Buying chicken is easier when you know your cuts. Each part of the bird has a different texture, flavour and ideal cooking method. Here is a quick guide to the most popular cuts.
White meat: breast
The leanest, highest-protein cut. Boneless and quick-cooking, breast is best grilled, pan-fried or used in stir-fries and tikka. Cook it fast to keep it from drying out.
Dark meat: thighs and drumsticks
Thighs and drumsticks are juicier, more flavourful and more forgiving than breast. They shine in stews, curries, pilau, roasting and frying, staying tender even after long cooking.
Wings
A party favourite — meaty, skin-rich and perfect for grilling, baking and air-frying with a sticky glaze.
Offals: gizzards, liver, feet and neck
Often overlooked, these are flavourful and nutritious. Gizzards are lean and chewy (simmer then wet-fry), liver is iron-rich and quick-cooking, feet make a collagen-rich broth, and necks add deep flavour to stews and stock.
- Gizzards: high protein, low fat — wet-fry or grill
- Liver: iron-rich — fast fry or pâté
- Feet: collagen-rich — soup and broth
- Neck: budget-friendly — stew and stock
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most tender chicken cut?
Thigh meat is the most tender and forgiving for most cooking, while breast is leaner but dries out if overcooked. For fall-apart tenderness, slow-cooked thighs and drumsticks win.
Which chicken cut is cheapest?
Offals such as necks and feet are usually the most affordable, followed by drumsticks and whole chicken. Boneless breast is typically the most expensive.