A guide to meat: chicken

A handy guide to meat cuts and simple cooking techniques.

Breast: sold individually off the bone, with the skin on or off. Tender and lean, the breast is ideal for pan frying, stir-frying, grilling or chargrilling, and flash roasting. When roasting or barbecuing leave the skin on, so the meat doesn’t dry out. For delicate poaching, remove the skin. Rub with olive oil, fragrant spices and grill or pan fry before slicing; or butterfly and stuff with aromatic herbs, brown and finish in a hot oven.

Suprême: a single boned breast with the trimmed wing. A stylish cut well suited to rapid cooking. Brush with butter and flash-roast in the oven or a covered cast iron casserole dish. Good for grilling or light poaching too. The breast can be stuffed prior to cooking.  

Tenderloin/fillet: the small, tender fillet taken from just under the breast. Often comes as part of the breast. Very lean so requires minimal cooking. Quick sautéing, stir-frying or grilling is recommended. Great for warm salads.

Maryland: in New Zealand this refers to a cut of chicken comprising the thigh with the leg attached. Excellent for braising, roasting or barbecuing; the dark meat and bone guarantees extra flavour and moisture. Can be boned and stuffed.

Thigh: sold on or off the bone, and with or without skin. Dark, tasty meat that can stand a little more cooking. Suitable for gentle braising, chicken curries, aromatic tagines and marinating for the barbecue. Try minced for chicken sausages or Asian dumplings, rough chopped for terrines and chicken pie.

Drumstick/leg: lower portion of the leg with darker, tasty meat around the bone. Ideal for braising in wine or stock with onions and carrots; for curries or tagines, or marinate and barbecue. 

Feet: a textural delicacy. Boiled, deep-fried or steamed first, they are usually braised or stewed in rich sticky sauces, marinated then grilled or added to soups. Sometimes duck feet are used instead. They also make very good stock.

Livers: most commonly used for pâté, mousses and terrines. Also excellent pan fried or grilled with butter and garlic for a warm, winter salad. Look for bright, glossy livers for freshness. Available frozen too.

Wing: a great snack or cocktail nibble trimmed to their thickest part. Marinate in Asian or Moroccan spices and fry, roast, barbecue or chargrill.