In our new column, The Basics, we’re bringing you our easy tips and tricks to help you navigate your anti-inflammatory pantry, fridge, and freezer and make your life more delicious.

We have received so many questions asking to give you a few basics on organic animal protein and how to make it in a jiffy, so we listened. Below is a list of a few of Amie’s favorite ways to cook chicken and serve it so it tastes delicious.

Pick and choose from the methods below how you want to make your chicken. We’ve provided you with a handful of options so you can have fun and choose whichever method floats your boat.

If you’re not into meat, no worries, you can skip this featured article. But, for those of you needing a dose of animal protein to serve with all of our vast array of veggie-based anti-inflammatory recipes and Amie’s cookbook, we feel you.

When you’re food shopping, try to buy organic chicken. Here are The Benefits of Eating Organic.

5 Ways to Cook Chicken

Poach It //

Poached chicken is easy to make and involves covering chicken breasts with water and letting them simmer on the stove until the chicken is no longer pink inside. We highly suggest you use a low-temperature on your stovetop when you’re poaching so that your chicken does not get tough and hard to slice + digest. What you want is moist + tender!

USE // We suggest using skinless chicken breasts for this method of cooking but you can surely use drumsticks if desired.

ADD FLAVOR // Feel free to pump up the flavor by adding some spices such as garlic cloves, onion powder, bay leaves, chili powder, and so forth.

WHAT YOU NEED // 1-2 skinless boneless organic chicken breasts, 1/2 tsp. sea salt + enough water to cover the chicken.

DIRECTIONS // Place the chicken in a saucepan or pot. Add the sea salt and any flavor seasonings you desire on top. Cover the chicken with water and bring to a boil over medium heat on the stovetop, then reduce to a simmer, cover + cook for about 10 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Discard the white foam (fascia as mentioned below). Remove from the poaching water and transfer to a serving plate or cutting board. Note: The poaching liquid will often get a white foamy substance in it from the chicken; just discard that in the trash when you’re done cooking- that’s the fascia of the chicken.

HOW TO SERVE IT // Poached chicken is ideal sliced + diced and tossed into salads, soups, and stir-fries. We also love shredding the poached chicken with a fork for tacos + fajitas + casseroles. Poached chicken can be served warm, room temperature or cool. You can serve it whole as a breast or you can slice, cube or shred it as noted above. We love using this Magical Carrot Sauce on top of our poached chicken.

LEFTOVERS // The chicken will keep for up to 3 days in a sealable container in the refrigerator or up to 5 months in a sealable container in the freezer.

Roast It //

Roasting an entire chicken reminds me of the holidays but you don’t need a huge chicken; you can purchase a smaller chicken to roast on a Sunday + use it throughout the week in your lunches + dinners. What you want is a slow roasted chicken that’s tender + delicious!

USE // We suggest using a large whole chicken for this roasting method.

ADD FLAVOR // We love adding flavorings inside the chicken such as halved lemons, garlic or fresh herbs and you can do so if desired. Or you can keep it plain with sea salt, pepper + olive oil.

WHAT YOU NEED // Large roasting pan (see above for the brand we use). A 4-5 pound chicken is ideal for 4-6 people. Sea salt + pepper + extra-virgin olive oil + desired flavors.

DIRECTIONS // Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Reach inside the cavity of the chicken + remove the bag of giblets + discard.

Do not rinse your chicken before roasting. When you remove it from the plastic bag that you purchased it in, place in a large roasting pan with 1 Tbsp. sea salt, which may sound like a lot but trust us, and 2-4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil depending on how large your chicken is. Use a brush or your hands to rub the oil + salt + pepper, if desired, into the chicken to fully coat it. Place any flavorings such as halved lemons, garlic or fresh herbs inside the chicken, if desired. Transfer it to the oven to roast.

The chicken is done when it registers 165 degrees F in the thickest area of the thigh. Total roasting time is between 1- 1.5 hours and will depend on the size and type of the chicken you’re using. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it sit for 15-20 minutes before carving so that the chicken continues to cook + cool down.

HOW TO SERVE IT // Carve the chicken into the thighs, drumsticks + breasts and serve. You can save any remaining meat on the bones + use it for chicken stock. We love using this Creamy Cashew Basil Sauce on top of our roasted chicken.

LEFTOVERS // The chicken will keep for up to 3 days in a sealable container in the refrigerator or up to 5 months in a sealable container in the freezer.

