When you order a steak at a restaurant, you probably don't ask the chef to remove all of the fat and bone. You know the fat and bone add flavor to the meat. The same is true with chicken. Chicken cooked with its skin on and attached to the bone has more flavor, the sauce is richer and the meat stays moist. The additional flavor and taste satisfaction the skin and bone add to the finished dish are incomparable. Discard the skin, as you do the fat from your steak, before you eat it. If you compromise taste and satisfaction for fat and calories, you end up feeling cheated. Yes, you saved calories with skinless chicken, but if you eat double the amount, or reach for something else because the original food did not satisfy, than you defeated the purpose.
Boneless, skinless chicken breast is the most expensive chicken in the market; bone-in, skin-on chicken is always less expensive. Chicken freezes very well. Buy it when it's on sale and put each piece into individual sandwich baggies, put those baggies into a gallon plastic bag, squeeze out all of the air, close it tight, attach a label with the name and date, and then put it into in the freezer. At any time, you will be able to pull out exactly the number of chicken pieces you need. Defrost it in the refrigerator when you are ready to use it.
There are two schools of thought on whether or not you should wash chicken. Some believe you should wash the chicken thoroughly and then be certain to clean everything the chicken came in contact with using hot soapy water. Others believe you do not have to wash your chicken because the high cooking temperature will kill any bacteria the chicken has on it and by not washing it, you do not have to worry about contaminating any other surface or piece of equipment. Do as you feel is best and use your common sense; do not put raw chicken near your salad greens or any cooked foods.
Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes.
Simple cooking idea: Salt your vegetables when you start to cook them. The salt will draw out the water and they will cook quicker.
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