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Chicken is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide. But not all chicken is the same when it comes to taste, health, and morals. Labels that are hard to understand, like “natural,” “cage-free,” and “organic,” can make it hard for people to find really good chicken. You can read this article to learn what to look for in chicken, where to find good chicken in stores and online, and how to get the best bird for your money.
What Makes Chicken “Good”? 3 Key Factors
There are three main attributes that set apart good, premium chicken from average, mass-produced chicken
1. Breed and Diet
Heritage chicken breeds that are free to roam and find food taste better than factory-farmed chickens that are only fed grain. Look for chickens that were raised on pasture and eat more than just grain, like grubs, grass, and bugs. To stay away from GMOs, pesticides, and animal products, organic feed is also better.
2. Raising Practices
Chickens raised in overcrowded factories will be much lower quality than those allowed to roam freely. Opt for free-range and pasture-raised options over cage-confined chickens whenever possible.
3. Processing Methods
Chickens pumped full of saltwater brine will be less flavorful. Choose chicken that has been air-chilled instead of being cooled in water baths. Meat from slow-grown chickens will also typically be better tasting.
Where to Buy Good Chicken In-Store
When shopping for chicken in grocery stores and supermarkets, be prepared to pay a bit more for quality. Here are some of the best options:
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods has stringent standards for all meat products. Chickens will be pasture-raised, organically fed and never administered antibiotics. The organic chicken here is worth the price.
Sprouts Farmers Market
Similar to Whole Foods, Sprouts has high quality standards for animal products. Their organic and free-range chickens are fed a vegetarian diet with no antibiotics.
Kroger Simple Truth Organic
Kroger’s premium organic line offers excellent chicken sourced from chickens fed organic, vegetarian feed with no antibiotics ever administered.
Trader Joe’s Organic & Bell & Evans
While Trader Joe’s doesn’t have the most transparent sourcing, their organic chicken line adheres to USDA certified standards. Bell & Evans chicken is also a good antibiotic-free option.
Local Butchers & Farmers Markets
Don’t overlook local meat purveyors at butcher shops and farmer’s markets. These vendors often sell pasture-raised poultry from small regional farms.
Best Places to Order Chicken Online
Buying chicken online provides access to small family farms and premium vendors not found at the supermarket. Here are some of the best online sources:
Porter Road
Pasture-raised, organic fed chickens from Kentucky & Tennessee farms. Great flavor and texture.
ButcherBox
Offers 100% certified organic, free-range chicken humanely raised on vegetarian diets without antibiotics.
Crowd Cow
Premium chickens sourced from independent farms. Organic and pasture-raised options available.
Rastelli’s
Free-range, hormone and antibiotic-free chicken options sourced from US family farms.
Thrive Market
Carries organic, pasture-raised chicken as well as USDA certified organic chicken.
Tips for Getting the Best Chicken
Follow these tips to make sure you get the highest quality chicken, whether shopping online or in-store:
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Read labels carefully: Look for specific claims like “pasture-raised, “organic” and “no antibiotics ever”
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Know what terms mean: Don’t rely on vague labels like “natural” or “cage-free” which don’t ensure quality
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Check for air-chilled: Chickens chilled in water absorb more liquid, diluting flavor
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Buy direct from farms: Visit farmers markets and butcher shops to buy chicken sourced locally
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Learn about sourcing: Reputable companies will provide info on breed, diet and raising practices
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Look for certification: USDA Organic, American Humane Certified, Animal Welfare Approved, etc.
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Expect to pay more: Higher quality chicken costs more than factory farmed, but provides a superior tasting bird
The Bottom Line
With some diligence reading labels and understanding sourcing, you can find very high quality, humanely raised chickens both online and locally. Opt for pasture-raised chickens fed organic diets without routine antibiotics to get the best flavor and quality. Though premium chicken costs a bit more, the taste and ethics make it worthwhile for many consumers.
Where to Buy Chicken
As stated above, if you can afford it, your local farmer’s market has the highest quality chicken.
Whole Foods has several high quality options. Plus, they offer free grocery delivery if you’re an Amazon Prime member.
Another option is getting your chicken delivered directly to your doorstep. Crowd Cow connects consumers to small farms through their online marketplace. They offer high quality pasture raised, free-range, and organic chicken from small farms and co-ops that you can get delivered directly to your home. Order your meat from Crowd Cow here.
On chicken packaging, you’ll sometimes see a specific type of chicken. Honestly, I don’t really pay attention to the type much. I just more look at the size and cost when picking the chicken I am going to buy.
Here is a rundown of each type.
- You can broil or fry a chicken that is less than 10 weeks old and weighs between 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 pounds. Use any method to cook. The type you can find most often in grocery stores is this one.
- The Cornish Hen is a small oven that can both broil and fry. It weighs between 1 and 2 pounds. Typically, roasted whole.
- Rooster: A chicken that is at least 5 pounds and between 8 and 12 weeks old. Usually, roasting a whole animal gives you more meat per pound than broiling or frying it.
- Capons are male chickens that are less than 4 months old and weigh between 4 and 7 pounds. Typically, roasted. They have large amounts of tender, light meat.
- Baking or Stewing Hen: A female chicken (hen) that is 10 months to 1 1/2 years old and fully grown. They don’t have as tender meat as younger chickens, so they are usually stewed or cooked with water.
- “Rooster” or “cock” refers to an adult male chicken with rough skin and tough, dark meat. Requires long, moist cooking.
Step 2: Determine What A Chicken Was Fed
In conjunction with how the chicken was raised (step 1 above), it is important to also see what the chicken was fed. Chickens are just living creatures after all. Just think about it: a person who works out a lot but only eats potato chips probably isn’t that healthy. In the same way, someone who eats well but doesn’t move around much probably isn’t crushing it either. Chickens are no different.
Naturally, chickens are diverse omnivorous eaters and eat whatever they can find. This includes grass, seeds, bugs, fruits, worms, and even some small animals.
In commercial farming, chickens eat a poultry feed that is made mostly of grain. It is also fortified with protein through the addition of oilseed meal (like soybean oil) or animal by products.
At minimum, certified organic chickens were fed organic feed that does not have pesticides, chemicals, or antibiotics. This is good. If you’re looking for the best chicken, this should be a label you seek out. But it’ll cost you.
Just as it is stated, no antibiotics have ever been given to the chickens. This means you won’t be taking any chicken meds. Probably a good thing.
Considering that the USDA prohibits the use of hormones in poultry, this label doesn’t really mean much. So, if you see it, it’s such marketing. The good news is that no matter what type of chicken you buy, you can be assured there won’t be any hormones in it.
This label is most likely a positive one, but there is some gray area. If you are a vegetarian, then this would obviously be good for you. But, chickens aren’t intended to be naturally vegetarian. They eat things like bugs and worms. It’s likely that this means the feed doesn’t contain any animal products, since chickens shouldn’t eat those.
Everything You Need To Know About Buying Chicken At The Grocery Store
FAQ
What is the best chicken to buy at the grocery store?
The best chicken you can buy at the store is organic, raised on a farm or in the wild, without antibiotics, and air-chilled. This combo is the winner, winner chicken dinner.
Which company is best for chicken?
Suguna Foods Pvt. Ltd, India’s leading poultry conglomerate, has grown to become a INR 9380+ crore turnover company, over a period of 40+ years.
How to tell if chicken is of good quality?
Pink, plump, smooth, and odor-free chicken is of good quality. Fresh, high-quality raw chicken should have a pinkish color and no signs of damage or bruises on the skin. The chicken flesh should feel plump and springy to the touch with a neutral odour.