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| Latin: |
Gallus gallus domesticus Brisson |
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| Origin: |
A fowl, Gallus gallus domesticus Brisson, belonging to the Phasianidae family. Chicken, together with ducks, turkeys, and geese are of the primary birds raised commercially or domestically for meat, eggs and feathers. They are also called poultry. guinea fowls, and squabs are chiefly of local interest.
Chickens were originally tree-dwelling birds, belong to the species Gallus, living in the jungles of Asia. The people of India were the first to domesticate this bird at least 4,000 years ago, and later the Greeks and Romans raised chicken rearing to a fine art, fattening chickens with barley and milk and confining them in cages to keep them tender. By the Middle Ages, chicken was a favorite dish throughout Europe. Modern high-volume poultry farms, with rows of cages stacked indoors for control of heat, light and humidity, began to proliferate in Great Britain around 1920 and in the United States after World War II.
The females (mature hens and younger pullets) are raised for meat and for their edible eggs. Farmers have developed numerous breeds and varieties to fulfill commercial requirements. Mature males (cocks, or roosters) have long been used for sport (now outlawed in many jurisdictions), but most immature males (cockerels) are castrated (in modern times usually chemically, with hormones that cause atrophying of the testicles) to become meat birds, called capons.
Originally, meat production was a by-product of egg production. Only hens that could no longer produce enough eggs were killed and sold for meat. By the mid-20th century, however, meat production had outstripped egg production as a specialized industry.
Chickens can be purchased whole, with weights that range from 1,350 to 4,540 g; cut in parts such as breasts, thighs, legs, and wings; and even as ground meat. Some chicken parts are available boneless and skinless. Chicken is usually sold fresh, but in some supermarkets it has been frozen and thawed.
Cornish game hens (also called Rock Cornish hens) are tender, young hens that are specially bred to be smaller-boned and meatier; they have a more delicate flavor. Broiler-fryers are young (about 45 days old), tender birds. Roasters are older, about 10 weeks old. Capons are large (3,600 to 4,500 g) castrated male chickens that have been kept confined so their meat is tender. Fowl or stewing hens are older, laying hens, and give excellent flavor to soup or broth.
Almost all body parts of the chicken have medicinal uses. However, chicken meat, the inner layer of the gizzard, eggs and egg shell are the most commonly used. Chicken can be purchased year-round.
In China, there is a special species of rooster, the black-bone chicken. It is maintained that this chicken is far more nutritious as a tonic than the ordinary chicken, especially for the women. To identify a black-bone chicken, just examine its tongue. A black tongue indicates it is a black-bone chicken. See Black-bone Chicken; also Rooster, Chicken Liver, and Egg, Chicken; as well as Herbs, Herbs for Removing Food Stagnation, Chicken Gizzard Membrane. |
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| Properties: |
Chichen flesh: sweet in flavor, warm in nature, it is related to the spleen and stomach channels;
chicken egg: sweet in flavor, mild in nature, it is related to the lungs channel.
chicken blood: salty in flavor, mild in nature. |
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| Functions: |
Chicken is not only delicious, but also therapeutically very effective. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is a tonic with warm nature and beneficial to blood and qi (energy), warming the middle region, nourishing the essence, spirit and semen. An old hen is even more nutritious for the infirm, pregnant women and the aged. It also invigorates the function of the spleen and stomach.
Chicken egg as a whole is again a very strong tonic. It nourishes the blood and yin (body fluids) and protects the foetus. For those cases at the convalescent stage of diseases, such as febrile disease, anemia (too few red blood cells in the bloodstream), yin deficiency, wounds and consumption disorders, hen's egg is the most ideal nutrient due not only to its high nutritious contents, but also to its digestibility.
Egg shell, when used in powder form, is good at stopping abdominal pain, rickets (caused by deficiency of vitamin D) in children and osteomalacia (painful softening of the bones, due to deficiency of vitamin D and calcium) in adults. The inner membranous layer (called "phoenix cloth" in traditional pharmacology) nourishes yin and benefits the lung, and is applied in chronic coughing and hoarseness.
Chicken blood nourishes and activates the blood and is detoxifying. |
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| Applications: |
1. For anemia with dizziness:
Boil 250 g chicken, 15 g processed tuber of multiflower knotweed, 15 g Radix Angelica sinensis, 15 g fruit of Chinese wolfberry under slow fire until the meat is well done. Consume it in two doses.
2. For lying-in women, the aged, the infirm and weak patients at convalescent stage:
Treat an old hen as usual. Rub the clean hen with a thin layer of salt on its outer and inner surfaces. Fill the cavity with 10 pieces of mushroom, 15 g red Chinese dates (after soaked in warm water). Add some millet wine, ginger slices, white onion bulb, monosodium glutamate and 500 ml water. Steam for 2 hours and serve.
