Nutritional value
Chicken is leaner than pork, beef or lamb and, as such, is the
health food “par excellence.”
Cooked with skin removed, it is the
leanest meat with 1 gram of saturated fat per 100-gram portion of
white meat. In addition, it is an excellent source of protein and
vitamin B complex (niacin, B6 and B12): nearly 30 grams per 100
grams of white meat. Brown leg meat is higher in fat than white breast meat and the skin contains 10 times more fat than brown meat.
Storage life
Never store raw chicken for more than 48 hours in the refrigerator to avoid the proliferation of bacteria leading to salmonella poisoning. Whole chicken with giblets removed or pieces of chicken should be wrapped in plastic and then in foil before storing in the refrigerator to preserve flavour and nutritional elements.
To freeze chicken, wrap tightly in plastic and aluminium foil or in freezer bags.
Never re-freeze defrosted chicken.
There are several methods for defrosting chicken. The safest is to defrost in the refrigerator to limit juice loss and the proliferation of bacteria. Allow 10 hours per kilo (5 hours per pound) and leave the chicken in its wrapping, piercing a few holes at the bottom to let the liquid drain.
Chicken can also be defrosted in cold water. Allow 2 hours per kilo (1 hour per pound) and change the water frequently.
Defrosted chicken must be cooked within 48 hours.
Chicken labelled “previously frozen product” must be refrigerated and cooked within two days from the date of packaging.
Storage life chart
|
Product
|
Refrigerator
|
Freezer
|
|
Fresh whole chicken
|
1 to 3 days
|
10 to 12 months
|
|
Fresh chicken pieces
|
1 to 3 days
|
6 to 8 months
|
|
Ground chicken
|
1 to 2 days
|
2 months
|
|
Chicken cooked in sauce
|
1 to 3 days
|
3 to 6 months
|
|
Chicken cooked without sauce
|
3 to 4 days
|
1 to 3 months
|