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Thanks for all the replies (I will rep all that I can! ).
MBM and Emm74, I've only bought organic thighs once, and I think they were something like $5-6/lb, compared to $1.49-$1.99/lb. when they are on sale. That's for the boneless, skinless ones. The bone-in, skin-on thighs go on sale every few weeks for 88 cents/lb. -- I have gotten them as low as 77 cents/lb.!! I use those all the time in my crock pot so I stock up during those sales!
Hannaford often has boneless, skinless chicken breasts on sale for <$2/lb. I use those a lot for baking and stir-fries. MAYBE organic would taste a bit better when baked with minimal seasonings (so the taste of the chicken itself is "king" ), but I really like how they taste ALREADY so it's hard to justify spending almost $10/lb. just to do a taste test!
DG and GC, I had never heard of "old chicken"! Alas, I live in the boonies of New Hampshire so no Asian markets nearby.
Thanks to everyone else as well (and reps to all that I can!). I eat chicken a LOT as I like the taste AND it is so inexpensive these days. Can't believe some versions are 1/3 the price of the ground beef I buy. I do crave beef sometimes, though. <sigh!>
I do notice a significant difference between the chicken you find in pre-sealed bags versus some "fresher" varieties. The skin in those bagged ones is usually way too thick, and the meat FULL of extra fat. Not sure if this has anything to do with farming practices, but Id assume so.
We got some chicken...and it didn't smell right...
My wife often comments on the sensitivity of my nose. I always smell meats before preparing them, and chicken is one that has me gagging when it's "off".
I'm sensitive about raw chicken too, and have had to throw out packs from time to time when it smelled off. There are some supermarket brands I won't buy because it's been off (at least per my nose) more than once. We get Perdue here now (didn't when I first moved here) and that's usually pretty good, when I can find it on sale, or I get it at Sprouts and their store brand is good too.
This is the brand I really like. I think it is better, and also it's usually trimmed better, so it does justify some price premium, just not quite as much as it usually is. Plus they don't have boneless chicken thighs, which are something I use a lot of the time.
I'm sensitive about raw chicken too, and have had to throw out packs from time to time when it smelled off. There are some supermarket brands I won't buy because it's been off (at least per my nose) more than once. We get Perdue here now (didn't when I first moved here) and that's usually pretty good, when I can find it on sale, or I get it at Sprouts and their store brand is good too.
This is the brand I really like. I think it is better, and also it's usually trimmed better, so it does justify some price premium, just not quite as much as it usually is. Plus they don't have boneless chicken thighs, which are something I use a lot of the time.
Have you tried deboning yourself? It's easier than you might think.
My (lack of good) knife skills are my biggest weakness as a cook. Besides, I can't afford the brand that doesn't have the boneless thighs! I get it on sale as an occasional treat, but I'm not buying enough of it to worry about deboning it myself, and when you consider the waste (bones, skin, excess fat), I would not really be saving enough money to do it myself on the more reasonably priced chicken.
I agree. Cut the bone in half and throw the whole mess into a slow cooker or low heat pot. Use it for soups, stews, stir fry, you name it. You won't regret it.
I do hear you on the prices though. If you're getting boneless for cheaper and that's what you like, then you can't beat it.
Side note: I made an investment on a knife set a few years back that was quite costly; one of the best dollars I've spent in a while. Well worth it if you're in the kitchen a lot, and you won't see it until you own and use it.
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