3. For prolapse of anus, uterus with anemia, profuse sweating, sallow complexion:
Prepare a hen of 1,000 g as usual and put in boiling water for 1 minute, and set aside. Rinse some milk vetch root. Cut the hen into large cubes and put in a pot with 1,000 ml water. Cut the root into 5-7 cm segments. Add ginger, Chinese onion, millet wine and salt. Cook with slow fire until well done. Discard the root residue and consume the whole thing in one or two parts.
4. For tuberculosis with short breath, coughing and general weekness:
Cook 250 g chicken with 9 g Chinese caterpillar fungus until well done. Add salt, onion and flavourings and serve.
5. For loss of appetite and mild abdominal pain due to deficient spleen-stomach:
Prepare a cock as usual. Remove all the viscera, and put in 18 g dangshen, 3 g tangerine peel, 3 g cinnamon bark, 6 g dry ginger, 10 pieces of peppermint. Add some flavourings, including onion, fresh ginger, soybean sauce or salt, until the cock is well done. Consume at 2 meals on the same day or in 2 days.
6. Chicken flesh is also good for patient with viginal bleeding and discharge, frequent urination, diabetes, and for nursing mother with shortage of milk secretion and weakness after childbirth.
7. Chicken egg is good for hot disease, depression, dry cough, hoarseness, pink eyes, sore throat, insecure fetus, thirst after childbirth, diarrhea, and burns.
8. Chicken blood is used for women who have menstrual problems, excess blood in menstruation, pneumonia, asthma, hepatitis, unerrupted measles and broken bones. |
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| Dosage and Administration: |
Wash chicken thoroughly in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Chicken should always be cooked until well done. For best results, particularly when roasting a whole stuffed chicken, use a meat thermometer inserted in the meatiest part of the bird. Internal temperature for a whole chicken should be 82¢X C when the chicken is done.
You can make a visual check to see if the chicken is done by piercing it with a fork. You should be able to insert the fork with ease, and the chicken juices should run clear. Chicken is thoroughly cooked when it is no longer pink inside.
Roasting: Wash whole chicken inside and out under cold running water, then pat dry with paper towels. Mix together 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; sprinkle over outside of whole chicken and inside body cavity, or stuff with bread crumbs, vegetables, and spices if desired. Hook wing tips under the back of the chicken. Place chicken breast side up in a shallow pan. Roast in preheated 180¢X C oven for 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 82¢X C. Let stand 10 minutes before carving.
Frying: In a plastic bag, mix together 1/2 cup flour (60 g), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add cut-up chicken parts, a few at a time, and shake to coat. In a large frying pan, heat 1/3 cup (90 ml) cooking oil to high temperature. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook, uncovered, about 10 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook about 20 minutes more or until chicken is brown and fork tender.
Oven-frying: Melt 1/4 cup butter or margarine in a small pan or microwavable dish. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In a shallow dish, place 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs. One at a time, dip cut-up chicken parts in butter or margarine, and then in bread crumbs, turning to coat well. Place chicken pieces in single layer on lightly greased baking sheet, skin side up. Bake in preheated 190¢X C oven about 50 minutes or until chicken is brown and fork tender.
Simmering: In a large pot or Dutch oven, place 1 whole chicken or 1 cut-up chicken, 1,350 to 1,800 g. Add enough water to cover (2 to 2.5 liters), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add 1 small onion, sliced; 1 bay leaf; and 3 celery tops, if desired, for richer broth flavor. Cover and simmer about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until chicken falls off the bone. Remove chicken from pan and let cool. Separate meat from bones. Discard skin and bones. Cut chicken into desired size pieces.
Steaming: Place chicken pieces on a rack above simmer cooking liquid (broth, wine, or water). Simmer for about 45 minutes; test for doneness.
Broiling: Preheat broiler. Line broiler pan with foil for easy cleanup. Spray the rack of the broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray, if desired. Place chicken halves, leg quarters, parts, or boneless, skinless chicken pieces on rack set in broiler pan. Position oven rack so that chicken pieces on the broiler rack are 15 cm from the heat source. Broil, turning over several times, until juices run clear and internal temperatures reflect properly cooked chicken. Boneless chicken takes approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side; bone-in pieces, depending on the size, take about 20 minutes per side. Use tongs to turn chicken over to prevent piercing and loss of juices during cooking.
Grilling: For more uniform thickness and even cooking, flatten chicken halves with the heel of your hand before placing them on the preheated grill. To preserve chicken's natural moisture and to prevent dryness, leave the skin on during grilling and remove it before eating, if desired.
Place chicken halves, quarters, or parts on a prepared grill with the rack about 20 cm from the heat source. Grill, turning frequently (using tongs to prevent piercing skin), about 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until fork tender. Chicken drumsticks, thighs, or whole legs (thighs with drumsticks attached) require a longer cooking time than do chicken breasts. Homemade or bottled barbecue sauce (or other glazes) may be brushed on chicken during the last 10 to 20 minutes of grilling time.
