Who doesn’t love chicken? No, really: who doesn’t? Most cultures seem to have embraced this bird as an important part of their gastronomic traditions. No matter where you are, you can rest assured that the locals have come up with an unexpectedly delicious way to serve chicken.
The numbers support the importance of chicken. Poultry is the second most-consumed meat in the world after pork. Despite this popularity at the table, historical evidence suggests that humans first bred chickens for fighting, a tradition that still lingers in some countries, but not in the United States, where the practice is deemed inhumane.
From Egypt to Rome
The genealogy of domesticated chickens stretches back 7,000 to 10,000 years. More or less 3,750 years ago these birds arrived in Egypt but were considered fighting birds. It took one thousand years for Egyptians to figure out that those feisty birds were delicious as well. Egyptians then proceeded to develop chicken breeding on a pharaonic scale, mastering artificial incubation and building vast incubation complexes.
Romans, for their part, developed methods to fatten chickens. The practice became so widespread and obsessive that it rose concerns among government officials, who feared that this form of overindulgence could contribute to the decadence of the Roman society.
Obscurity and Stardom
After the fall of the Roman Empire, chicken breeding falls into obscurity. In fact, well into the 20th century, production of this bird was still an occasional and mostly local endeavor. This was due to the fact that chickens needed space and sun to grow, making it difficult to raise them on a large scale.
Things changed with the advent of vitamins and antibiotics that allowed chicks to be raised indoors, paving the way for factory farming and the unanimous adoption of chicken as a global food.
The success of this meat may be explained in part by its versatility. Its natural texture and flavor are almost neutral, serving as a common base for many different culinary traditions.
With this observation in mind, it’s no coincidence that some of the most iconic applications of chicken in modern cuisine are dishes that represent the combination of different cultures, for example, chicken tikka masala, or General Tso’s chicken. Regardless of where we live or what we do, chicken has the power to bring us together.
Try Our Chicken Dishes!
At Chef Gourmet we appreciate chicken’s history, nutritional value, and culinary importance. Our Gourmet Prepared Meals often feature celebrated chicken-based dishes such as chicken parmesan and chicken Hawaiian style.
Our philosophy involves working with local suppliers we know and trust. This way, we support our communities while offering you dishes made with only the freshest ingredients.
Our address is 1910 S. Archibald, Unit O, Ontario, California. Contact us today by telephone (1-888-536-5269), email, or through our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn more about our menus and our wide array of services: Corporate Lunch Boxes, Full-Service Catering, Coffee Services, and Gourmet Prepared Meals.
