A popular protein with versatility to spare, chicken can be surprisingly tricky to cook properly — even if you have years of experience. Here are some of the most common mistakes people make cooking chicken and quick fixes to set you and your bird right. With this guide, you'll never suffer through overcooked, underseasoned or otherwise unsatisfying chicken ever again.

Why It’s Bad: Even if it was never frozen, ice-cold chicken straight from the fridge doesn’t cook as evenly as room-temperature meat.

Next Time: Place the chicken in a large bowl or casserole dish on the counter 15-30 minutes before you start to cook. Exact amount of time it will need to come to room temperature depends on the cut; a whole bird will take longer than boneless tenders.

Why It’s Bad: Moisture in and on your chicken evaporates when it hits the hot grates of the grill, which can result in stringy, overcooked meat.

Next Time: You can peek at your chicken as it cooks, but keep the grill lid closed for at least 5 to 8 minutes at a time. An enclosed space creates convection heat to cook the chicken from all angles, which helps the meat cook more evenly.

Why It’s Bad: Like anything that’s been frozen, the outside of a chicken warms more quickly than its interior. Thawing it for several hours at room temperature risks the growth of foodborne bacteria while you wait for it to fully defrost.

Next Time: The safest way to thaw frozen chicken is to put it in a large bowl or casserole dish on the bottom shelf of your fridge up to two days before you plan to cook it. This way, it defrosts fully and evenly at a low temperature.

Why It’s Bad: Raw chicken is not sterile, and washing, rinsing or soaking will not kill the bacteria. There’s also a good chance you’ll splash or splatter the dangerous germs all over your kitchen, contaminating your sink, work surface and utensils, along with any other food that might be in the way.

Next Time: Just pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Don’t worry! The high heat it takes to cook it will also kill the germs.

Why It’s Bad: In some cases, a longer soak does not equal a more flavorful meal. When a marinade contains lemon, lime or orange juice, the citric acid breaks down the meat over time, making it mushy or mealy when cooked.

Next Time: Marinate for two hours max when citrus is involved. (Remember too, that the acid can react with metal, so refrigerate in plastic storage containers or bags.) Similarly, when chicken is soaked in buttermilk or marinated with yogurt for too long, the tangy lactic acid and enzymes can over-tenderize it. So do this for one day, tops, for the best result.

Why It’s Bad: Even tightly wrapped packages tend to leak, and you don’t want the juices from raw chicken to spill and contaminate everything on the lower shelves of your refrigerator with potentially harmful bacteria.

Next Time: Place raw chicken in a large bowl or casserole dish and keep on the bottom shelf of your fridge until you’re ready to cook.

Why It’s Bad: They are very lean and end up turning dry and stringy in long-cooked recipes like stews and slow-cooker meals.

Next Time: Try bone-in, skin-on thighs. Or if you’re a white-meat-only person, use skin-on, bone-in breasts, and take care not to overcook. If in doubt, take a piece from the pot and use an instant thermometer to test. Cook just to an internal temp of 165 degrees F and the meat will be tender and juicy. If the chicken is done before the rest of the ingredients, remove it, discarding the skin and bones, and put it aside. Add it back to the dish at the end of cooking just long enough to reheat.

Why It’s Bad: It might seem easy enough to peel skin off raw chicken breasts or thighs with your hands, but doing so can damage the chicken and raise your risk for foodborne illness. It’s easy to accidentally tear through the meat or touch an in-use cooking tool or cutting board with contaminated hands.

Next Time: Use a small, sharp paring knife to separate the chicken skin from the meat. This ensures it will separate cleanly and evenly.

Why It’s Bad: If you want roast chicken with perfectly crispy, golden-brown skin, you need to salt it. A lot. Not only does that help its skin crisp, it also builds flavor.

Next Time: Generously salt and pepper the outside of your chicken, taking care to get the underside as well as the interior cavity if you’re roasting a whole bird.

Why It’s Bad: When the pieces are so tight that they’re almost overlapping, they will be hard to maneuver around the pan and they won't cook evenly. Each piece needs extra space, or the chicken will steam in its own juices rather than brown. And if it’s crispy skin you’re looking for, overcrowding is also your enemy: You need even heat that’s just high enough to render the fat and caramelize the juices.

