Poultry

There are two inner fillets connected to the chicken breast, which lie under the main portion of the breast just above the ribcage around the centre of the sternum. These are the muscles that the chicken uses to raise and lower its wings. The meat is particularly tender, rich in protein and very low in fat.

There are many possible uses for the inner fillets: they can be fried, breaded or left as they are. Finely marinated or skewered to make kebabs for barbeque season are also delicious options. When sliced, these fillets go excellently with creamy sauce and rice. Furthermore, braising them with vegetables makes them a culinary delight.

The chicken breast is the heaviest piece of meat on the bird: it accounts for around 25 to 30 percent of its total weight. The meat is tender, rich in protein and low in fat - only 1 gram of fat per 100 grams. This makes it a good fit for a low-calorie diet.

As with the inner fillet, the preparation options for chicken breast are endless: fried, breaded, grilled, sliced, boiled, braised or shredded to make delicious “pulled chicken” wraps and burgers. The chicken breast, as with all parts of the chicken, should always be thoroughly cooked to minimise the risk of salmonella. Take care not to overcook, however, to make sure it doesn’t become too dry.

Chicken wings don’t contain much meat since the area surrounding the humerus is mostly muscle. Instead, they provide a lot of flavourful fat as well as the skin; these features are what makes them a delicacy. They are available as whole wings, as wing sticks, or as a variation where the middle part is pulled over the bone.

Chicken wings are usually strongly marinated and can be grilled, roasted or deep-fried. Traditionally, they are marinated in a mixture of paprika, tomato ketchup, soy sauce and cayenne pepper, although spicy marinades made from herbs or Asian style sauces are also popular – what’s important is that the skin is beautifully crispy.

If you separate the chicken leg into drumstick and thigh, you get two pieces that can be prepared differently. Drumsticks are often marinated in spicy sauce and laid on the BBQ. The meat is cooked without removing the bone or skin, and the skin is roasted until it’s crispy and the inside remains beautifully juicy.

The thigh contains the most meat out of the whole leg. It’s perfect for grilling since it retains its succulence. Taken from the bone and cut into pieces, the fine meat can also be served on skewers or used for ragout.

The whole chicken leg contains a lot of dark and lean muscle meat. The muscles are separated by several layers of fat, which ensure that the meat is juicy and aromatic. It is usually cooked with the skin left on and is considered a delicacy.

Traditionally, the whole chicken leg is grilled or roasted in the oven. To make the skin crispy and full of flavour, it is marinated beforehand. Delicious stews, such as “coq au vin”, can be made using a deskinned whole leg.

Whole chicken refers to everything apart from the head and feet. The meat is low in fat, tender and rich in protein. It’s possible to prepare it whole – when cooked, the crispy skin is considered a delicacy by many. Poultry meat must always be cooked thoroughly.

There are many different preparation methods for whole chickens: they can be cooked, roasted, grilled, braised, poached or pan-fried. When preparing the chicken to be cooked on the grill or fried, the chicken should be marinated beforehand or coated with a spicy seasoning mixture. When taken apart, the individual parts such as the breast, wings and legs can be cooked in a variety of ways.