Stewing Tough Chickens

1. Remove the giblets from your chicken, if present, and pat the bird dry with fresh paper towels. Separate the chicken into serving pieces with a sharp boning knife or chef's knife, setting aside the neck, back and wingtips for another use. If the bird is very large, you might opt to chop the thigh in half and the breasts into thirds or quarters.

2. Season the pieces generously with salt and pepper, and other flavorings as desired. Dust them lightly with flour.

3. Heat a small quantity of oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven and brown the chicken pieces a few at a time. Set the pieces aside as they come out, then saute onions, garlic and other aromatic vegetables in the same pan.

4. Blot up any excess fat with paper towels and return the chicken pieces to the pot. Add enough water or chicken broth to cover the chicken pieces, and bring the pot to a gentle simmer. Cover and let the bird cook slowly for one to two hours, until the chicken pieces are tender. Add coarsely diced vegetables to the pot during the last hour, if you wish.

5. Lift the chicken and vegetables from the pot with a slotted spoon, and keep them warm. Thicken the hearty broth with flour, cornstarch, potato starch or similar thickener, then return your vegetables and chicken to the pot. Serve with biscuits, dumplings or other side dishes as you prefer.

Frying Bone-In Pieces

1. Cut up your chicken, if whole, into serving pieces. Place your chicken pieces in a plastic bag, food-safe container or a glass or stainless-steel bowl; then put in enough milk or buttermilk to cover the chicken pieces. Soak the chicken, refrigerated, for at least 30 minutes or as long as two hours.

2. Scoop flour into a heavy-duty bag, and season it generously with salt, pepper and other seasonings such as chili powder, cayenne or paprika as desired. Drain excess milk from the chicken pieces. Transfer two or three pieces at a time to the bag of flour, and shake to coat them.

3. Fill a wide, deep heavy skillet with oil to a depth of approximately 1/4 inch. Cast iron is traditional and retains heat beautifully, but any large skillet with a lid will work. Bring the oil to a temperature of 350 to 360 degrees Fahrenheit, then add the chicken pieces to the oil. The oil's temperature will drop to approximately 325 F as you add the chicken, which is the correct temperature for cooking.

4. Cook the chicken pieces for eight to 10 minutes, until the first side is deeply golden, then use a clean pair of tongs -- not the ones you used for the raw chicken -- to turn them. Adjust the heat slightly if the pieces are too dark or too pale as the eight-minute mark approaches.

5. Fry the pieces on their second side for another six to 10 minutes, or until their internal temperature reaches 165 F when tested with an internal thermometer. The wings and drumsticks will be cooked before boneless breasts, and bone-in thighs will take the longest.

6. Drain the cooked chicken on several layers of wadded paper towels for at least two to three minutes before serving.

Thin Breast Cutlets

1. Lay each breast on your cutting board, with the smooth or skin side up. Place your palm flat on top of it, to hold it firmly in place, and position a sharp boning knife or chef's knife along the mid-line of the breast.

2. Draw the knife gently through the breast, separating it horizontally with long, smooth strokes. You should be left with two roughly similar pieces of flat chicken breast.

3. Place each cutlet between two pieces of plastic film wrap or inside a heavy-duty freezer bag. With a meat mallet or rolling pin, gently pound the breast to an even thickness of approximately 1/4 inch.

4. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper, and brush or spray them lightly with oil. Sear them briefly in a medium-hot skillet, cooking them for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Alternatively, bread the cutlets and cook them approximately 5 minutes per side or until golden.