chicken Recipes

Chickens are mostly classified according to their best use: Broiler-fryers are up to 3 1/2 pounds, 2 1/2 months old. Roasters (have greater fat content so better roasted) are 2 1/2 - 5 pounds, up to 8 months old. Stewing chickens, aka hens, boiling fowl, and fowl, are 3-6 pounds, 10-18 months old. A capon is a rooster castrated before 8 weeks, up to 10 months old, 4-10 pounds with large tender breasts from a fattening diet, perfect for roasting. Rock Cornish game hens are hybrid of Cornish and White Rock chickens which are up to 2 1/2 pounds, between 4 and 6 weeks old (because of their small size they are often served one per person). Squab chicken, aka poussin in French, are not squab, but are small less than 1 1/2 pound chickens, between 4 and 6 weeks old. Cocks and roosters are older, tougher birds, best of soups and broths. Free-range chickens are guaranteed 2 square foot of space each indoors and freedom to roam outside (as opposed to mass-produced chickens which only have 1 square foot on indoor space), and are often fed a special diet free of antibiotics, growth enhanders or hormones, which is said to give them a better flavor.