# How to know when small pieces of chicken are cooked



## Omelas0469 (Apr 19, 2010)

Hi,

I liked to make wraps using chicken thighs I have frozen in my freezer. I first defrost the chicken thigh in the microwave on the defrost setting, then tear it up into small pieces so it cooks faster and cook it up in a frying pan with a bit of olive oil.

My question is, because I'm cooking small pieces of chicken, I can fit a meat thermometer into the pieces, so how can I tell when the chicken is properly cooked?

Thanks,

Omelas


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## Andy M. (Apr 19, 2010)

Omelas0469 said:


> ...My question is, because I'm cooking small pieces of chicken, I can fit a meat thermometer into the pieces, so how can I tell when the chicken is properly cooked?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Omelas



A meat thermometer won't help with small pieces.  You have to judge by change in texture and color.  The color will change from  translucent to opaque and the texture will change to be firm.


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## BreezyCooking (Apr 19, 2010)

I cook chicken thighs like this all the time.  Just cut open a sampling of the small pieces to make sure they're cooked through.  No pinkness or red juices should be apparent.


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## Omelas0469 (Apr 20, 2010)

BreezyCooking said:


> cut open a sampling of the small pieces to make sure they're cooked through. No pinkness or red juices should be apparent.


 
Thanks. This is just the kind of testing technique I was looking for.

I love chicken but I find cooking it to be such a hassle since I'm always worried about undercooking it because of the health risk associated with undercooked chicken. This tip brought me one step closer to chicken-cooking nirvana.

Cheers,

Omelas


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## TATTRAT (Apr 20, 2010)

you can also close your pinky finger to the tip of your thumb, now feel the meaty part of the ball of your hand(base of your thumb), it should be firm. That is how a cooked piece of chicken should feel.

And, A friendly chart to show for all stages of temp. This way, you don't have to cut into anything making a passage for juices to flow out of.


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## BreezyCooking (Apr 20, 2010)

LOL!!! Yup - I'm definitely going to do that when I have small bite-size pieces of chicken thigh braising away rather than just cutting into a couple of them. Gee - just think of the "passage of juices" flowing out of a couple of small bite-size pieces of chicken. The whole dish would be ruined!!!!  LOL!!!!!

Good grief.


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## TATTRAT (Apr 20, 2010)

BreezyCooking said:


> LOL!!! Yup - I'm definitely going to do that when I have small bite-size pieces of chicken thigh braising away rather than just cutting into a couple of them. Gee - just think of the "passage of juices" flowing out of a couple of small bite-size pieces of chicken. The whole dish would be ruined!!!!  LOL!!!!!
> 
> Good grief.



yeah, such a bad idea of knowing more then one way to skin a cat.


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## Silversage (Apr 20, 2010)

I think Tat's point is that if you get used to testing it by feel, you don't have to take the time to cut in either.  Just touch it and you'll know when it's done.  After nearly 50 years of cooking, I never cut into meat, and I rarely use a thermometer.  I just push gently, and know how done it is.

I the long run, it really is an excellent technique to learn.


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## BreezyCooking (Apr 20, 2010)

For goodness sake - Read the OP's post for comprehension.  We're talking about itty-bitty bite-size pieces here, not whole pieces of chicken. Pushing & prodding really isn't feasible. I still maintain that it's best to just cut into a few. Good grief.


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## TATTRAT (Apr 21, 2010)

BreezyCooking said:


> For goodness sake - Read the OP's post for comprehension.  We're talking about itty-bitty bite-size pieces here, not whole pieces of chicken. Pushing & prodding really isn't feasible. I still maintain that it's best to just cut into a few. Good grief.




lol, different strokes for different folks. No reason to get snarky or bent out of shape, GOOD GRIEF, lol!~


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## Kayelle (May 5, 2010)

I snorted my wine.  In the great scheme of things.......ROTFLMAO!!!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (May 6, 2010)

When cooking small pieces of boneless chicken, I use a large pan over medium-high heat.  I use very little oil, just enough to put a shine on the cooking surface.  I place some of the chicken into the pan, making sure not to crowd the pieces too tightly and let cook for about a minute.  I then start stirring every minute or so until the chicken has a very lightly browned surface.  I then remove the chicken from the pan to a bowl and cook another batch the same way.  The chicken is moist and tender, not overcooked, and never undercooked.  I don't need to feel it, cut it, or stick a thermometer into it.  I know it's done by the color of the meat.  (Yep, I'm agreeing with Andy again.  We must share minds across the distance or something.  We think an awful lot alike).

For larger pieces, you can't do this.  But with chicken cut into the size of throwing dice, it works great.  It will also work for chicken that is torn into similar sized pieces, and it really doesn't matter if you are stir-frying white or dark meat.

When you've been cooking for a while, you learn to almost sense things.  Really, you are noticing appearances, the feel of the food (texture), through the spatula, spoon, or whatever you use to move it around with, smell.  You also develop and internal clock, or timer that you don't even realize you have.  Don't ask me to explain how that works, but the body really does have a timing mechanism built in.  There is scientific evidence and the mechanism has been explained.  I read the article, or saw the show on the learning channel, or something.  Anyway, you get a "feel" if you will, for when it's done.  And it will come.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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