The wide availability of chicken fillets (skinless, boneless half-breasts) or suprêmes makes it one of the most convenient meats. It has always been one of the most adaptable: as good cold as hot, as ready for a picnic, to provide cocktail tid-bits or a speedy meal for one, as to appear, superbly sauced, at a dinner party.
You can be reasonably confident that packaged chicken will be tender. In unpackaged chicken, check that the end of the breastbone will bend readily when pressed – the sign of a young bird.
Organic chicken is the best purchase. Free-range, organic poultry that has been carefully fed and has had time to scratch and peck around the ground rewards with a bird that will taste as it should and has had some sort of a life. Such a bird you pay extra for, but it seems preferable to eat chicken less often and make a meal more special.
What size?: Chickens are sold by weight. Another indication of size is by numbers. A size 12 weighs 1.2 kg, size 15 weighs 1.5 kg, size 16 weighs 1.6 kg, size 18 weighs 1.8 kg, etc. A very young chicken is called a spatchcock and usually weighs 500 g. A small chicken can be grilled or barbecued. A size 12 to 18 or 20 can be roasted, poached or used in the recipes as indicated.
To truss a chicken: Shape the bird neatly with your hands, tucking the neck flap underneath. Take a piece of string and place its centre below the breastbone at the neck end. Bring the ends of the string down over the wings to cross underneath, then up to tie the legs and parson’s nose together.
To joint a chicken: Cut off legs at the joints. Cut either side of backbone and remove. Turn bird over and cut either side of breastbone and discard. Cut each side of chicken in half, removing wings if liked.
Chicken may be cooked in any of the following ways.