’t just wing it — start with reliable recipes and follow the manufacturer’s instructions until you get the hang of it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell when my chicken is fully cooked?

The only reliable way to check if chicken is done is by using a meat thermometer. Relying on clear juices isn’t accurate. To check a whole chicken, insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, making sure it doesn’t touch the bone. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C).

Keep in mind that the meat will continue cooking after being removed from the heat. If the temperature is just a few degrees shy of the target, leave the thermometer in place for a moment — the temperature may rise to the correct level.

How can I keep my chicken from drying out?

Dry or tough chicken is usually the result of overcooking. While recipes provide cooking times, these are more like guidelines than hard rules.

Several factors can influence cooking time. For instance, thinner cuts of meat cook faster than thicker ones. Stoves can vary in heat settings, and even the size and shape of your pan can change the cooking time. To avoid overcooking, it’s best to check your chicken periodically as it cooks.

What can I do with leftover chicken?

Don’t leave cooked chicken at room temperature for more than two hours. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge, where it will stay fresh for up to two days.

For ideas on how to use leftover chicken, check out these top-rated recipes for enchiladas, soups, stews, pizzas, salads, and more.