To test the temperature, place your palms above the coals or heat source at cooking level. If you have to remove your hands after 2 seconds, the temperature is hot; after 3 seconds, medium hot; and after 4 seconds, medium. More than 4 seconds indicates the grill has not reached cooking temperature.
Microwaving: In a shallow microwave dish, arrange 1 cut-up chicken (or equivalent parts), skin removed, in a single layer, with meatier parts toward the edges of the dish. Brush chicken with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) melted butter or margarine. Cover with waxed paper and microwave on High 18 to 20 minutes or about 6 minutes per 450 g, rotating the dish a half turn after 9 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. When microwaving a whole chicken, use the Medium setting.
Check the "Sell By" date on the package. This date indicates the last day the chicken should be offered for sale. Meat and poultry should be prepared as soon as possible after the date of purchase, and used beyond the Sell By date only occasionally, if at all. Fresh chicken should have no detectable odor; the flesh should feel firm, and the surface should not feel slick.
Store chicken in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Raw poultry can be refrigerated for two days. Cooked chicken can be refrigerated for three days. If not served immediately, cooked chicken should be kept either hot, between 60¢X C and 71¢X C, or refrigerated at 4¢X C or colder.
When transporting cooked chicken to another dining site, place it in an insulated container or ice chest until ready to eat. If a cooked chicken is stuffed, remove stuffing to a separate container before refrigerating leftovers.
Freeze fresh chicken if you do not plan to cook it within two days after purchase. Wrap chicken parts individually in foil or freezer bags before freezing, and label the package for ease in selecting just the right number of parts to thaw for a single meal. Be sure to press the air out of the package before freezing. You may also freeze chicken in its original wrapping. Whole uncooked chickens may be kept for about 6 months in a freezer compartment or 12 months in a deep freeze; chicken cut in parts and frozen is best when used within 3 to 6 months.
Cooked chicken parts may be frozen in the same way as fresh. However, if the dish is made with a sauce or gravy, pack it tightly in a rigid container with a tight-fitting lid.
Thaw uncooked chicken in the refrigerator or in cold water. Never thaw chicken at room temperature. In the refrigerator, a whole chicken (1,800 g) should thaw within 24 hours; cut-up parts require 3 to 9 hours, depending on the size and number of parts. To thaw more quickly, place chicken (wrapped in a watertight bag) under cold water. Change the water often. A whole chicken should thaw in about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
For fastest thawing of uncooked or cooked chicken, use the microwave. Thawing time will vary according to whether you are thawing a whole chicken or parts, and the number of parts frozen together. Use the Defrost or Medium-Low setting, according to the manufacturer's directions. Turn the chicken and separate parts as they thaw, taking care the chicken does not begin to cook. Repeat as needed. |
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| Cautions on Use: |
The Chinese have a general belief that chicken should be avoided by those who have lingering toxidity.
There have been some articles that propose not to consume chicken head, the wings and the feet by those who have liver yang and are easily angered. The theory is that these parts could cause wind and sputum, and reinforce the fire.
The anus of the chicken is a lymph organ that is unique in birds. It could contain various bacteria and cancer cells and should be avoided.
Do not reheat cooked chicken or other poultry more than once. |
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| Reference Materials: |
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| Toxic or Side Effects: |
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| Modern Researches: |
Chicken meat is rich in protein, fat, minerals, including calcium, potassium, sodium and iron, vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C and E and nicotinic acid. It is low in fiber; and is an excellent source of selenium, niacin, and a good source of zinc.
Roast chicken eaten with the skin contains 9 g more fat per 100 g than skinless roast chicken flesh.
An average 140 g serving of chicken provides 35 mg of protein, which is more than half a man's daily requirement.
Chicken and other poultry contain good amounts of the amino acid tyrosine, which the brain uses to produce dopamine and noradrenaline. These substances trigger the brain cells that enhance concentration and mental alertness. For those whose concentration falters at certain times of the day, a snack containing poultry or game may provide a boost to mental abilities. Ready-cooked chicken or turkey slices are useful "power sources" for quick snacks.
Chicken and other poultry are ideal foods at all stages of life. They supply the 9 essential amino acids that are needed for the growth and repair of tissues, and they are easy to digest.
Both chicken and turkey are known for rarely causing allergic reactions, so they can be used in exclusion diets by those trying to identify allergies.
Chicken gizzard contains ventriculin.
Chicken egg contains high contents of protein, fat, vitamins A, B1 and B2, and nicotinic acid, minerals, including calcium, phosphorus, iron. It also contains ovalbumin, ovomucoid, ovomucin, and conalbumin.
Egg yoke contains lecithin, fatty acids and lutein.
Egg shell contains mainly calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, with some porphyrin.
Chicken blood contains protein, fat, vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, phosphorus, calcium, iron, etc. |
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