Grill It //

There’s something about grilled chicken that makes us so incredibly happy because it’s full of flavor + goes well with any side dish. What you want is grill marks on both sides of the chicken!

USE // We suggest using skinless boneless chicken breasts for this method of cooking but you can surely use drumsticks if you’re in the mood for finger food.

ADD FLAVOR // Add any seasonings you’d like such as crushed garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, BBQ sauce or leave it plain + simple with sea salt + pepper.

WHAT YOU NEED // 1-2 skinless boneless organic chicken breasts or thighs, 1/2 tsp. sea salt + 1/4 tsp. pepper + 1 Tbsp. pls 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil. Large grilling pan for your stovetop (see above for the brand we use) if you don’t have an outdoor grill. Or an outdoor grill.

DIRECTIONS // Brush 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil over the outdoor grill grates or indoor grill pan. Brush an additional 2 tsp. olive oil on the chicken breasts with salt + pepper and the flavors of your choice. Add the chicken breasts and cover and cook over medium heat or until the chicken has grill marks appearing on the hot side of the grill, about 8 minutes. Flip the chicken and grill on the other side, covered, for another 8-10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from the heat and let the chicken sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing it.

HOW TO SERVE IT // Slice the chicken breasts with a sharp knife into strips and toss into a salad or serve the breasts whole with a side of wild rice. We love using this Butternut Squash Sauce on top of our grilled chicken.

LEFTOVERS // The chicken will keep for up to 3 days in a sealable container in the refrigerator or up to 5 months in a sealable container in the freezer.

Bake It //

We like to bake chicken breasts in the oven nice + slow so they’re super tender + delicious for an easy fuss-free way to cook chicken without the hassle of keeping an eye on it. What you want is moist + tender chicken breasts!

USE // We suggest using skinless boneless chicken breasts for this method of baking.

ADD FLAVOR // I like to add sea salt + pepper + one more flavor such as paprika, chili powder or fresh rosemary.

WHAT YOU NEED // 1-2 skinless boneless organic chicken breasts or thighs, 1/2 tsp. sea salt + 1/4 tsp. pepper + 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil. Large Pyrex glass baking dish or ceramic baking dish (see above for the brand we use).

DIRECTIONS // Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Rub the chicken with the oil, sprinkle with sea salt + pepper + seasonings and place in the oven to bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, use a sharp knife to slice the chicken to make sure it’s no longer pink inside. If it needs more time, place it back in the oven for 5 more minutes.

HOW TO SERVE IT // Baked chicken is easy to serve for a weeknight meal with a side of roasted veggies such as roasted broccoli + a side of sliced avocado. Slice the breasts with a sharp knife into chunks to add to a salad or slice into strips for tacos, as well. We love using this Garlic Tahini Sauce on top of our baked chicken.

LEFTOVERS // The chicken will keep for up to 3 days in a sealable container in the refrigerator or up to 5 months in a sealable container in the freezer.

Saute It //

Sauteing chicken is quite easy to do on the stovetop + is ideal for a quick weeknight meal when you’re pressed for time to get dinner on the table. What you want is golden brown chicken breasts + a concentrated flavor from the sauteing!

USE // We suggest using skinless chicken breasts for this method of cooking.

ADD FLAVOR // We love to add simple citrus + spices to our sauteed chicken while it’s cooking such as the juice of 1 large navel orange or 1 large lemon along with freshly cracked pepper. If you want more flavor, you can add a touch of cayenne pepper or dried thyme or dried cilantro.

WHAT YOU NEED // 1-2 skinless boneless organic chicken breasts or thighs, 1/2 tsp. sea salt + 1/4 tsp. pepper + 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil. Stainless steel skillet (see above for the brand we use).

DIRECTIONS // Using a sharp knife on a cutting board, cut the chicken breasts into 1/2 inch slices or cubes, whichever you prefer. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat, add the chicken pieces, salt + pepper, and cover and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring often or until the chicken is no longer pink inside.

HOW TO SERVE IT // Serve sauteed chicken in gluten-free pasta salads or alone with a side of steamed vegetables such as carrots. We love using this White Bean Sauce on top of our sauteed chicken.

LEFTOVERS // The chicken will keep for up to 3 days in a sealable container in the refrigerator or up to 5 months in a sealable container in the freezer.

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STILL HUNGRY? For more of our anti-inflammatory recipes, check out our 3 Month Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan, which is only available for a limited time through February.

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