Next Time: Make sure to pat chicken very dry, especially if skin is involved. (Some cooks refrigerate skin-on chicken uncovered for several hours to air-dry it, which helps the skin get really crisp.) Use a skillet large enough so the pieces don’t touch. Add just enough oil to coat the pan and heat over medium until shimmering. Season the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper and let it cook undisturbed. The chicken will stick slightly at first, but leave it be — you'll soon see the golden magic start to happen. When the pieces are evenly browned on one side, flip and repeat.

Why It’s Bad: Running warm or room temperature water over raw chicken can allow salmonella and other foodborne bacteria to develop on the surface of the meat and potentially spread all over your sink.

Next Time: Thaw chicken up to two days before you plan to cook it in a large bowl or casserole dish on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator.

Why It’s Bad: Chicken breasts are thicker on one side with a narrower pointed tip on the other. If you try to saute them whole to use in chicken cutlet sandwiches, chicken parmesan and more, one side quickly cooks and can dry out while the other is still undercooked.

Next Time: Put raw chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and use a mallet or heavy skillet to pound them to even thinness. Saute over medium-low heat until evenly cooked through.

Why It’s Bad: If the temperature of your frying oil dips, as it will when you add chicken to the pan, it can result in a soggy crust or unevenly cooked meat.

Next Time: Before you add the chicken to the pan, use a thermometer to make sure the temperature of the oil is 300 to 325 degrees F. Add the chicken pieces and adjust the heat of the burner to make sure the oil stays at 300 degrees F the entire time to ensure beautifully crisp, evenly cooked fried chicken.

Why It’s Bad: The cold chicken will lower the pan temperature, its juices will get all over the veggies and the ingredients will steam — not stir fry. The result is a murky mess: chicken that’s chewy and mushy vegetables with muddled flavor.

Next Time: Stir fry the chicken first until just cooked (adding seasonings like ginger, scallion, garlic and soy sauce just before it’s done so they don’t burn), then remove and set aside. Reheat the wok or pan until very hot, and continue with the veggies and sauce. Just before serving, add the chicken back to the pan and toss briefly just to heat through.

Why It’s Bad: You need a lot of oil to fry a chicken, and if it’s extra-virgin, this is a huge waste of money. Also, expensive extra-virgin oils can smoke and burn if they get too hot, leaving a bitter taste.

Next Time: Use vegetable oil or light olive oil. It will be much easier on your wallet, and the chicken will taste great. And watch the temperature: Too high and the crust will brown before the meat inside is cooked. About 325 degrees F is perfect. This is also why it’s better to use smaller chickens for frying, not chubby oven-stuffers. Three- to three-and-a-half-pounders cut in pieces are the perfect size. Fried at the right temperature with enough space in the pot, the crust turns gloriously golden at the same time the meat becomes juicy and perfectly cooked.

Why It’s Bad: If you try to flip chicken cooking on a grill or hot pan too quickly, the skin will rip off and meat may tear, resulting in unevenly cooked and seasoned chicken.

Next Time: Start with a clean grill grate or pan, so your chicken doesn’t stick to built-on residue. If the chicken feels like it’s clinging to the surface when you go to flip it, wait a few minutes, checking gently, until it naturally releases.

Why It’s Bad: While you don’t want to serve undercooked chicken, you also don’t want to mangle your carefully prepared meal. Plus, some parts of chicken cook faster than others, so checking the juices in one section doesn’t mean the entire bird is ready to eat.

Next Time: Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the bird without hitting the bone. Chicken is safe to eat when its internal temperature is 165 degrees F.

Why It’s Bad: Boiling chicken can make the flesh tighten up and get chewy. You then have to overcook it to make it tender, and in the process, it loses its juices and turns dry.

Next Time: Poach chicken low and slow. Keep the liquid below a simmer and cover the pan partially with a lid, so you can keep an eye on it and maintain the right heat. You should use just enough liquid to cover the meat and the surface should barely ripple, not bubble. (About 180 degrees F on a digital thermometer is ideal.) For extra-good flavor, season the poaching liquid with aromatic veggies, like sliced carrot, celery, onion, a smashed garlic clove and some herbs and spices, like thyme and peppercorns. Be sure to cook the chicken just until the center is no longer pink.

Why It’s Bad: While the chicken is cooking, the juices percolate away from the center towards the skin. They need time to redistribute and settle back into the meat or they will puddle up on your cutting board and leave the meat dry.

Next Time: Transfer the chicken to a board, cover loosely with foil to keep warm and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Use the downtime to finish cooking some veggies, or make a tasty pan gravy.