False myths about chicken meat

The best part about chicken meat is that it is versatile and consumed along with almost anything from vegetables to rice.

Gone are the days when the majority of the chickens used to roam around in our backyards before coming to the plates. However, the trend has drastically changed especially in urban areas.

Now, a person eating chicken doesn’t have any idea about where and how the chicken being eaten is raised. This has contributed to the formation of many myths about the best way to buy, prepare and cook the popular dish.

Here are some of the common myths about chicken that are false;

Remove Skin of the Chicken

For years, it was believed that removing chicken skin before consumption is healthier. However, it is not true at all. By leaving the skin, people can get a rich amount of fats. Plus, removing skin would dry out the chicken very soon. Thus, chicken must be consumed with the skin on as it brings many other benefits such as; less salt used during cooking. Above all, it is more delicious.

Fried chicken tastes better with oven baking

Some people bake fried chicken in the oven believing that it will give a better crisp. However, you just need a Dutch oven to keep the splatter to a minimum and an enviable crunch is going to be achieved during the coating. You can also use buttermilk and egg mixture to cover up the tender chicken before frying to get the juicy and crispy chicken.

Chicken needs to be washed before eating

It is a tradition to wash chicken before consuming it. However, this trend can be ruled out. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service does not recommend washing raw chicken. It is due to the reason that when you wash the chicken, the bacteria can spread to the other food and utensils around. Some of the cooks don’t sanitize their sinks fully after washing the chicken. Thus, the bacteria can spread very easily from there.

If you get processed meat from the market, it doesn’t need to be washed thoroughly. The best way to clean the chicken is to wash it properly.

Cage-free chicken is healthier

Cage-free chicken is healthier is nothing more than a myth. In many parts of Asia, chicken is kept in cages before slaughtering. However, it doesn’t affect the nutrients when they get into the plate. The majority of the hens are grown up in cages and it doesn’t affect their health until or unless they have room to spread their wings and stretch their legs.