I have heard this being said many times: a Sunday lunch is not complete without chicken.
Whether you are having it fried or braai’d, hot or cold, in summer or winter, chicken is a staple in many homes.
The world’s most popular poultry is loved by young and old, so it’s only right that it has its own day.
On 10 October (or the second Tuesday in October) it is World Chicken Day.
And why the cluck not?
Whether it is sticky chicken wings, a crispy drumstick, chicken strips, burgers or chicken ala king, there’s no denying the deliciousness and versatility of this meat.
Some of the biggest fast food restaurants in the world built their success on the humble hoender – KFC, Nandos, and Chicken Licken to name a few.
Catherine Lauria, the Co-owner of Cocotte La French Rôtisseri, a chicken eatery in Sea Point, says chicken is not only good, but it “pleases the whole family from parents to kids”.
“Chicken is very good when eaten warm,” she says.
“You can eat it with mayo, or a low fat herb sauce or just with Dijon mustard like the French do.
“The next day if you have leftovers, cold chicken is delicious with a green salad and Dijon mustard.
“Darker meat from the bird, things like chicken legs, chicken wings and chicken thighs, have a higher fat content than the white breast meat, mainly because they contain more connective tissue which hold the fat.
“That said, just as with beef and red meat, that connective tissue is amazing in its own right for distributing moisture in the cooking process, making chicken taste amazing.
“It’s for this reason that chicken thighs and wings taste incredible when they’re slow roasted, because the fat and collagen melts and keeps the meat tender and juicy during the cooking process.”
Rotisseries are widespread and the traditional way of cooking chicken at a very slow rotation.
“The slow rotation intensifies the flavour, resulting in tender, delicious tasting meat.
“It also roasts without retaining fats and oils and without the charring effect of barbecuing, this results in a chicken that is healthier and juicier,” Lauria says.
Here’s to the cluck!