Hello everyone! Tough chicken question ...

[chainsaw]

As a way of introduction I would like to pose a question. Does anyone know why some chickens are as tough as an old shoe? I fried chicken tonight, my husbands favorite food, and we couldn't even bite the meat off of the bone! Go figure! The package said it was a hen. Was this a clue to boil it first? Thank you for reading my question.

 

[GB]

Welcome to the site.

If I am not mistaken, a hen is a chicken that is over a year old. The older the chicken the tougher it will be.

 

[kitchenelf]

Hi and welcome to DC. Sorry about your tough

 

[Cordel]

Hi there, yes a hen is an older chicken. Now the meat is much too tough to just fry, but if you fry it with onions, and then put a can of tomato soup, or sauce, or homemade sauce, cover and simmer on a really low temperature for a couple of hours, you will end up with a really good tasting stew. Hen also makes the most amazing soup!

 

[Uncle Bob]

Welcome to DC Chain Saw......Next time try Chicken Sauce Piquant or any other recipe that calls for a s-l-o-w simmering in liquids....For frying look for "Fryers" in your grocery store. I like them 4 bls or less.

Enjoy!

 

[David Cottrell]

Welcome Chainsaw! Yep, you got an old bird. That's for stewing or bowling and then making dumplings.

 

[Loprraine]

Welcome to DC, Chainsaw. Yup, us old birds can be tough.

 

[Bilby]

Welcome to DC!