Steaming Chicken: Bertazzoni Oven Style

Steam ovens are a fantastic way to cook chicken, sealing in flavour and moisture while retaining nutrients, vitamins and minerals. They're ideal for cooking meat, as well as vegetables and fish, and can produce a whole roast chicken in as little as 30 minutes. Steam ovens are also far more energy-efficient than traditional ovens, using up to 20% less energy.

If you're looking to cook chicken in a Bertazzoni steam oven, you'll want to use the baking function, which is perfect for cooking and warming up food. You can also combine the baking function with the broiling and steaming functions for exceptional results.

A simple recipe for chicken in a steam oven involves sweating onions and garlic in butter, adding rice and chicken stock, and then placing spice-rubbed chicken thighs on top before putting the whole pan into the oven.

How to prepare chicken for a steam oven

Preparing chicken for a steam oven is a simple process that can yield delicious results. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Choose the Right Chicken

Select chicken thighs or breasts, depending on your preference. Thighs offer more flavour and are tender when cooked right. They also have a mix of light and dark meat with a small amount of fat, making them self-basting. If you prefer white meat, opt for boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Prepare the Chicken

Start by trimming any excess fat or sinew from the chicken. You can also butterfly the chicken by removing the backbone and rib cage, which helps the meat cook more evenly. Alternatively, flatten the chicken to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch to ensure even cooking.

Season the Chicken

Create a spice rub by mixing paprika, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken and let it sit for a couple of minutes to allow the spices to stick. You can also try other spice blends like Moroccan or Cajun spice mixes.

Preheat the Steam Oven

Set your steam oven to a combination steam setting at 350°F/180°C. If your oven has variable steam settings, use 60%. Preheat the oven while you prepare the chicken and other ingredients.

Cook the Chicken

Place the seasoned chicken on a heatproof casserole pan or baking dish. For a simple one-pan meal, you can add chopped onions, garlic, butter, and rice to the dish along with chicken stock. Tuck the edges of each piece of chicken under so it stands taller and rounded, ensuring even cooking.

Cooking Time and Temperature

Place the pan in the preheated oven and set a timer for 30 minutes. During this time, the chicken will cook to perfection, and if you've added rice, it will absorb the flavours and liquids in the pan. The chicken is ready when it is golden and tender, and the rice is fluffy.

Rest and Serve

Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring moist and tender meat. Serve the chicken with roasted vegetables or a green salad on the side.

Preparing chicken for a steam oven is a straightforward process that can result in a delicious and healthy meal. By following these steps, you'll be able to create a tasty and nutritious dish that your family and friends will surely enjoy!

The benefits of cooking chicken in a steam oven

Steam ovens are a fantastic way to cook chicken, offering speed, convenience, and a delicious end product. Here are some of the key benefits:

Speed and Efficiency

Steam ovens cook chicken faster than conventional dry heat methods. This means your dinner will be ready in no time! For example, an average-sized whole chicken can take around 45 minutes in a steam oven, and as little as 30 minutes when using the butterflying method.

Moist and Tender Meat

Steam ovens help retain moisture in the chicken, resulting in unbelievably tender meat. The high moisture environment prevents the meat from drying out, ensuring a juicy and flavourful dish.

Crispy Skin

While the steam keeps the meat moist, the dry heat of the oven works to brown and crisp the skin, giving you the best of both worlds.

Health Benefits

Steam ovens are considered a healthy way to cook chicken. They use water vapour, which seals in flavour and vitamins, and doesn't require the use of added fats. This method also cooks chicken faster than traditional baking, saving time and energy—up to 15-20%.

Even Cooking

Steam ovens can help address the challenge of roasting a whole chicken evenly. The steam keeps the meat moist, and the high temperatures ensure that all parts of the chicken cook through at the same time, so you don't have to worry about overcooking certain areas while waiting for others to be done.

Step-by-step guide to roasting chicken in a steam oven

Steam ovens are ideal for cooking meat, as they seal in flavour and vitamins. They are also a faster and healthier way to cook, as they don't require the use of added fats.

Choosing your chicken

You can use a whole chicken or chicken thighs for this recipe. Bone-in chicken will take longer to cook, so if you are short on time, opt for boneless chicken.

