Better Roasted Chicken Starts with a Better Bird

The perfect holiday tablescape is set for entertaining. You took time planning, crafting, and preparing a delicious menu—fresh-baked bread, your best dessert, roasted seasonal vegetables, wine glasses filled. Everyone’s seated at the table waiting for the chicken and when it appears, it’s perfectly golden-brown, dotted with fresh herbs and covered in the crispiest skin. Or maybe it’s not. The difference between a holiday meal that’s absolutely perfect and one that’s sub-par depends so much on the bird. Here’s how to buy the best chicken.

Better Taste
The perfect roasted chicken is plump and juicy with tender meat that’s never dry, and crispy, golden skin. Of course, the bird has to be cooked just right, but starting with a high-quality, all-natural, air-chilled chicken sets you up for success. In short, your roasted chicken can only be as good as the product you start with. You may have heard of air-chilled chicken, or maybe your favorite brand touts that it’s air-chilled on the label, but what exactly does that mean? At processing, the chicken must be quickly chilled after it is harvested. Instead of being submerged in water, air-chilled chicken is chilled using cold air, which preserves the texture and tenderness of the meat and keeps the skin taut so it crisps up nicely when roasted. When you’re looking for an all-natural, humanely raised and handled chicken that’s always air-chilled and guaranteed to be a hit at your holiday table, Smart Chicken® checks every box.

Quality & Convenience
Of course, the holidays are busy, and even when you opt for high-quality ingredients, you don’t have time to go the extra mile to prep and cook them. When you choose a whole Smart Chicken, you don’t just get a better bird; you get a product that’s already prepped and just about ready to cook. We don’t just hand-trim our chicken cutlets, we prep and even truss every whole bird at the processing level, so you don’t have to worry about it. Whole Smart Chickens are cleaned and removed of viscera, wing tips are clipped, and they’re even trussed before packaging. That means less fuss and less mess, but it also means that you get a better value; you only pay for the tender, juicy chicken your family enjoys.

Effortless Entertaining
Simply season the whole bird, stuff with aromatics, and pop into a preheated oven. In under an hour, you have an easy weeknight meal, a second protein option for your holiday crowd, or a holiday centerpiece everyone will love.