A Piece of Chicken: A Versatile and Delicious Ingredient

Chicken is one of the most widely consumed meats in the world. From nuggets to wings, chicken finds its way into cuisines across cultures. One particularly versatile cut of chicken is the chicken piece. Let’s take a closer look at this ingredient, its many uses, and some delicious recipes.

What is a Chicken Piece?

If you cut up a whole chicken and put the pieces together, you have a chicken piece. This includes:

• Breast meat – This is the lean white meat from the chicken’s breast It can be cut into strips, cubes, slices, or left whole

• Wings – The wings contain two parts – the drumette (the upper segment) and the wingette or flat (the lower segment)

• Legs: The thigh and the drumstick make up the leg. These dark meats are juicier and more flavorful.

• Tenders – These are strips of tender breast meat attached to the underside of the breast.

Benefits of Cooking with Chicken Pieces

There are several advantages to using chicken pieces rather than cooking a whole chicken:

• More options – With pieces, you can choose to use white or dark meat depending on your recipe. Mixing pieces gives more versatility.

• Quick cooking – Individual pieces cook faster than a whole bird. This makes them perfect for weeknight meals.

• Easy portioning – Chicken pieces are already portioned out. This makes it easy to cook the right amount for your meal.

• Intense flavor – Exposing more surface area to heat means more browning for more flavor.

• Value – Buying family packs of chicken pieces can be more economical than purchasing a whole chicken.

Tasty Ways to Cook Chicken Pieces

From soups to skewers, here are some of the many ways to cook chicken pieces:

• Baked chicken – Coat pieces in breadcrumbs, Parmesan, or spices and bake until crispy.

• Grilled chicken – Get nice grill marks and smoky flavor on bone-in pieces or kabobs.

• Fried chicken – Fry up boneless tenders, wings, thighs or drumsticks for a crispy treat.

• Chicken soup – Simmer chicken pieces in broth with veggies for a comforting soup.

• Chicken skewers – Alternate pieces with veggies and fruits on skewers for a fun dish.

• Chicken salad – Dice and mix chicken pieces into classic chicken salads.

• Curries – Chicken holds up well in flavorful curries and stews.

• Stir fries – Quickly sauté boneless pieces with veggies and sauce.

The options are endless! The key is to avoid overcooking the lean breast meat while thoroughly cooking the fattier dark meat.

5 Delicious Chicken Piece Recipes

Here are a few recipe ideas to get you inspired:

1. Baked Buffalo Wings

Put wings in a baking dish and cover them with blue cheese dressing and spicy buffalo sauce. Serve with celery sticks and more blue cheese dressing.

2. Jerk Chicken Skewers

Marinate chicken pieces in a Jamaican jerk sauce overnight. Grill them on skewers with peppers and pineapple.

3. Chicken Caesar Salad

Pan fry cubed chicken breast pieces. Add them to a classic Caesar salad with romaine, Parmesan, and croutons.

4. Coconut Curry Chicken

Cook chicken thighs in an aromatic coconut curry sauce with vegetables. Serve over rice.

5. Chicken Tortilla Soup

Simmer chicken breast strips with veggies and Mexican spices. Top with avocado, tortilla strips, cilantro and lime.

How to Shop for Chicken Pieces

When shopping for chicken pieces, here are a few tips:

• Choose pieces with no tears or holes in the packaging.

• Check the sell-by date and pick the package with the latest date.

• Make sure the chicken has no slimy texture or off putting odors.

• Opt for chicken labeled “air-chilled” rather than “water-chilled” for better flavor.

• For maximum juiciness, don’t overcook chicken pieces. Use a meat thermometer to determine doneness.

• Consider buying antibiotic-free and humanely raised chicken for quality.

With endless possibilities, chicken pieces are a must-have ingredient for home cooks. Follow these tips for buying, preparing, and cooking chicken pieces. Then get ready to enjoy juicy, flavorful chicken in all your favorite dishes!

CHICKEN