What's with the lack of dark chicken meat?? (healthier, cooker, consume)

[Woof]

I've noticed foodies in this subforum usually greatly prefer dark meat, while people out in the general public seem to get all excited by boneless skinless bird meat - at least since the lowfat craze started in the 90s that is still a mainstay of popular diets.

I usually separate the two kinds because they do best with different cooking techniques.


White is best either baked whole on very low temp - maybe 220 - for a fairly long time, like an hour or two. Alternatively it can be sliced up and stir fried at very high heat briefly, no more than a coupla minutes. At the table, I usually only like it with something fatty on the side like good stuffing, or half-melted butter on top. Ironically it needs added fat to taste good, which kind of defeats the purpose of cooking it.

Dark meat? I do a lot of roasting because southern fried chicken is messier and involves more cleanup work, though of course that's the tastiest way. I like to roast it with nothing but salt rubbed into the top exposed part, though maybe a few herbs on the bottom - or again just salt. Then I put it into a 475 oven for maybe 50 minutes, or however long it takes to deeply brown.

[Larry Caldwell]

Pick a different restaurant, or learn to cook.

[mainebrokerman]

yes, many buy boneless chicken breasts for health reasons (leaner) but then complain it is dry, tough, or no flavor.

if you want better tasting chicken,,, buy some thighs , its cheap, tasty and easy to cook,,


(most casual cooks overcook most chicken)

[DanielAvery]

I've never liked thighs when ordering/eating fried chicken because they're so hard to "pick at" compared to a breast, wing, or leg. It's hard to "politely" tear that sucker apart for tiny bits of meat. But legs? My absolute favorite piece.

The preference for white meat might also have to do with economics. The breast is the largest piece of the four main choices, so people may order white meat because they think they're getting "more for their money".

[Miss Hepburn]

Boneless breast recipe that came from the butcher:

Flatten, by pounding
Dip in flour (seasoned is best, of course)
dip in egg
dip in flour again.

Dolop of butter on top,
Fresh pressed/minced garlic sprinkled
(salt and pepper was in the flour)
I put a sprinkle of paprika

Bake Wish I knew exact temp and minutes...just take it out when
it is done, no more.

For some reason that combo keeps the moisture in and, boy, is it great.

PS: Pork loin is like dry chicken breast...I only buy the Shoulder roast or
Picnic roast as they say places...(we all know loin is not the tenderloin, that is fine.)

[oldhousegirl]

I don't care for the "wetness" of dark meat or the veiny stringy things inside of the leg. When I was a kid it was always, "Oh give the kids the drumstick, kids love drumsticks." It wasn't until I was a teen and discovered the wonderful dryness of white meat .

[fibonacci]

Dark meat is far superior, especially for flavor. Breast meat should have the bone with it to at least give it some flavor. Boneless, skinless is one of the least appetizing cuts of meat for me and is only used if I'm making something like a stir fry or soup which will help mask its blandness.

[Natsku]

I was always confused when people talk about white meat and dark meat, never realised there was a difference. I like both really. I roast thighs a lot because they're so easy to cook and I absolutely love the skin when its nice and crispy but use breasts for frying or baking as they're more versatile but they definitely require something with them to add flavour like bacon or cream.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by Natsku

I was always confused when people talk about white meat and dark meat, never realised there was a difference. I like both really. I roast thighs a lot because they're so easy to cook and I absolutely love the skin when its nice and crispy but use breasts for frying or baking as they're more versatile but they definitely require something with them to add flavour like bacon or cream.

some folks are very particular,,,,they will only eat the breast (white meat)

the legs are dark meat



boneless, skinless chicken thighs are cheaper than breasts and much tastier

[Natsku]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

some folks are very particular,,,,they will only eat the breast (white meat)

the legs are dark meat



boneless, skinless chicken thighs are cheaper than breasts and much tastier

Can't get boneless thighs here (at least not in any shop I've ever been in), its just thighs with the bone and skin, legs, breasts with bone and breasts without and then cut-up chicken (although I suppose that might be thigh meat, or a mix anyway, buts its more expensive than just buying a boneless breast and cutting it up yourself)