Celebrate World Chicken Day with delicious, nutritious meals

With bird flu threatening production, appreciate your chicken,

IHAVE heard it said many times – a Sunday meal 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. Tomorrow (or the second Thursday in October) is known as World Chicken Day. And why the cluck not? Whether it is sticky chicken wings, a crispy drumstick, chicken strips, burgers or à la king, there’s no denying the deliciousness and versatility of this meat.

At a recent pot-luck with a group of girlfriends, chicken was the unintentional star of the show, with the white meat featuring in almost every dish, from a creamy chicken and mushroom to butter chicken, chicken kebabs and roast chicken.

We were surprised to see how many chicken dishes there were, each very different from the next.

Some of the biggest fast food restaurants in the world built their success on the humble chicken – Kentucky Fried Chicken, Nandos, Chicken Licken…

Cocotte, La French Rôtisserie, is a French-style chicken eatery in Sea Point.

Cocotte means a child’s name for “hen”, or is French slang for “baby chicken” or chicks.

Co-owner Catherine Lauria says chicken is not only good, but it “pleases the whole family, from parents to kids”.

Lauria explains the difference between the portions and why we love it so much.

“Chicken is very good when eaten warm. 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.

Lauria explains that darker meat from the bird, such as chicken legs, chicken wings and chicken thighs, has a higher fat content than the white breast meat, mainly because it contains more connective tissue which holds 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 great.

“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.”

There is no doubt that South Africans love chicken – be it on the braai, in a stew or from their favourite fast food restaurant.

And so do the French, as Lauria explains.

“Chicken is very healthy and délicieux (delicious).

“The French are going to the rôtisserie to buy their chicken, like they are going to the boulangerie to buy their baguette,” she said.

In France rôtissoire is a strong part of the French culinary heritage, dating back to 1248, when King Louis IX ordered the establishment of guilds – including one called Les Oyeurs or “goose roasters”.

By 1509, when King Louis XII was in power, the guild’s knowledge was extended to include the preparation of other meats, including poultry and venison.

“Delphine (her business partner) and I, are passionate about food and we wanted South African people to discover this French tradition,” Lauria says.

“Cocotte’s goal is to bring that simple but delicious and healthy food to South Africa.”

Rotisseries are widespread in France and are 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!