Opinion

The worst piece of meat: the chicken breast

12.6.2019

Translation: machine translated

The fitness craze has meant that chicken breast has been experiencing a hype for years. Lots of protein, hardly any fat, no flavour at all. A reckoning with the saddest piece of meat in the world.

The chicken breast is the incarnate equivalent of the urbanised Swiss agglomeration of single-family homes: lacking in profile and sad. It is more tasteless than a painting by Rolf Knie or a show by Divertimento. It is the political centre of the meat industry. The BDP slogan "Boring, but good" could just as easily have been chosen by the industry association "Proviande" for the chicken breast.

We fly on poultry

A look at the agricultural report shows that Swiss poultry meat is selling better and better. Although per capita consumption has fallen slightly overall, the Swiss are buying more consciously and opting for Swiss products. This is certainly pleasing from a sustainability perspective. Less pleasing is the fact that a large proportion of meat ends up as brisket on fitness plates and on the barbecue. Over 13 million kilos of chicken breast per year, as "Proviande" reports on request. By comparison, 8 million kilos of chicken thighs are sold in the same period. So what drives people to eat a piece of meat that tastes like nothing and looks like even less?

"I don't really eat meat, except..."

Chicken breast is the piece of meat for the health-conscious flexitarian. They "never actually" eat meat. Except chicken breast. For decades, fitness bibles and nutrition programmes have been praising chicken breast as the piece of meat that is "healthy". Low fat, no cholesterol, lots of protein and hardly any flavour. In these circles, the flavourlessness of chicken breast is considered a sign of quality. You can season your chicken breast however you like, it has no flavour of its own anyway. To each his own individual piece. The meat degenerates into a carrier for spices, marinades and sauces. It is nothing more than the piece of bread that serves as a carrier for butter, jam and palm oil hazelnut spread at breakfast. Now you might be saying "It's not dry if it's prepared properly!". That's right. But the brüstli still doesn't taste right when prepared properly. And the brüstli is usually prepared incorrectly anyway.

Pale pink and unusable: The chicken breast in its raw form

While there has long been a trend towards eating the whole animal ("nose to tail") for pork and beef, chicken still has a special status. At least the industry has found a way to utilise the leftovers. It serves us carcasses pressed through sieves as chicken nuggets, schnitzel or cordon bleu. Here, too, the main thing is that you don't see the original form.

Directly from the Matrix

In dystopian visions of the future, people eat grey, indefinably shaped food. What authors and directors intended to disgust viewers has long since become a reality. The chicken breast resembles a culinary horror vision. Only searing gives the piece a light browning and conceals the greyish-white meat. If you blanch the chicken breast, it could be straight out of "The Matrix". Its grey, sad appearance will make you forget that it was once an animal. No skin, no bones, no fat, no veins, no blood. Just a piece of protein.

Let it be

Leave the chicken breast behind. Instead, don't eat any meat at all. Or buy chicken thighs, chicken wings and whole chicken. They offer crispy skin, juicy meat and crunchy cartilage. That's chicken. Once you've got over the chicken breast, treat yourself to chicken livers. Or chicken hearts. Or chicken combs. You can even eat nuggets and chicken schnitzel for all I care. They contain the rest of the chicken that had to die for their breasts. It all tastes better than chicken breasts.

Unfortunately, demand determines supply. Pumped-up fitness trainers recommend the brisket. Their disciples follow them blindly. By the way, you can also follow me by clicking on my author profile below. You will then receive an email as soon as I publish a new article.

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Simon Balissat

Teamleader Editorial

Simon.Balissat@digitecgalaxus.ch

When I flew the family nest over 15 years ago, I suddenly had to cook for myself. But it wasn’t long until this necessity became a virtue. Today, rattling those pots and pans is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a true foodie and devour everything from junk food to star-awarded cuisine. Literally. I eat way too fast.

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