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Choosing Chicken
Whole chicken
Corn-fed, capon, poussin and poulet
Buying a whole chicken is often much cheaper than buying individual cuts. Whole chickens come in a variety of guises with different names that reflect their age or diet. Corn-fed chickens have yellow flesh and have more flavour than normal birds. Capons are large, young birds which are fattened on corn, giving the meat a marbling of fat which makes it more succulent. Poulet - spring chicken - and poussin are very young birds, so they're smaller and have a delicate flavour.
Fresh-chilled and frozen chicken
If using a fresh-chilled chicken, it can be cooked straight away. A basic rule of thumb is to check the inside of the bird for giblets as cooking will melt the plastic bag they're put in before being replaced.
Both fresh-chilled birds and frozen chickens are washed, but the weight of a frozen bird will include water from the washing process. If a chicken is hung for 24 hours before being chilled or frozen, the flavour increases.
Frozen birds need thawing, which should be done as slowly as possible in the fridge or in cold water, refreshing it often. Remove the giblets as soon as possible to allow the thawing to start from inside the cavity. Quick-thawing increases the risk of food poisoning from bacteria. When buying frozen chicken, look out for ice between the wrapper and the skin which shows that it's been thawed and refrozen.
Checking it's cooked
When roasting chicken, the best way to check that the bird is cooked is by inserting a thermometer into the thick part of the thigh. A reading of 75°C (170°F) shows it's cooked.
Which cut?
Chicken breast
Two breast pieces can cost as much as a small whole bird
One of the more popular ways to buy chicken, but also the most expensive, is to buy a breast. Chicken breasts are ideal sizes for a single portion and there's no wastage at all, but two breast pieces can cost as much as a small whole bird. You can buy them with or without skin. The meat on a breast is usually very lean and can be treated like a steak, which makes it versatile. Use it whole or cut into strips or cubes for stir-fries and kebabs. The meat turns creamy white when cooked. But be warned - if you plan to remove the skin before cooking, the meat may dry out if it's roasted or grilled without fat.
Chicken legs
Chicken legs are dark meat and can be much more fatty than breast portions. Often sold as drumsticks, with the bone left in the centre, legs are a cheap way of buying cut chicken. One drawback is that the bone increases the joint weight, so there will be less meat per kilo than with breasts. Drumsticks are ideal for roasting or deep frying and can be used as 'finger food'. Chicken thighs can also be bought on their own as mini boned-and-rolled cuts. Although dark and slightly fatty, this meat is ideal for casseroles and other slow-cooked dishes. Thighs can be stuffed or marinated to provide a richer flavour.
Chicken wings
Chicken wings have dark meat, similar to legs, and are relatively inexpensive cuts - but they're quite fatty and contain a large amount of bone and inedible material per kilo. Wings can be bought as small wing-only pieces which contain little meat, or have some of the body meat attached. Wings are ideal for deep-frying or barbecuing and can be made more interesting with marinades, coatings and dips.
Some Chicken Recipes
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