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Chicken

Poultry · Chicken

Chicken

The world's most widely eaten meat, sold whole or as breasts, thighs, legs, wings and mince.

Also called: chicken meat

Around the world: tavuk (tr) · murgh, chicken (hi) · pollo (es) · poulet (fr) · tori, 鶏肉 (ja) · ji, 鸡 (zh)

191 recipes with it

Photo: Tomás Castelazo, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

Chicken is the meat of the domestic fowl. White meat (breast) is lean and mild and dries out if overcooked; dark meat (thighs, legs) has more fat and connective tissue, stays juicier and suits long cooking. Bone-in, skin-on pieces give the most flavour; boneless cuts cook fastest.

Gallus gallus domesticus

How it’s used

  • Curries, stews and braises
  • Roasting whole or in pieces
  • Grilling, barbecuing and stir-frying
  • Frying, breaded or battered
  • Stocks and soups from the carcass

Characteristics

Taste
Mild and savoury; dark meat is richer.
When cooked
Turns from translucent pink to opaque white as it cooks. Breast is best just cooked through; thighs and legs become more tender with longer cooking.
Sold as
fresh, frozen
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for frying, Suitable for grilling, Suitable for boiling

Kinds in our pantry

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep raw chicken sealed on the bottom shelf of the fridge and cook by the use-by date, or freeze. Thaw in the fridge, never at room temperature.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Raw poultry can carry Salmonella and Campylobacter. Cook until the thickest part reaches 74 °C (165 °F) and juices run clear.
  • Do not rinse raw poultry under the tap, which splashes bacteria around the sink; keep it on the bottom shelf of the fridge and use separate boards and knives from ready-to-eat food.

Related ingredients

Recipes with chicken

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