Supermarket Chicken

[walkersareback]

For a number of years on a cold weekend we would have roast chicken.

Sometimes we would even have one during the week.

Generally bought from supermarkets.

Usually Aldi, but sometimes Tesco or Marks & Spencer's or Morrisons. All generally good and tasty.

Over the last six months or so the chicken seems to be fattier and have less flavour. Also I have noticed that the chicken has a flap of fat just inside the breast cavity - something I have only ever seen when cooking goose before.

Is it just me or does anybody else feel that the quality of whole chickens has deteriorated? Is this an effect of relaxed conditions around good production/importation and Brexit? Is this literally our chickens coming home to roost?

I know I could buy organic and eat less but I am concerned that everyday basic food is not as good as it should be.

Thanks

Food production

It’s very expensive - I don’t live in the UK so cannot comment but I think bird flu has an impact

Can't say I've noticed any difference. Brexit has got a lot to answer for, but I don't think chickens have been affected by it.
The lump of fat has always been there - unless deliberately removed. I render it & cook roasties in it.

There was talk of chlorine treated/washed chicken coming from the states. I was wondering if it was anything like that.

I have never seen the pads of fat in chicken before

Due to avian flu all poultry have had to be housed this winter. If you are buying free range birds your chicken will have had less exercise than those you bought previously that could spend time roaming around outside.

I think this is it.

Aldi "Tierwohl" (high animal welfare) chickens where I live in Germany are really good and not fatty at all, but bird flu hasn't had much impact here.

These are ordinary supermarket chickens - not free range