The success of a chicken dish depends a lot on the selection of chicken. If you are not careful, you will buy a chicken that is not delicious or fresh enough.
A healthy chicken will have a balanced shape, not too thin or too fat. A healthy chicken will have shiny, smooth feathers and no signs of illness such as feather loss, bruises or wounds on the body.
A healthy chicken has bright, clear eyes, without pus or signs of infection.
Check chicken feet
Chicken feet are a part of the body that is easy to recognize the health status of chickens. Healthy chickens will have straight legs, the skin on the legs is not scratched, there is no swelling or pus. If the chicken feet have wounds, bruises or inflammation, you should avoid buying because it may be sick.
A healthy chicken will have an intact beak and a bright red, smooth comb. If the comb is pale, the beak is chipped, cracked or has wounds, you should not choose it.
The belly of a live chicken is also an important factor for you to evaluate the quality. Use your hand to gently press on the belly of the chicken to feel. A healthy chicken will have a soft belly, not bloated or stiff. If the belly is tight or has a foul odor, it is a sign that the chicken is infected.
Color
Fresh chicken meat is usually bright pink, not pale or dark. If the chicken meat is dark red, dull or shows signs of decay such as turning gray or green, you should absolutely not buy it.
Fresh chicken meat is usually light pink, industrial chicken meat is usually darker pink.
You also need to pay attention to the storage conditions of the meat, because chicken can change color if left in the refrigerator or exposed to air for a long time.
Observe the surface of the meat
The surface of fresh chicken will be dry, not sticky or have foreign substances on it. If the surface of the meat has a layer of mucus or is slimy, the chicken is spoiled or has not been stored properly.
In addition, when cutting the meat, if the water that flows out is bright red, it means the chicken is fresh, but if the water is cloudy or has a foul odor, it means the chicken is spoiled.
Smell
Fresh chicken has a natural aroma. If the chicken smells sour, rotten, or has a strange odor, this is a sign that it has spoiled or been stored improperly.
Feel the elasticity
Fresh chicken meat has good elasticity, not too mushy or soft. You can use your hand to lightly press on the meat to check, if you see an indentation, the chicken may have been left for a long time and is no longer fresh.
Check the bones and skin
Fresh chicken skin will be light yellow (for domestic chickens) or white (for industrial chickens), without dark spots or bruises. The joints of fresh chickens will also be easily separated and show no signs of damage or inflammation.
If the chicken bones have cracks or swelling, it may be a diseased chicken or the meat was improperly stored.
TB (summary)