Why no smaller chicken breasts now?

[Caslon]

So. Calif. Both Vons and Albertsons and Ralphs all only carry the huge half chicken breasts. Man, these are way too huge for b-b-q. (Foster Farms).
Whatever happened to the packs of 2 regular sized breasts I used to buy?

There IS one brand that has the smaller sized breasts, but those are chickens that I won't buy. The meat has the texture of tofu and is as tasteless. I don't know what those kinds of chicken are fed, but wow...blubber chicken.

 

[Kayelle]

I know what you mean........chicks with implants.

 

[babetoo]

i don't like them either. now it is starting to happen with thighs, mostly the ones in bag. i don't care for the flavor either. so i buy the least expensive ones packaged by the store. just ordered chicken tenders to avoid the over sized breasts. a lot of people think that big is better. not so in this case. maybe enough people complained to butcher, they might make the smaller ones available.

 

[buckytom]

'cause we're american, darnit!

god bless the u.s.a, from c to shining c.


lol, j/k.

 

[bakechef]

I too wish for smaller bone in breasts. The ones that my grocer carries are HUGE! I bet if you went into a place like whole foods, that you could find smaller breasts that actually have some flavor.

 

[Chef Munky]

It could be that the chicken was once a whole roaster. Those can weigh up to 6 pounds. The chances that it could be a Capon is slim. Maybe that's a good thing.

If you want top quality chicken find a butcher. You might pay a little more for it, but they know how that chickens been raised and with what.If anything.

You can still grill-bbq them.
Butterfly the breasts. Tenderize. Season up and cook.
They won't take as long to cook as the whole breast would.

Munky.

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

I've stopped buying the giant Pamela Anderson chicken at my local grocers. It reached the point where I was butterflying chicken breasts for every recipe (and butterflying butterflied breasts for dishes like piccata).

Bigger doesn't always mean better. Most mass-market chicken farms are disgraceful in their operation to boot.

Started buying from a local farm that sells eggs in addition to chicken. They are comparable in price to our local supermarket, they taste much better, and all it involves is a peaceful ride down a back road now and then.

I'm actually thinking about raising my own in a few years.

 

[CookLikeJulia]

Nice suggestion Nicholas. For me, it is the best way if you want to buy what do you expect for.

 

[suzyQ3]

How funny to see this thread today. We're making a grilled chicken pesto tonight that called for four bone-in, skin-on breasts. Not only are the FF ones gigantic, but of course they come packaged three to a pack...undoubtedly to make me buy two packs. I will freeze two of the breasts, but it's still annoying. Maybe next time I'll try Whole Foods.

 

[GrillingFool]

oh come on now! Those mutant monster chicken parts have flavor!

THEY REALLY DO HAVE FLAVOR! I PROMISE! IT IS TRUE!!

BECAUSE THEY ARE INJECTED WITH UP TO 18% BROTH AND FLAVORINGS!!!!

Says so right on the package. YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
(Course, if you boil the meat it becomes rubbery, no matter how you do it. )

 

[vagriller]

So do smaller breasts mean the chicken has more personality?

 

[suzyQ3]

oh come on now! Those mutant monster chicken parts have flavor!

THEY REALLY DO HAVE FLAVOR! I PROMISE! IT IS TRUE!!

BECAUSE THEY ARE INJECTED WITH UP TO 18% BROTH AND FLAVORINGS!!!!

Says so right on the package. YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
(Course, if you boil the meat it becomes rubbery, no matter how you do it. )

Not the Foster Farm breasts I have in my refrigerator right now. They have nothing added.

Foster Farms : Poultry FAQs : Product Quality

 

[CookLikeJulia]

I just checked at Fresh Market, I am not sure if you have that in Cali but they have small chicken breast parts, also at Wal-Mart I guess.

 

[Claire]

They're breeding chickens to have larger breasts because so many people only eat the white meat. Have you ever bought the leg & thigh portions you can buy by the bag for 49 cents a pound? Some are very deformed. Have this mental picture of what those chickens must look like with deformed legs and huge breasts.

This time I bought the IQF breasts (just way to convenient NOT to have on hand) and realized that in order to get the weight on the label I got a portion of a half of a breast. In truth, it worked well for me. A lot of these breast portions are so huge that one will do for both of us for dinner if it is something like a stir fry or anything sliced/chopped/diced in a sauce. Sometimes it is a two are too many, one not enough situation, and that piece of chicken that isn't an entire portion is good.

I've lived in a small town for ten years now, so sometimes don't know what is available any more. I used to be able to buy bags that were smaller breasts or ones that were larger.

 

[Dumpandstir]

This wont help for bone in but I just split them. You could also get the marks and flavor on the grill and finish in the oven.

 

[CharlieD]

Gee, I wish I could find huge breasts, the ones i get are size of a pigion.

 

[Robo410]

they've done to chickens what they did to turkeys...breed for big breasts and so big they can't walk around.

I buy local chickens and cut them up myself. You only want white meat? you can make broth or stock from the rest. No reason to waste anything.