‘It’s beautifully caramelized’: The best (and worst) supermarket chicken, taste and rating | A chick
TToday’s testing confirmed my belief that knowing where your food comes from is among the most effective actions consumers can take. This means buying from farmers markets, butchers, or directly from the farmer (online or in person). Some supermarkets now also work with independent family farms to provide better levels of transparency (although beware of fake farms, as some supermarkets have been known to pose as fictitious brands).
After roasting today’s chicken, it was abundantly clear to me that birds from independent family farms are far superior to supermarket own-brand chicken, even organic chicken. It is generally accepted that slow-raised, free-range, organic chickens develop tougher, more flavorful meat from the exercise they undergo by outdoor scratching. Forage is also important: birds that feed on pastures, grasses and corn have more complex flavors and often have sweeter, butterier meat.
I grilled all the birds, seasoned simply with sea salt and sunflower oil, over high heat at first for color, then low and slow to finish. I then placed them under clean tea towels for at least 10 minutes, to ensure maximum tenderness.
I tasted the breast and leg meat from each bird, not least because the latter is juicier and more distinct; Breast, meanwhile, tends to be very neutral in flavor.
The raw condition of a chicken is probably the clearest sign of quality: dry, blemish-free skin not only indicates good care and careful handling, but it has also been roasted to a rich, golden finish. Almost all of the best birds arrived dry and crisp. In contrast, chickens that were wet and had red marks, excess feathers, or wrinkled skin often indicated poor treatment, hasty processing, and evidence of “bulky” (water injection to inflate weight), all of which often meant more disappointing results.
Tasting points ran from £6/kg for entry-level free range to £11/kg for premium organic. But price isn’t everything: Ultimately, slow-grown, pasture-raised, transparently farmed chicken was superior in flavor and condition, and often better value than premium supermarket options. This is further proof that better farming and good eating go hand in hand.
Best supermarket chicken
Best overall:
Packington medium sized whole chicken
★★★★☆
Slow growing and strongly transparent Animal kindness and Sustainability. The flavor is amazing: sweet, rich, umami and really delicious. The raw condition is flawless, with pale yellow skin, firm yellow fat and dark breast meat. 2-star Great Taste Awardalso.
Best deal:
Thoughtful product free range whole chicken
★★★★☆
Slow-growing chickens raised on open pasture in Copas Farms. Complex and delicious flavor with herbaceous and mineral notes, it is well presented in a large pouch with flawless, pale, off-white skin and dark brisket. Farm management He appears Solid, but I couldn’t locate any published impact targets. However, it is an excellent value with strong transparency.
And the rest…
Black Farmer Organic Whole Chicken
★★★★☆
They are raised on small farms with 24-hour access to the outdoors. Cooked, the taste is excellent; Raw, very clean and flawless in appearance with a yellow complexion. The price is the highest in its class, but it’s a price that actually delivered, which is why this will be my top pick.
Herb fed a free-range whole chicken
★★★★☆
These birds grow slowly in small flocks on Yorkshire pastures with access to a shed, feeding on grass trimmings from a nearby farm. The flavor has a complex umami depth and a creamy texture. He was also well presented, with hydrated, flawless, pale skin. The farm demonstrates independent and transparent practices. Excellent value for its quality and provenance Great Taste Awards – Championship.
M&S Whole Chicken Corn Fed
★★★★☆
Slow growing and RSPCA content. This caramel is beautiful, scoring highly for flavour, with distinct depth and rounded sweetness. It arrived in excellent condition too, with clean, pale yellow skin and dark brisket. Great value and exceptional taste.
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Morrisons Best Corn Fed Whole Chicken
★★★☆☆
Slow growing East Anglian chickens, Red Tractor certified. Sweet, mineral, full flavour, with good depth and buttery texture. Its raw condition was excellent, its skin clean, corn-yellow and well dried. Reasonable price per kilo for a solid roaster in great condition.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Whole Free Range Chicken
★★★☆☆
Slow breeding and guaranteed by the RSPCA. The website says the chickens are raised in barns and fields, with access to forests, which is a big advantage because it is the birds’ natural habitat. The flavor features subtle, inviting mineral notes and a creamy texture. Raw, it had pale yellow-white skin with some small blemishes and feathers, but nothing to worry about, although it was a bit damp. Overall, good value for quality.
Tesco organic whole chicken
★★★☆☆
It is described on the packaging as “freedom to roam and play,” which may or may not indicate less access to the outdoors than standard free-range birds. The flavor is sweet and rich in minerals, while its raw state features a moist, white skin with only minor blemishes. However, more transparency and clearer provenance would improve trust.
Organic whole range duce chicken
★★★☆☆
It looks somewhat lean, but has a sweet, mineral, and earthy flavour. Its initial condition was excellent – dry, pale white skin and elongated legs, indicating it had been carefully hung. Quite expensive for the size, although I’m sure you’ll find better value by choosing a larger bird at the store (and with a better meat-to-bone ratio).
Asda organic free range whole chicken
★★☆☆☆
The flavor is sweet, savory and full-bodied, but the raw bird was in poor condition, with red blemishes, damp skin and wrinkled spots from the packaging, all of which caused a slightly uneven roast. Disappointing for an organic bird.