Tips & tricks

Crafting delicious dishes with chicken and turkey is easy, especially with some handy tips that will set you up for the festive season. With the right techniques, they are simple to prepare and can be super versatile! 
Checkout our general knowledge, food safety guide and tips & tricks below, designed to help you make the most out of your next meal!

Brine Chicken

How to Brine a Chicken

Wet brining is one of the best ways to get the most succulent and juicy roast chicken. It tenderises and flavours the meat, while adding tons of moisture! Use this recipe as a guide for the basic steps and get creative with your brining flavours and aromatics.

Brine: 
• 2 – 3 litres of water
• 1/3 cup salt
• ¼ cup honey or sugar
• 1 lemon, cut in wedges
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tablespoon peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• Large handful fresh herbs – we love rosemary, thyme, sage & parsley! 

Roast Chicken:
• 1.7kg Tegel Fresh Whole Chicken
• 2 lemons • Small handful fresh herbs - we love rosemary, thyme, sage & parsley!
• 2 small leeks, sliced in half lengthwise
• 8 baby carrots
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper 

To Brine:
1. To make the brine, place all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring continuously to dissolve the salt & sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes and then remove from heat. Leave to completely cool – this can be done in the fridge.
2. Submerge chicken in the cold brine – breast side down. Cover and refrigerate for 12 – 24 hours. 

To Roast:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
2. Remove chicken from the brine and use paper towels to remove excess moisture.
3. Season the inside of the cavity with salt & pepper, then stuff with half a lemon and fresh herbs. Use twine to truss the legs.
3. Cut the remaining lemon in wedges and place in the bottom of a roasting dish with the leeks and carrots. Place the chicken on top, breast side up. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt & pepper.
4. Roast chicken as per packet instructions, basting halfway through cooking with pan juices.
5. Leave to rest for 10 – 15 minutes before carving.

Tip:  Many Tegel Whole Chickens and Oven Ready Chickens are Tenderbasted which means all the hard work has been done for you!

Shred Chicken

How to Shred Chicken 3 Ways

Roast Turkey

BBQing Chicken

Defrosting Chicken

If you have purchased one of our frozen whole chickens or portions, or you have frozen our products yourself, they may need defrosting before use. Have a look at our tips below to find out how. 

  • Safely defrost chicken slowly in the fridge. This ensures the chicken defrosts at a consistent and safe temperature.
  • Keep chicken in its original airtight packaging while defrosting.
  • Defrost your chicken in an oven dish or pan to catch any juices.
  • Always defrost raw chicken in the bottom of the fridge away from fresh vegetables and cooked meats.
  • Most chicken products should take 1 – 2 days to defrost depending on the size of the product that you’re using.

Important: some Tegel products are “cook from frozen” so always check the label or packaging for instructions.

Handling Chicken

Tegel has a large range of delicious chicken products that help you to create meals for you and your family. To make it even easier, we’ve got some tips and tricks you can use when handling and preparing your chicken to ensure you and your family remain safe. 

Food Safety 

  • Do not wash or rinse raw chicken. This increases the risk of cross contamination in your kitchen and food preparation area. As long as the chicken is cooked properly in a hot oven, any bacteria will be killed during the cooking process.
  • Whenever you’re handling raw meat & poultry, always wash your hands regularly & use the 20/20 rule: wash for 20 seconds, dry for 20 seconds.
  • Use a clean plastic chopping board when preparing raw chicken. Wooden chopping boards are not suitable for raw meat as they are more porous and harder to clean. Alternatively, you can prepare your chicken directly in the oven dish you will roast it in.
  • Ensure you wash all cutting boards, utensils, knives and surfaces with hot, soapy water or antibacterial spray after preparing raw chicken and before you prepare your next ingredient.

Cooking Chicken

There are many ways to enjoy NZ’s favourite chicken. Most Tegel products will have cooking instructions on the back of pack, but follow the guide below for any extra information. These times should be used as a guide only, and relate to fresh or defrosted chicken. As a rule of thumb, once your chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 76°C it is safe to eat.

Roasting whole chickens:

  • Before you get started, if you are using a frozen chicken, make sure it is properly defrosted. See the best way to do this under the 'Defrosting Chicken' tip.
  • Whole birds (stuffed) require 55 minutes/kg + 20 minutes extra at 180°C. If the oven is on fan-bake.
  • Whole birds require 40 minutes/kg + 20 minutes extra at 180°C.
  • To check that the chicken is cooked, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the meat (usually the thigh). When the juices run clear, it means that the bird is cooked.
  • If you have a meat thermometer, the chicken is done when it registers a minimum of 76°C in the thickest part of the meat.

Pan Frying:

  • Pan frying works best with coated chicken, as the juices are sealed in.
  • Bone-in portions require approximately 20-40 minutes.
  • Boneless portions approximately 10 minutes (depending on size).

Deep Frying:

  • For best results, use coated chicken.
  • Bone-in portions require approximately 15-20 minutes at 190°C.

Baking:

  • Bone-in portions require approximately 50-60 minutes at 180°C.

Grilling:

  • Bone-in portions require 15-30 minutes.
  • Boneless portions threaded onto skewers require approximately 15 minutes.

Casserole:

  • Bone-in portions (with vegetables, wine, stock and seasonings) require 1.5 hours at 180°C.

Steaming:

  • Whole birds and bone-in portions will require approximately 30 minutes per 500g of chicken.

Hangi:

  • The poultry should be cooked until all the juices are clear, not pink, and the poultry reaches an internal temperature of at least 74°C (as measured from the thickest part of the breast or the innermost part of the thigh).

