Purchasing whole chickens is more economical than buying pre-packaged individual chicken parts1. It is also more environmentally-friendly to utilize each chicken part to create different dishes as it can minimize food wastage.
There is a plethora of dishes that can be produced from using chicken meat. A whole chicken consists of two breast cutlets, two thighs, two drumsticks, and two wings2. Chicken wings are best for a quick meal. For instance, one can marinade chicken wings and drumsticks with lemon, season with a sprinkle of salt and black pepper, and roast in the oven with vegetables for 15 minutes. Chicken breasts are the most versatile part of the poultry. It can be poached, steamed, grilled, fried, and sautéed. Chicken thighs are usually used in green curry dishes as the meat gets tender during the cooking process3.
Leftovers such as bones and skin should be kept and used to make soup base. Place the chicken bones in the freezer and accumulate enough bones to fill a pot4. Simmer the bones with onions, carrots, celeries, bay leaves, and peppercorns to make a flavorful chicken bone broth. The broth can be used as a base when preparing chicken noodle soup5. Chicken skin can be baked with salt and pepper or served in tacos, which makes it an addictive bar bite menu item6. On the contrary, chicken skin is healthy when consumed in moderation. It has unsaturated fats that lower cholesterol and blood pressure7.
The heart, gizzard, and neck can be used to make giblet gravy by browning them in oil over medium heat and simmering with water for at least an hour. The liquid is used to create gravy for roasted chicken or turkey8. The liver can be prepared separately for another meal by sautéing it with onions in an iron skillet9. The giblets are flavorful and nutritious. Both the heart and gizzard are high in zinc, which is necessary to boost the immune system, as well as iron, which promotes oxygen transport in the body10. The liver is rich in Vitamin A, which prevents cataracts and other vision disorders11.
By utilizing every part of the chicken, it lowers the amount of natural resources required to rear the chickens. It reduces the pressure on workers to produce meat faster since the poultry is fully utilized and reduces wastage. It also promotes an environmentally and socially responsible supply chain for chicken farming12.
References
1 Good Money by Vancity. (2016). Don’t chicken out. [online] Available at: http://blog.vancity.com/chopping-chicken-prices/
2 Kosher Deli. (2016). A Step-By-Step Guide To Cutting A Whole Chicken Into 8 Parts [online] Available at: http://kosherdeli.co.uk/kdweb/how-to-cut-up-a-whole-chicken/
3 Fitbit. (2016). How a Classic Roast Chicken Can Feed You All Week. [online] Available at: https://blog.fitbit.com/how-a-classic-roast-chicken-can-feed-you-all-week/
4 The Huffington post. (2016). How To Cook With The Whole Chicken And Get The Most Out Of Your Bird. [online] Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/whole-chicken-cooking_us_57767e4ee4b09b4c43c00570
5 Fitbit. (2016). How a Classic Roast Chicken Can Feed You All Week. [online] Available at: https://blog.fitbit.com/how-a-classic-roast-chicken-can-feed-you-all-week/
6 The Huffington post. (2016). How To Cook With The Whole Chicken And Get The Most Out Of Your Bird. [online] Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/whole-chicken-cooking_us_57767e4ee4b09b4c43c00570
7 The Daily Meal. (2015). Doctors Got It Wrong: Eating Chicken Skin Is Good for You. [online] Available at: http://www.thedailymeal.com/cook/doctor-s-got-it-wrong-eating-chicken-skin-good-you
8 Ecocentric. (2016). Taste It, Don’t Waste It: Giblets. [online] Available at: http://www.gracelinks.org/blog/7622/taste-it-don-t-waste-it-giblets
9 Livestrong. (2015). What Different Ways Can You Cook Liver for It to Taste Good? [online] Available at: http://www.livestrong.com/article/478230-what-different-ways-can-you-cook-liver-for-it-to-taste-good/
10 Livestrong. (2015). Nutrition Information on Chicken Hearts and Gizzards. [online] Available at: http://www.livestrong.com/article/54076-nutrition-information-chicken-hearts-gizzards/
11 New Health Advisor. (2016). Chicken Liver Nutrition. [online] Available at: http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Chicken-Liver-Nutrition.html
12 Ecocentric. (2016). Taste It, Don’t Waste It: Giblets. [online] Available at: http://www.gracelinks.org/blog/7622/taste-it-don-t-waste-it-giblets