Yahoo Lifestyle For the Best Chicken, Experts Say You Should Look for This Term on the Label
Chicken is a weeknight workhorse, but whole roasted chicken is also a great thing to make for a dinner party or other special occasion. (I personally love chicken more than turkey, so roasting a chicken instead of turkey for Thanksgiving is an option for me.)
When choosing a whole chicken, the size, quality and freshness are key. Some people will argue that organic and free-range chickens taste the best, but the experts at Cook's Illustrated magazine say there's one additional term you should be looking for when you're shopping for chicken.
Cook's Illustrated, published by America's Test Kitchen, is known for its in-depth, science-based approach to recipes and it’s a trusted resource for home cooks seeking cooking tips. In other words, they know food! The magazine recently posted a chicken-buying tip on Instagram (@cooksillustrated) and YouTube and I'll be using this to buy my chickens from now on.
Related: My Husband Cracked the Code to the Juiciest, Most Flavorful Chicken Breast
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What is Air-Chilled Chicken?
"Selecting the best chicken—air-chilled vs. water-chilled—can result in superior flavor and texture," says the caption for the Cook's Illustrated Instagram video. But what do the terms air-chilled and water-chilled mean?
According to Dan Souza, editor-in-chief of Cook's Illustrated and the star of the video, air-chilled chicken is "hung from a conveyor belt and circulated around a cold room." Water-chilled chickens are, as the name implies, chilled in a vat of water. The air-chilling process takes longer than water-chilling, but it keeps the meat from absorbing extra water.
If a chicken is air-chilled it will be called out on the label. Mary's and Bell & Evans are common air-chilled chicken brands you'll find at many grocery stores. If the label doesn't say "air-chilled," it's most likely water-chilled. Water-chilled chickens will also mention the percentage of water somewhere on the package.
Related: 40+ Easy Dinner Recipes That Start With Shredded Chicken
Why You Should Buy Air-Chilled Chicken
According to Souza, the process of air chilling encourages the "enzymatic breakdown of muscle tissue," which helps create tender meat. Because air-chilling dries out the skin, it's already got a head start on getting nice and crispy once you stick it in the oven (moisture is the enemy of crispy chicken skin). Air-chilled chicken has a firmer texture and more robust flavor because it's not waterlogged.
Water-chilling a chicken dilutes the flavor of the meat and makes it harder to crisp up the skin. As Souza points out in the video, water-chilled chicken can pick up 8% to 12% retained water, which means you're paying for water in place of chicken.
Water-chilled chickens are almost always less expensive than air-chilled chickens, but if you can swing it, paying a bit more for an air-chilled chicken will pay off big time when it comes to taste and texture.
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