Chicken (food) 5741239 225494549 2008-07-14T00:10:58Z 213.10.173.29 /* History */ {{globalise}} [[Image:Roast chicken.jpg|thumb|Roast Chicken]] {{ nutritionalvalue | name = Chicken, broiler, with skin | note = Not including 37% bones.<br />Excluding 13% skin and loose fat reduces<br />fat content to 6%. | kJ = 900 | water = 66 g | protein = 19 g | fat = 15 g | carbs = 0 g | iron_mg = 0.9 | sodium_mg = 70 | pantothenic_mg = 0.9 | vitA_ug = 41 | satfat = 4.3 g | monofat = 6.2 g | polyfat = 3.2 g source_usda = 1 | right = 1 }} '''Chicken''' is the [[meat]] derived from the [[chicken]]. It is the most common type of [[poultry]] in the world, and is frequently prepared as [[food]] in a large number of ways. == History == The chicken is a descendant of the Southeast Asian [[Red Junglefowl]] first domesticated in India around 3000 B.C. Chicken as a meat has been depicted in [[Babylon]]ian carvings from around 600 BC.<ref>http://www.poultrymad.co.uk/chicken-facts/index.html Chicken facts and origins at Poultrymad<!-- Bot generated title --></ref> Chicken was one of the most common meats available in the [[Medieval cuisine|Middle Ages]]. It was widely believed to be easily digested and considered to be one of the most neutral foodstuffs. It was eaten over most of the [[Eastern hemisphere]] and a number of different kinds of chicken such as [[capon]]s, [[pullet]]s and hens were eaten. It was one of the basic ingredients in the so-called [[Blancmange|white dish]], a [[stew]] usually consisting of chicken and fried onions cooked in milk and seasoned with spices and sugar. U.S. chicken consumption increased during World War II due to a shortage of [[beef]] and [[pork]]. <ref>[http://www.history.com/encyclopedia.do?articleId=219726 Poultry Farming], [[The History Channel]]. [[March 2]] [[2007]].</ref> In Europe, consumption of chicken overtook that of beef and [[veal]] in 1996, linked to consumer awareness of [[Bovine spongiform encephalopathy]] or B.S.E. <ref>[http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/news/ng.asp?id=61941-poultry-e-coli-contamination BBC survey another blow against UK chicken<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> == Breeding == Modern varieties of chicken such as the Cornish Cross, are bred specifically for meat production, with an emphasis placed on the ratio of feed to meat produced by the animal. The most common breeds of chicken consumed in the US are [[Cornish (chicken)|Cornish]] and White Rock.<ref>[http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Chicken_Food_Safety_Focus/index.asp Focus On: Chicken], [[USDA]]. [[March 2]], [[2007]].</ref> Chickens raised specifically for meat are called [[broiler]]s. In the United States, broilers are typically butchered at a young age. Modern Cornish Cross hybrids, for example, are butchered as early as 8 weeks for fryers and 12 weeks for roasting birds. [[Capon]]s ([[castrate]]d cocks) produce more and fattier meat. For this reason, they are considered a delicacy and were particularly popular in the [[Middle Ages]]. == Edible components == [[Image:Fast food chicken.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Take-away chicken pieces]] Typically, the muscle tissue (breast, legs, thigh, etc), [[liver]]s, [[heart]]s, and [[gizzard]] are processed for food. [[Chicken feet]] are commonly eaten, especially in French and Chinese cuisine. Chicken wings refers to a serving of the wing sections of a chicken. [[Egg (food)|Chicken eggs]] are commonly eaten and unlaid eggs removed from slaughtered hens can also be eaten. == Marketing == Whole chickens are marketed as fryers, broilers, and roasters. Fryers are the smallest size, and the most common as chicken reach this size quickly. Most dismembered packaged chicken would be sold whole as fryers. Broilers are larger than fryers. They are typically sold whole. Roasters, or roasting hens, are the largest chickens sold and are typically more expensive. They are meant to be prepared in a method similar to a turkey or roast. Chicken is also sold in dismembered pieces. Pieces may include quarters, or fourths of the chicken. A chicken is typically cut into two leg quarters and two breast quarters. Each