Thanks to the streamlined poultry industry, there is no shortage of chickens, but finding a new or different way to prepare a chicken healthily can become an issue. However, steaming a whole chicken uses water to cook the chicken, rather than introducing oils and fats to an otherwise healthy piece of meat. A 6 oz. serving of chicken contains about 48 g of protein and between 240 and 340 calories. Steam a whole chicken to use in recipes that call for cooked chicken rather than buying cooked chicken in a can.
Step 1
Clean the whole chicken under cool running water.
Step 2
Dry the chicken with paper towels.
Step 3
Rub seasonings, such as salt, pepper or poultry seasoning, over the exterior of the chicken and inside the chicken's body cavity.
Step 4
Place a steaming or roasting rack into the bottom of a large stewpot or covered roaster.
Step 5
Pour water into the bottom of the roaster or pot to a depth of 1 inch.
Step 6
Set the chicken on the rack in the roaster or pot, breast side up.
Step 7
Cover the roaster or stewpot and place it onto the stovetop. Bring the water in the roaster or stewpot to a boil over medium-high heat.
Step 8
Reduce the heat beneath the pot so that the water simmers and continues to produce steam. Monitor the water in the pot and add more to keep the level of the water at 1 inch deep as the chicken cooks.
Step 9
Steam the whole chicken for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the chicken is tender.
Things You'll Need
- Paper towels
- Salt
- Pepper
- Poultry seasoning
- Steaming or roasting rack
- Large stewpot or roaster with covers
References
- "The Doubleday Cookbook"; Jean Anderson, Elaine Hanna; 1975
- Mayo Clinic; Healthy Cooking Techniques - Boost Flavor and Cut Calories; Mayo Clinic Staff; April 2011
- Mayo Clinic; How Meat and Poultry Fit In Your Healthy Diet; Mayo Clinic Staff; June 2011
- "Production and Processing Of Healthy Meat, Poultry and Fish Products: Advances In Meat Research Series Volume 11"; Albert Marchant Pearson et.at.; 1997
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