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Chicken, whole

What is whole chicken? About the ingredient whole chicken. Including 236 recipes with whole chicken, nutrition data, and where to find it.

About

Broiler and fryer chickens range from 6 to 8 weeks old and weight about 3 to 4 pounds (1 1/4 to 1 3/4 kg) according to the National Chicken Council.

However you may find that the chickens in your local supermarket tend to be closer to 2 1/2 pounds (1 kg) as factory farms rush the birds to market at an ever faster pace.

These chickens may also be referred to as "spring chicken".

Broilers and fryer chickens can typically be used interchangeably. They are generally best cooked with high heat which make it an ideal choice to butterfly and broil, grill, or sauté in a skillet or frying pan.

The meat is young, tender and quite mild tasting which can make them a less than ideal choice for braises and stews where an older bird would deliver significantly more flavour while the younger broiler or fryer will tend to dry out.

The following chart from the National Chicken Council in the US shows the U.S. broiler chicken performance from 1925 to 2011.

Year Days (age) Weight Feed to Meat Mortality %
19251122.504.7018
1935982.864.4014
1940852.894.0012
1945843.034.0010
1950703.083.008
1955703.073.007
1960633.352.506
1965633.482.406
1970563.622.255
1975563.762.105
1980533.932.055
1985494.192.005
1990484.372.005
1995474.671.955
2000475.031.955
2005485.371.954
2006485.471.965
2007485.511.954.5
2008485.581.934.3
2009475.591.924.1
2010475.701.924.0
2011475.801.913.8
2012475.951.93.7
2013476.011.883.7
2014476.121.894.3
2015486.241.884.8

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 unit (yield from 1 lb ready-to-cook chicken) (32g)
Amount per Serving
Calories 96Calories from Fat 60
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 6.7g 10%
Saturated Fat 1.9g 9%
Trans Fat ~
Cholesterol 28mg 9%
Sodium 27mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 0.0g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Sugars 0.0
Protein 8.3g
Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 1% Iron 3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your caloric needs.

Where found

Whole chicken is usually found in the poultry section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group

Chicken, whole is a member of the Poultry Products USDA nutritional food group.

How much does whole chicken weigh?

measure grams
1 unit (yield from 1 lb ready-to-cook chicken) 32
1 back, bone removed 53

In Chinese:整鸡
British (UK) term: Chicken, whole
en français:poulet entier
en español:pollo entero

Recipes using whole chicken

There are 228 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Barbecued Chicken
Best Imperial Chicken
Chicken and Dumplings Cracker Barrel Copykat
Chicken in a Pot with Dumplings
Chicken Pesto Vegetable Stir-Fry with Fettuccine
Favorite Chicken Noodle Soup
P.F. Chang's Roasted Chicken Cantonese Style
Roasted Chicken 'n Rice Casserole
Roasted Sticky Chicken

All 228 whole chicken recipes

References

Usda nutrition data over 8 years ago

Created: Last updated:

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