Poultry and Fowl: Cookery

Since its introduction in the seventeenth century, the chicken has been America’s most important fowl. The mild, neutral flavor of chicken is flattered by any number of different seasonings and companion ingredients. Inexpensive and plentiful, chicken lends itself to an appealing variety of cooking methods and recipes. Chicken—whole or in parts—can be roasted, baked, fricasseed, deviled, fried, hashed, sautéed, made into soups, broths, gumbos, and gravies, and incorporated into pies, puddings, and croquettes. Cold chicken can be served in salads and sandwiches. Poultry can be stuffed with bread, grain, forcemeat, or vegetables or be served with special gravies and sauces, such as oyster and curry sauces. Almost all parts of a chicken, including neck, gizzard, feet, heart, and liver, are consumed in various ways. Recipes for preparing chickens for the table have abounded in cookbooks since the early nineteenth century. These include barbecued chicken, chicken potpie, chicken and dumplings, chicken Maryland, Brunswick stew, jambalaya, gumbo, and chicken à la king.