Wtf is up with aldi frozen chicken?

[randomuserhere]

I always buy frozen chicken from Aldi, the everyday essentials one! However, the last two times I've bought them, the taste and texture is so weird. The texture is exactly like eating a ball of bread that's been dropped in water... seriously vile! PS It is definitely cooked! I had it slow cooked all day and even then it had the same texture. Any reason why this is? Has anyone else noticed this with their chicken? I am on a budget so resorting to buying fresh seems like my only option

Because cheap chicken IS essentially a ball of bread soaked in water.

Try a more expensive chicken. You'll get a lot more meat off it and feel fuller if it isn't pumped with water.

I think I'm going to have to @Heratnumber7

£5.29 for 6 chicken breasts I've checked in aldi. Suppose it isn't too bad! Will it be ok if I freeze them? Will that change the texture?

@randomuserhere we buy our chicken fresh from Aldi and freeze it if we don't eat it in time and its always fine once defrosted and cooked 😁

If I'm slow cooking chicken I always buy fresh. Frozen seems to go weird otherwise.

Freezing fresh and defrosting before is fine and doesn't have that weird texture.

the frozen chicken is sometimes (check the box) injected with water.
fine for pan frying but vile in casserole

Might it be freezer burn?

The 1kg essentials is terrible. However the 500g one, £3.45 i think, is good

Go organic or halal, you'll never eat any other chicken again

Or alternatively, think of the welfare of the chicken that you’re buying. The cheapest chicken has had the shittiest life. Honestly. You wouldn’t wish it on your worst enemy. Eat less often and buy free range or organic. Much better quality.

Go organic or halal

What difference would Halal slaughter make to the quality of the meat?

YES I have noticed this lately about ALDI chicken from the freezer. An awful texture. It isn't reformed chicken, it is chicken breast so I can't understand it. I found the same with Tesco frozen chicken too.

Chicken thighs have so much more flavour. £2:80ish per kg for fresh from Lidl. Can't reasons why anyone would buy frozen.

Buy your chicken from a local butcher, it won’t be pumped with water like Aldi’s. It’ll be more expensive but better quality.
Why do think Aldi’s chicken is cheap.

Don't buy chicken breasts. It's a very expensive way to buy chicken.
Buy a whole chicken from a proper butcher.
Pound for pound it's much cheaper. It will keep its weight when cooked as it's not full of water, it will taste like chicken and will have the texture of meat - you'll need to actually chew!

As a PP said, think about the life of the bird that costs less than £2.50 to rear, kill and transport to the point of sale. Each person making a profit along the way. You really wouldn't wish it on your worst enemy.

If on a budget (or actually just anyway!) I only ever buy boneless chicken thighs now. Way nicer flavour. Or with bones in if I'm using slow cooker

Just buy fresh.