Air chilled chickens have become more popular and are preferred by many people, therefore, they are one of the sought-after ingredients on the market.
So where can you buy air-chilled chicken when you want to create healthy and delicious dishes from this kind of chicken to serve your loved ones?
This blog post will provide more insight into this topic so don’t forget to read until the end.
What is air-chilled chicken?
Air chilling is a method of preparing food that has been around for decades.
It was originally designed to help reduce the environmental impact by making use of fresh air rather than freezing water to cool down the product before packaging.
The process can cost up to 50% less energy than traditional methods and produces less CO2 emissions as well.
Another advantage that this process brings with it is how quickly food can be thawed out when needed.
Air chilled chicken is chickens that have run through many chambers with cold and purified air.
The result is in contrast to the traditional method that uses ice-cold water to chill the birds, in which water-chilled chickens absorb excess water, giving it a tasteless flavor and soaked texture.
On the other hand, air-chilled chicken has no added water or even loses a small amount of water content in the bird, contains fewer bacteria, making it have a stronger flavor and tender but firm meat.
Air chilling has been in practice since Europe introduced it into their food industry during the 1960s – but only started being used in America after 1998.
How many calories are in air-chilled chicken?
The calories in air-chilled chicken can vary depending on the section of cut, with or without skin.
However, in general, white meat like chicken is a healthier option with leaner meat and lower calorie content.
The skinless chicken breast fillets are low in calories, and most of them are from protein.
For example, four ounces of the air-chilled skinless breast (112 grams) will provide us with 120 calories (only 7.5% calories are from fat).
On the other hand, air-chilled chicken thighs will be a little higher, with 160 calories per 112 grams serving size.
How to choose the best air-chilled chicken?
So now you know what air-chilled chicken is and why it benefits us more than regular chicken.
But how to choose the best air-chilled chicken? This section will tell you:
1. Looking for air-chilled chicken that is dry without any discoloration
Air chilling is supposed to reduce the water content in the chicken by using purified and cold air instead of cold water.
Therefore, when shopping for air-chilled chicken, the package should be drier and tightly holds the chicken inside, meanwhile, you can notice there is some excess water in the package of water chilled chicken because it is submerged in cold water before reaching customers.
Air chilled chicken usually costs more than the water chilled counterpart.
So make sure you get what you pay for, otherwise, you might be fooled by some sellers with water chilled chicken that is sold at air-chilled chicken’s price.
2. Consider whole chicken, breast, or thigh meat
Air chilled chicken comes in a variety of cuts, from breast fillets, thighs, wings, or the whole bird.
Therefore, you can choose whatever works with your demand and preference.
If you want to increase your protein intake to build muscle and reduce fat, it is best to stick with chicken breast rather than chicken wings or thighs.
Or if you are planning to make a whole roasted chicken serve your family, of course, you will need to buy the whole air-chilled chicken.
3. Know your budget
Basically, air-chilled chicken is more expensive than water-chilled chicken because it is better in numerous ways.
The air-chilled chicken breast will also cost you more than air-chilled chicken thighs because breast meat is leaner and better for our health.
On the other hand, chicken thighs have a more intense flavor than poultry and are less expensive, making them affordable for most people.
Where to buy air-chilled chicken?
Air chilled chicken is not hard to buy, especially if you are living downtown.
Here are some places where you can easily pick some packages of air-chilled chicken to create mouth-watering dishes:
1. Local butcher
Besides the beef or pork butcher shops, you can also find poultry butcher shops in your area.
The freshest cuts of chicken will be sold in a local butcher at a reasonable price.
If you cannot find air-chilled chicken in this place, try looking at the following suggestions.
2. Grocery store or supermarket
In most grocery stores or supermarkets across America, you can find air-chilled chicken in the meat section, especially in the poultry section.
The chicken can be kept cooled or frozen, but you should opt for the cooled chicken and toss it in your freezer later on if you want to save it for later use.
3. Online retailers
The ideal way for shopping for air-chilled chicken is by ordering online.
Amazon and eBay are the two most famous international shopping platforms that allow you to buy this ingredient no matter where you live.
You can also visit the websites of certain supermarkets to buy air-chilled chicken without needing to leave home.
Conclusion
In conclusion, air-chilled chickens are a great alternative to traditional water-chilled chicken.
They taste better and are healthier for our health.
The good news is air-chilled chickens are easy to find on the market, so you won’t get in any trouble every time you shop for this ingredient.
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