BBQ:

  • Poultry cooks best over hot coals, not flames.
  • To ensure poultry is properly cooked, it is recommended to cook bone-in portions low and slow on the BBQ. Brush with any sweet glazes towards the end of cooking to prevent burning and charring.
  • Test large cuts by skewering the flesh in the deepest part. If it's cooked, the juices will run clear, not pink, and the poultry will feel firm and springy to the touch.
  • If you have a meat thermometer, measure the temperature in the thickest part of the meat, where it should have reached 74°C.
  • Boneless portions are best cubed and threaded onto skewers. Cooking time is dependent on size of portion and temperature of BBQ

Carving Chicken

Carving a roast chicken can be super simple if you follow a few key steps; make sure to always rest your chicken after roasting, use a sharp knife when slicing and always take your time.

Before you get started:

  • Set up a carving station with a large clean chopping board (large enough for your roast chicken) and place a damp cloth underneath the board. The damp cloth prevents the chopping board from sliding around while you are carving.
  • Let the chicken rest for at least 10 - 15 minutes (depending on the size) before carving. Resting helps the meat absorb the juices which prevents the chicken from drying out, and makes the chicken easier to handle when carving.
  • For best results, always use a sharp knife to carve your chicken.
  • Remember to always cut away from yourself and take your time carving.

How to carve:

  1. Start by carving off the legs. Using the sharp knife, slice through the skin between the breast and leg, cutting down towards the chopping board. Quite often the leg will separate easily and you’ll just need to cut through the skin to separate the legs from the rest of the roast chicken.
  2. To separate the drums from the thighs, place them on a cutting board skin-side up and cut the drumstick off at the thigh joint. If required, use your hands to pull the drumstick toward yourself to find the joint, a sharp knife should cut through the joint easily.
  3. Next, carve the wing off of the chicken where the joint meets the base of the breast, in a similar way to how you removed the legs and drums.Cut as close to the breast meat as possible to separate.Repeat with the other wing.
  4. Next, carve the breast meat. Carve in the same direction as the breast bone using your sharp knife and carving fork to make even chicken slices. Repeat with the other side.
  5. There may be some meat on the underside of your chicken as well, which you can gently pull off with your fingers.
  6. Use every bit of the chicken and save the carcass to make chicken stock.

Storing Chicken

Follow these food safety tips for storing fresh, frozen and leftover chicken.

Storing raw chicken:

  • A chilly-bin is a good way of keeping chilled and frozen products cold when taking them home from the supermarket, especially in the summer.
  • Do not leave poultry sitting in the car for hours before refrigerating.
  • Ensure chicken and poultry is stored in a fridge operating at a temperature between 2°C and 4°C.
  • Make sure you store raw poultry in the bottom of your fridge away from any cooked meats or fresh vegetables. Ensure it is also covered or wrapped.
  • Always ensure you cook your chicken before the best before date on pack.
  • Raw chicken can be kept in the freezer safely for up to 1 year at a temperature -18°C or colder.
  • It is best to freeze fresh chicken products on the date of purchase and always remember to label with the date it has been placed in the freezer.

Storing cooked chicken leftovers:

  • Cover cooked chicken and poultry leftovers immediately after they have finished steaming and put them in the fridge.
  • Before storing, slice leftover chicken into smaller portions, rather than leaving whole. This ensures even and efficient cooling when placed in the fridge.
  • Store chicken, stuffing, gravy and any other leftovers in separate containers.
  • Make sure your fridge is operating at a temperature between 2°C and 4°C when storing chicken leftovers.
  • Always store cooked chicken in a covered container at the top of the fridge, above raw poultry.
  • You should eat chicken leftovers within 3 – 4 days and always ensure you reheat them correctly, see tips for reheating here.
  • For longer storage, you can freeze leftover cooked chicken. Ensure you date the container and use within 3 – 4 months of freezing. Once defrosted, use within 1 day.
  • Leftover chicken is great in salads, sandwiches, on pizzas, in pastas or quesadillas.

Reheating Chicken

Reheating chicken is easy, and means you can enjoy some delicious leftovers! 

  • Make sure you reheat leftovers to at least 70°C for a minimum of 2 minutes.
  • Do not reheat leftovers more than once.

How to reheat chicken in the oven:

  • Reheating chicken in the oven is the best option for moist and tender leftovers. The oven retains moisture and ensures even reheating. The oven is the best option for roast chicken, crumbed chicken and bone in chicken portions.
  • Place the leftovers on a roasting dish in an even layer.
  • Tip: Add stock for extra juicy leftovers. Pour a small amount of chicken stock into the bottom of the roasting dish.
  • Cover the roasting tray tightly with foil.
  • Reheat in the oven at 180°C for 15 minutes or until the chicken is very hot and has reached an internal temperature of at least 70°C for 2 minutes.

How to reheat chicken in the microwave:

  • If you’re reheating a small amount of leftovers, the microwave can be the best option.
  • It’s best to slice your chicken into smaller, similar-sized pieces for quick and even reheating. If possible, slice any chicken off the bone.
  • Place in a microwave-safe container or on a microwave-safe plate.
  • If possible, drizzle with a small amount of leftover gravy or some stock.
  • Cover with a damp paper towel or loosely cover your microwave-safe container with a lid.
  • Cook for 3 minutes on a medium-high setting, then check the temperature of the chicken – you want it to be piping hot. If necessary, continue to microwave in 30 second bursts, until ready.