We've all heard it, we all know it... Chicken is better than turkey! Cooking a scrumptious turkey is a hefty responsibility because it's an extremely lean meat. Turkey might be the Thanksgiving go-to because it can feed a crowd, but for smaller gatherings, a turkey is just too much. I'm sure that you've experienced many dry holiday turkeys, so I'm proposing that we normalize a Thanksgiving with chicken as the main star as opposed to the traditional behemoth. Need more meat? Cook two chickens!
Here are the reasons why I'm cooking chicken for Thanksgiving:
1) Chicken tastes better: why do we eat chicken most of the year and turkey on a holiday or hidden in sandwiches? Fat = flavor & moisture. Chicken is higher in fat, which means it is typically juicier and more flavorful.
2) Smaller & Cheaper: chickens are smaller. If you need more meat, you can simply cook another chicken. More people can get the cuts they want; instead of two drumsticks, you'd have four. Their size also means a chicken cooks more evenly. Plus chicken costs less per pound, especially with our November SALE!
3) Easier: Thanksgiving can be stressful.... meat takes about 5 hours per pound to thaw in the refrigerator. That's 3 days for a 15 lb turkey, but only one day for three 5 lb chickens. That's less days of room being taken up in your fridge as you're prepping for the celebration. And to top it off, your chicken(s) will cook in less time, clearing up that precious oven space!
Be different. Be better. Be a Thanksgiving maverick and serve chicken instead of turkey. Let's be honest, we love tradition. Give me that ribbed cranberry jelly goodness!! But sometimes... it's better to go off the beaten path. I look forward to a late night Thanksgiving turkey sandwich, but I also know a chicken could do it better :)
But if you still haven't been convinced, I won't hold it against you! Here are some tips for a better turkey experience: Dry brine it (you should have seen that coming), don't baste it (rubbery skin, doesn't help with moisture), to prevent dryness cook the thighs to 165F and the breast no higher than 150F (the meat is safe if held at 150F for 3 minutes per USDA), and rest for 30 mins uncovered before carving... Your farmer, Bec
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