Preparing your chicken

If you are using a whole chicken, you can roast it as is, or try butterflying it. Butterflying the chicken will help it cook more evenly and speed up the cooking time. To butterfly a chicken, start by placing it breast-side down on a board. Cut through the skin and down one side of the backbone, then work your way around the rib cage, cutting as close as you can to the bones. Twist the wing and leg joints until the bones pop out, then cut between the joints and the rib cage. Repeat on the other side until you have removed the entire rib cage.

Seasoning your chicken

You can use a variety of seasonings on your chicken, such as lemon, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. If you want a classic roast chicken flavour, stuff a generous layer of flavoured butter just under the skin of the breast meat.

Cooking your chicken

Preheat your steam oven to 220°C/430°F, combination steam setting. If your oven has variable steam settings, choose 30%. Place your seasoned chicken on a baking tray and put it in the preheated oven. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and golden.

Resting and serving your chicken

Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before carving and serving. Don't forget to discard the seasonings, but keep the precious cooking juices for a gravy or sauce!

Chicken and rice in a steam oven

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
• Olive oil
• Onion
• Long-grain rice (e.g. Basmati)
• Chicken stock
• Lemon
• Spices (e.g. oregano, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder)

Method

• Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C on the combination steam setting. If your oven has variable steam settings, use 60%.
• Prepare your ingredients: Trim any excess fat from the chicken and mix your chosen spices and seasonings in a small dish.
• Season the chicken: Sprinkle the spice mix over both sides of the chicken and set aside.
• Softened onion and garlic: Put the onion, garlic, and butter or olive oil into a heatproof casserole pan or baking dish. Place this in the oven for around 5 minutes, until the butter has melted and the onion and garlic have softened. Give the mixture a quick stir.
• Add rice and stock: Put the rice into the pan and stir so that each grain is coated. Then, pour in the chicken stock and give the pan a gentle shake to ensure the rice is spread evenly.
• Add chicken: Lay your chicken pieces on top of the rice. Rather than laying them flat, tuck the edges of each piece under so they stand taller and rounder, helping them cook more evenly.
• Bake: Put the pan in the oven and set a timer for 30-35 minutes. The chicken should be golden and tender, and the rice should have absorbed all the liquid.
• Fluff the rice: Take the pan out of the oven and remove the chicken pieces to a plate. Fluff the rice with a fork, then return the chicken to the pan. For children, it may be easier to slice or shred the chicken before serving.

Tips

• If you're using boneless, skinless chicken thighs, reduce the cooking time by 8-10 minutes.
• You can adapt the spices to your preference. Try a Moroccan spice blend, Cajun seasoning, or a mild butter chicken curry powder.
• This dish goes well with roasted vegetables or a green salad.

Chicken and vegetables in a steam oven

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Paprika
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Italian seasoning
• Olive oil
• Butter
• Long-grain rice
• Chicken stock
• Vegetables of your choice

Method

• Preheat your Bertazzoni steam oven to 350°F/180°C, using the combination steam setting. If your oven has variable steam settings, use 60%.
• Trim any excess fat from your chicken.
• Mix together your spices: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. You can also add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken.
• Put some butter into a heatproof casserole pan or baking dish. Add chopped onions and garlic to the pan. Place the dish into the oven for 5 minutes, or until the butter is melted and the onions and garlic have softened.
• Add the rice to the pan and stir so that each grain is coated with butter. Then, pour in the chicken stock.
• Lay the spiced chicken on top of the rice. You can also add some vegetables to the pan, such as chunky-cut carrots, potatoes, or any others of your choice.
• Return the pan to the oven and cook for 30 minutes. The chicken should be golden and tender, and the liquid should be fully absorbed into the rice.
• Remove the chicken from the pan and fluff the rice. Return the chicken to the pan. For children, you may want to slice the chicken before serving to make it more accessible.
• Serve hot with your choice of roasted vegetables or a green salad on the side.

Tips

• You can adapt the spices in this dish to suit your taste. If you don't have the spices listed above, you can use a premade spice mix or blend of your choice.
• If you prefer bone-in chicken, you can use that instead. However, the cooking time may need to be adjusted accordingly.
• For a dairy-free option, you can use margarine or plant-based butter instead of regular butter.
• To infuse an herbaceous flavor, add some sprigs of thyme or rosemary to the pan while cooking.

Frequently asked questions