quarter contains two of the commonly available pieces of chicken. A leg quarter contains the thigh and leg. A breast quarter contains the breast and wing. Pieces may be sold in packages of all of the same pieces, or in combination packages. Whole chicken cut up refers to either the entire bird cut into 9 pieces (the 9th piece being the back), or 8 peices, without the back. Pick or the Chicken, or similar titles, refers to a package with only some of the chicken pieces. Typically the breasts, thighs, and legs without wings or back. Thighs and breasts are sold boneless and/or skinless. Dark meat (legs & thighs) pieces are typically cheaper than white meat pieces. Chicken livers are commonly available packaged separately. Other parts of the chicken, such as the neck, feet, combs, etc. are not widely available except in countries where they are in demand, or in cities that cater to ethnic groups who favor these parts. == Cooking == [[Image:LemonChicken.JPG|left|thumb|[[Marination]] of chicken for [[grilling]].]] [[Image:USDA poultry cuts.png|thumb|right|The [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] classifies cuts of [[poultry]] in a manner similar to [[beef]].]] Raw chicken can be frozen for up to two months without significant changes in flavor or texture and is typically eaten cooked--as when raw it often contains [[salmonella]]; raw or [[Temperature (meat)|rare]] chicken dishes appear in [[Ethiopian cuisine]] and [[Chinese cuisine]]. Chicken can be cooked in innumerable ways; it can be made into sausages, put in salads, grilled, breaded and deep-fried, or used in various curries. There is significant variation in cooking methods amongst cultures; historically common methods include [[roasting]], [[baking]] and [[frying]]. Today, chickens are also cooked by [[deep frying]] and prepared as [[fast food]] as [[Fried Chicken]], [[chicken nugget]]s or [[Buffalo wings]]. Chickens often come with labels such as "roaster", which suggest a method of cooking based on the type of chicken. While these labels are only suggestions, ones labeled for stew often do not do well when cooked with other methods.<ref>[http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/mh_chicken/article/0,1977,FOOD_10265_4402630,00.html How to Buy: 5 Things to Keep in Mind], [[Food Network]]. [[March 2]] [[2007]].</ref> Some chicken breast cuts and processed chicken breast products include the moniker "with Rib Meat." This is thought to be the blackish meat surrounding and in between the rib cage. The breast is cut from the chicken and sold as a solid cut, while the left over breast and rib meat is stripped from the bone through cooking or solvents.{{Fact|date=April 2007}} The resulting meat is reduced and processed with stabilizers and additives into its consumer form, such as chicken nuggets. Breast meat is often sliced thinly and marketed as chicken slices, an easy filling for [[sandwiches]]. While chicken bones are not edible, they can be simmered with vegetables and herbs for several hours to make [[stock (food)|chicken stock]]. In Asian countries it is possible to buy bones alone as they are very popular for making Chicken soups which are said to be healthy. In Australia the rib cages and backs of chickens after the other cuts have been removed are frequently sold cheaply in supermarket delicatessen sections as either "chicken frames" or "chicken carcasses" and are purchased for soup or stock purposes. == References == {{reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.primetamil.com/cook.php Chilly chicken Recipe Tamil] * [http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/mh_chicken/text/ Foodnetwork.com page on use of chicken in cooking] * [http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Chicken_Food_Safety_Focus/index.asp US government fact sheet on chicken as food] *[http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Course-Main-Dishes--Poultry-Chicken Safe preparation of chicken and recipes] [[Category:Chicken]] [[Category:Meat]] [[bs:Piletina]] [[ms:Daging ayam]] [[es:Carne de pollo]] [[id:Daging ayam]] [[ko:닭고기]] [[he:עוף]] [[nl:Kippenvlees]] [[ja:鶏肉]] [[sv:Kycklingkött]] [[tr:Tavuk eti]] [[zh:雞肉]]