What Is Chicken, whole and How Can I Use It?
Wondering what to do with whole chicken? This guide covers how to pick it, cook it, store it, and swap it — with 226 recipes to put it to work.
What is whole chicken?
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 % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 | 112 | 2.50 | 4.70 | 18 |
| 1935 | 98 | 2.86 | 4.40 | 14 |
| 1940 | 85 | 2.89 | 4.00 | 12 |
| 1945 | 84 | 3.03 | 4.00 | 10 |
| 1950 | 70 | 3.08 | 3.00 | 8 |
| 1955 | 70 | 3.07 | 3.00 | 7 |
| 1960 | 63 | 3.35 | 2.50 | 6 |
| 1965 | 63 | 3.48 | 2.40 | 6 |
| 1970 | 56 | 3.62 | 2.25 | 5 |
| 1975 | 56 | 3.76 | 2.10 | 5 |
| 1980 | 53 | 3.93 | 2.05 | 5 |
| 1985 | 49 | 4.19 | 2.00 | 5 |
| 1990 | 48 | 4.37 | 2.00 | 5 |
| 1995 | 47 | 4.67 | 1.95 | 5 |
| 2000 | 47 | 5.03 | 1.95 | 5 |
| 2005 | 48 | 5.37 | 1.95 | 4 |
| 2006 | 48 | 5.47 | 1.96 | 5 |
| 2007 | 48 | 5.51 | 1.95 | 4.5 |
| 2008 | 48 | 5.58 | 1.93 | 4.3 |
| 2009 | 47 | 5.59 | 1.92 | 4.1 |
| 2010 | 47 | 5.70 | 1.92 | 4.0 |
| 2011 | 47 | 5.80 | 1.91 | 3.8 |
| 2012 | 47 | 5.95 | 1.9 | 3.7 |
| 2013 | 47 | 6.01 | 1.88 | 3.7 |
| 2014 | 47 | 6.12 | 1.89 | 4.3 |
| 2015 | 48 | 6.24 | 1.88 | 4.8 |
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 unit (yield from 1 lb ready-to-cook chicken) (32g)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 US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
How much does whole chicken weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 unit (yield from 1 lb ready-to-cook chicken) | 32 grams |
| ½ back, bone removed | 53 grams |
Related
Poultry Products
| In Chinese: | 整鸡 | |
| British (UK) term: | ||
| en français: | poulet entier | |
| en español: | pollo entero |
Recipes using whole chicken
There are 226 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Barbecued Chicken
Grilled chicken rubbed with a bold homemade spice blend of paprika, chili powder, and garlic, brushed with a sweet ketchup-brown sugar BBQ sauce with a hint of orange. Crispy skin, juicy meat, zero fuss.
Chicken Pesto Vegetable Stir-Fry with Fettuccine
Quick, easy and delicious! An ideal supper on a busy week day.
P.F. Chang's Roasted Chicken Cantonese Style
A copycat recipe of a popular chinese chain in the US. The method used creates a super crispy skin for this roast chicken.
Favorite Chicken Noodle Soup
Nothing is like a bowl of warm and delicious chicken noodle soup on a cold winter day.
Best Imperial Chicken
Imperial chicken with garlic-butter dipped pieces coated in Parmesan-parsley breadcrumbs and oven-baked until golden and crisp. Five-ingredient family dinner kids actually request.
Chicken & Dumplings Cracker Barrel Copykat
Chicken and Dumplings that is just like Cracker Barrel restaurant.
Roasted Sticky Chicken
Spicy slow roasted chicken. It is reminiscent of those rotisserie-style chickens that are so popular now, and it is very easy to make.
Barbecue Chicken
Set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker barbecue chicken simmered in a tangy tomato, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Just 10 minutes of prep and 6 to 8 hours on low for fork-tender, saucy chicken.
Honey-Baked Chicken
Honey-baked chicken stuffed with a sauteed squash, zucchini, pecan, and whole wheat breadcrumb dressing, basted with apple juice and honey glaze. A lighter roast chicken with a vegetable-packed stuffing.
Chicken with Curry & Yogurt
Tender simmered chicken in a velvety curry-yogurt sauce built from scratch with butter, onions, and warm spices. A simple, soul-warming one-pot dinner with a creamy tang that keeps you coming back for more.
Mamma's Chicken
Chicken pieces dipped in lemon juice, coated in seasoned breadcrumbs and cheese, then baked with sliced onions. Simple Italian home cooking.
Mama's Lemon Chicken
Mama's lemon chicken dipped in fresh lemon juice, coated in Parmesan breadcrumbs, and baked with olive oil, parsley, and onion. A crispy, tangy Italian-style baked chicken.
Sour Cream Onion-Chive Chicken
Crispy breadcrumb-coated chicken baked with onion halves, then served with a creamy sour cream pan sauce made from the drippings. Fork-tender comfort food for 8.
Butterball Roasting Broiler Easy Easter Suppe
Whole roasted chicken rubbed under the skin with garlic, lemon, and fresh rosemary, roasted alongside potatoes in one pan. A simple, elegant Easter dinner that serves 10.
Chicken Pilaf Atzem (Epirus Style)
Traditional Greek chicken pilaf from the Epirus region. Bone-in chicken sautéed in butter with onion, simmered with cinnamon and tomato sauce, then finished with rice that absorbs every drop of flavor.
Chicken Pilaf Atzem (Epirus Style)
Traditional Greek chicken pilaf from the Epirus region. Bone-in chicken sautéed in butter with onion, simmered with cinnamon and tomato sauce, then finished with rice that absorbs every drop of flavor.
Chicken & Oyster Casserole
Flour-dredged chicken browned and baked until tender, then finished with heavy cream, plump oysters, and slivered almonds. A classic, old-world surf-and-turf casserole.
Chicken Potatoes & Sausage
One-pan chicken with Italian sausage and potatoes baked together with oregano, paprika, and garlic salt. The sausage fat bastes the chicken while crisping the potatoes for an effortless rustic Italian sheet pan dinner.
Florentine Chicken
Florentine-style fried chicken, marinated in olive oil, lemon, and parsley, then dipped in flour and egg and deep-fried golden. The original Tuscan take on fried chicken, long before Nashville hot.
Chicken Soup #2
Thick, stew-like chicken soup made from a whole chicken with carrots, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, herbs, and broken spaghetti. Simmered from scratch and freezer-friendly.
Chicken-And-Vegetable Soup
Two whole chickens simmered with leeks, carrots, celery, and fresh thyme yield a crystal-clear broth and tender diced meat. A from-scratch chicken soup that's worth every minute of the 2.5-hour simmer.
Chicken Cacciatore
Slow cooker chicken cacciatore with two whole chickens braised in tomatoes, red wine, garlic, and Italian herbs. Set it, forget it, and feed a crowd of ten with zero effort.
Cranberry Chicken
Flour-coated chicken pieces browned in a skillet, then simmered in a sweet-tart cranberry sauce with orange and lemon juice. A one-pan comfort dinner ready in an hour.
