Here you’ll get a quick overview of the anatomy of a chicken and the different slicings that you serve in your kitchen.
Whole chicken
We start with the whole chicken! Here, not all parts of the chicken are suitable for cooking. Head, neck, heart, liver and and other intestines are removed, as well as the buttocks (the chicken's buttocks are often cut away).
And then there are the chicken's feet. They are actually a delicacy in many African, Asian and several Eastern European countries. At home, however, chicken feet have not found their way to people's plates yet.
Back we have the cuts on the chicken that are used in many different dishes around the world. We take a closer look at them now!
Breast fillet
On the front of the chicken we have the two meaty breast fillets. In many opinions, this is the best slicing on the chicken, because the meat here is light, firm and lean. Additionally, breast fillets can be used in many contexts and are therefore also popular among many menu creators.
Tip: If you prepare breast fillets from a whole chicken, keep the skin on. It adds more flavor and makes the meat juicier – and you can always take off the skin after cooking.
Inner fillet
Just behind the breast is the inner filet. Because this is a cut on the inside of the spine, the inner fillet is also called the “tenderloin” of the chicken. For the same reason this is the most tender part of the chicken!
Tip: Give the small and tender inner fillet a breading and create a wonderful crisp and tender meat texture. We’ve done this with our popular southern fried breaded chicken inner fillets from Top Table!
Leg
At the back of the chicken we find the legs, which is the juiciest slicing on the bird.
Within the food industry, a chicken leg is typically divided into a thigh and a drumstick. The thigh is the slightly darker piece of meat that can be cooked and eaten with and without backbone, while the drumstick is the tasteful and delicious slicing that can be eaten with the hands.
Tip: Crispy skin is a fantastic side benefit of the juicy chicken leg. The best tip for crisp skin is to make it as dry as possible before cooking. However, it may be difficult if too much water is added to product. Our cornfed chicken legs and drumsticks consists of 100 percent meat and gives you the best conditions for lovely and crisp skin!
Wings
Our tour around the chicken’s anatomy ends with the wings. A wing consists of three joints, but it is often only the first two – and most meaty – joints that are used for cooking.
The wings are the fattiest cuts on the chicken, but for some it’s also the most delicious – not least because of the crispy skin. Wings – or “hot wings” – are perfect as finger food in the buffet or in a snacking basket!
Did you know… In our Chefs Club assortment, we have a very special chicken slicing, where we in addition to the chicken breast have retained the upper part of the wing? We call it the Chicken Supreme, and it has a very interesting story!
Read also: Wholy Chicken! 6 benefits of using whole chickens