We have a lot to thank chickens for. They supply us with an excellent source of meat as well as eggs, which for most us are an indispensible part of our diet.
Chicken contains protein, Vitamin B, zinc and iron and for those who care: no carbs!
For some of us, raising chickens is a real delight. The satisfaction of plucking a warm egg from a nest of straw provides a real sense of things being right in the world.
But raising chickens for commercial meat consumption has become fraught with controversy. As images of battery hens forced into confined spaces appear in the media, we question and discuss humane practices of raising animals. Just in the last couple of weeks there has been a fuss over one of our big chicken producers, Inghams, and whether it has been using genetically modified corn in its chicken feed.
Battery hens are by definition confined either in cages for eggs, or on barn floors for meat, with high density being a key feature of production.
For those of you unfamiliar with the terms free range, corn fed or organic, some definitions might be useful.
Free-range birds are able to roam freely. The area where they roam is likely to be fenced and birds do go inside to roost at night and to lay eggs in nests. This method can reduce the cost of feeding the birds, providing they have access to dirt and grasses, and in allowing them to roam, the birds are likely to be livelier and happier.
Birds that are called free range must have access to the outside, although there is no legal definition in New Zealand of how much space they must have and what they must have access to. There are a number of boutique producers of free-range birds, even though they make up only 0.5 per cent of all chicken meat production in New Zealand.
There are no commercial free-range producers in the top of the south. Ingham chickens are available fresh and local in New World – an Australian company producing free-range chickens in Waikato under the Waitoa brand. They retail for $10 a kilogram.
Corn-fed chickens are fed a higher level of corn or maize than other food, which colours the flesh. In fact, they must have at least 50 per cent maize in their diet while they are being fattened.
Probably the most accessible and reasonably priced corn-fed free-range chicken is the Rangitikei brand, produced by Tegel. These birds have free access to the outside and are fed large quantities of maize. They can be bought fresh or frozen whole and increasingly in supermarkets you can buy thigh or breast portions as well. A size 16 Rangitikei chicken costs $21 in Collingwood St Fresh Choice.
Turks Chickens from Horowhenua is another producer of corn-fed free-range chicken.
Organic free-range chicken, such as from Heuvels in Gisborne, cost a whopping $32 for a size 14. The Westwood brand, produced in Canterbury, can be bought frozen from stores such as Collingwood St Fresh Choice. Westwood chooks are slightly cheaper than Heuvels at $29.99 for a 14.
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They are so expensive because of the cost of raising them. They are truly free range and only fed on certified organic feed (very expensive to buy). Heuvels produce around 2600 chickens a week and are distributed throughout the country. The chicken is delicious.
The debate about the pros and cons of the choices available to us rages, but let's not forget that over 55 per cent of the market is still regular Tegel chicken.
Fuel is added to the fire with TV chefs doing blind tastings of battery chickens versus free range versus corn fed versus organic.
The jury is out on which tastes the best. Like all things to do with food, it is a personal matter and what you are used to experiencing. However, if you haven't tried corn-fed or free-range chicken, I highly recommend you do. For at least some of us, the extra cost is justified knowing how the animal has been raised, and the added taste and texture is well worth it.
Regardless of the method of raising the birds, chicken is a staple in our diet and commonplace. It is hard to go past the Kiwi classic of a stuffed roast chicken as a truly wonderful meal. I shared my recipe for herb stuffing when I wrote about herbs back in March – it is repeated here for those who didn't cut it to keep back then. Chicken stuffed with herb stuffing is fabulous. The key is to use fresh herbs and lots of them to make this stuffing the most memorable.
First, make breadcrumbs from a day-old loaf of ciabatta or good-quality white bread, to make 2 cups.
Finely dice a medium red or yellow onion and saute gently in about half a cup of olive oil and butter (or just butter) until soft. Chop lots of Italian parsley to make at least 3/4 cup. Add 10 sprigs of thyme, 10 leaves of sage, a handful of basil and marjoram. Finely chop it all and add to the breadcrumbs and onion. Season to taste. The mixture should hold together without being sticky. It should be a bright green colour.
There are thousands of other chicken recipes. Here are a few that I highly recommend. They never fail to impress.
Photo: Marion van Dijk
CHICKEN MARBELLA
Serves 4 people
1kg of boneless corn-fed chicken thighs
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
3 Tbsp of oregano
3 Tbsp of capers
8 prunes, chopped
1/4 cup of green olives
4 Tbsp of olive oil
3 Tbsp of brown sugar
1/4 cup of white wine
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
Arrange the chicken thighs in a baking dish and cover with the garlic, oregano, capers, prunes, olives and olive oil. Marinate overnight.
Before cooking add the sugar, wine and vinegar. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with rice.
CHICKEN WITH LEMON, GARLIC AND PAPRIKA
Serves 4 people
Cut a whole corn fed free range chicken into portions. Place in a baking dish.
Make a paste with 2 cloves of crushed garlic, 2 tsp of paprika, juice of a lemon and enough olive oil to make it smooth. Add 3 Tbsp of grated parmesan, with salt, pepper to taste.
Smear the paste over the chicken pieces and bake at 190 degrees Celsius for about 35-40 minutes – until the chicken is cooked. Serve with a green salad and new potatoes.
BONED, STUFFED WHOLE CHICKEN
Ask your butcher to bone a corn-fed free-range chicken for you, or do it yourself. This makes a great summer lunch.
Stuffing:
1 onion finely sliced
1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs from a ciabatta loaf or similar
200g of ricotta cheese
1 Tbsp of fresh chervil and tarragon chopped finely
Zest of a lime
3 rashers of streaky bacon
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil and 25g butter
Melt the butter and oil and saute the onion until it is soft. Add to the breadcrumbs and ricotta cheese.
Add the herbs and lime zest and salt and pepper. Mix well.
Lay the chicken skin side down and place the stuffing inside.
Roll in the sides of the chicken carefully and place the bacon rashers around the chicken to hold it in place.
Bake in a hot oven for about 45min. Let it rest and when slightly cool slice into thick slices or serve cold.
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