Chicken Thigh

About

A chicken thigh is the meat from the thigh of the chicken and is used in recipes, with boneless and bone in varieties.

Information

Other names: chicken

Translations: Vistas Augšstilbs, Vištienos šlaunelė, Coapse de pui, Piletina Butina, Vòng đùi gà, Uda z kurczaka, Kip dij, चिकन जांघ, Frango Coxa, Куриные бедра, Κοτόπουλο Μπούτι, الدجاج الفخذ, 치킨 허벅지, Kuřecí stehno, Пилеће Бутина, Manok hita, 鸡大腿, Cuixa de gallina, Chicken Stegno, Kuracie stehno, Cosce di pollo, ירך עוף, Kyckling Lår, Paha ayam, チキン腿, Cuisse de poulet, Hähnchenkeule, Kylling Thigh, Muslo de gallina, Курячі стегна, Kana Reisi, Пилешки Бедро

Physical Description

One chicken thigh is about 4 to 6 oz. The meat is referred to as, "dark." There is a higher moisture content and fat content than chicken breast meat. It cooks rapidly, and retains moisture well, even when braised and or stewed.

Colors: creamy white to pale pink

Tasting Notes

Flavors: Sweet, poultry, takes on seasonings and sauces

Mouthfeel: Moist, Chewy

Food complements: Potatoes, Carrots, Onions, Garlic, Peppers

Wine complements: Chenin blanc, Reisling

Beverage complements: Iced tea, Lager

Substitutes: Other cuts of poultry, Veal

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december

Choosing: Check the color of the meat. It should be creamy white/yellowish or a little pale pink. Never buy a chicken with pasty or gray skin or meat (Except for Silkie chicken because Silkie chicken meat is black).

Check for the date when the chicken was butchered.Smell the chicken, a bad smell means the chicken is already spoiled.

Buying: Buy at any supermarket or butchers'. The best are organically raised. Buy chicken that is just enough for your family. It is best to cook fresh meat.

Procuring: There is a growing movement of families who are now raising their own chickens in their backyard. If you have plans of growing your own chicken, make sure you have enough space for them to roam in your backyard and build them a coop where they could stay for the night

Preparation and Use

Always wash the chicken before cooking. Make sure you wash and clean the chopping board and knife you will be using to avoid cross contamination.

Brining the chicken parts1 - 2 hours in advance helps keep the meat soft and juicy even when roasted, grilled or deep-fried.

Cleaning: Thoroughly wash chicken parts, remove the skin or any fat if you like.

Conserving and Storing

Store any chicken meat in a sealed plastic bag or plastic container inside the freezer if you are not going to use them immediately. Always store the chicken in the coldest part of your fridge.