Living Outside The Lines: Chicken, Chicken, Chicken

If I am hungry for regular chicken strips, Cane’s is always my first choice. Chicken Express, Zaxby’s, KFC, Church’s, Golden Chick and Gill’s will all do in a pinch…

Becky J Miller | Exclusive to Corridor News

In 1960, the average American consumed 28 pounds of chicken annually and almost triple that amount, 63 pounds, of beef. In late 2016 the United States Department of agriculture estimated that in 2017, the average American would consume 92 pounds of poultry and only 58 pounds of beef. There is just something “fowl” about that y’all. #punintended

Why has chicken consumption practically quadrupled over the fifty plus year span while beef intake has dropped slightly? The answer is relativity simple. Many Americans have shifted to healthier eating, and chicken has less cholesterol and saturated fat than beef.

The Miller household is a prime example of the shift. When he was growing up, in the mind of our youngest son, neither chicken nor fish counted as meat. The boy wanted beef or pork, but mostly beef. Now that he’s an adult athlete who plays college football, he is much more cognizant of his diet, regularly consuming grilled chicken and broiled fish.

Let’s not presume that all chicken is healthy though. For example, when choosing between a McDonald’s hamburger and chicken nuggets, the burger is the better choice. Which is a great segue into the meat of this article #anotherpunintended, a discussion of all the delicious ways to eat chicken.

While I completely understand that neither Wingstop, nor Raising Canes are even remotely healthy, they are both so good! Wingstop’s boneless lemon pepper wings with a side of ranch and their mmm mmm good fries is definitely one of my favorite chicken meals. Hey don’t judge me, I always add the veggie sticks. Never mind that I slather those in ranch too.

If I am hungry for regular chicken strips, Cane’s is always my first choice. Chicken Express, Zaxby’s, KFC, Church’s, Golden Chick and Gill’s will all do in a pinch. It’s kind of hard to ruin chicken, and although the strips at each of these restaurants may be fried, at least they are made of all breast meat and not pieces parts.

In a class all by itself stands Chick Fil A. When dining there, my healthy choice is to order strips instead of the sandwich so I can feel better for not consuming the extra carbohydrates disguised as a bun. Until it was stricken from the menu I always ordered cole slaw too. #gottoeatmyveggies

I’ll let you in on another of my dirty little secrets. Sometimes when ordering a salad with chicken, if there is a choice between grilled and fried, I have been known to yield to temptation and order fried. It just tastes better, and there really are not that many more calories. Come on, it’s a SALAD, and I order it with the dressing on the side. I’m allowed a slight indulgence.

Chicken really is versatile; chicken tacos, chicken spaghetti, chicken enchiladas, grilled chicken, teriyaki chicken, chicken tortilla soup (a personal favorite), BBQ chicken, chicken chili, chicken pot pie, roasted chicken and vegetables, just to name a few. There are 93  chicken recipes in just one click. It is almost possible to eat chicken every day without getting bored.

So, to answer the age-old question, “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” Who cares! Let’s eat!

Until Next Time,
Becky J Miller
“Warrior Princess”

Becky J Miller is a contributor and is exclusive to SM Corridor News. You can read more of Becky’s columns in Lifestyle.