Are you interested in trying some new and exciting things in the New Year? If so, give our air-chilled chicken a try. Its tender, has lots of flavor and is very juicy! As part of processing chicken, the birds have to be cooled to a certain temperature to ensure food safety, and this can be done in one of two ways: immersion in cold water or by air-chilling. The most popular method in the U.S. has been to water-chill birds. However, a handful of chicken processors have recently embraced the air-chilled method, which has been used in Europe for more than 40 years. Each bird is individually chilled over the course of about three hours. Birds are moved into carefully monitored temperature-controlled chambers where cold air is misted on them. The birds move over a mile or more on tracks in these special chambers as they cool down. The air-chill process offers several tasty benefits! First, it keeps the meat juicy and tender; and second, it keeps the natural flavor of the bird locked inside. Additionally, because the birds have not been processed with water, they cook more quickly. Some say that these birds make the perfect roast. Hungry yet?!  Pick up some air-chilled chicken and give it a try in one of these recipes: Air-chilled chicken is available in ALL our stores year round. It’s not the only chicken we offer, so just look for “air-chilled” on the label or ask the meat guys in your local store and they’ll be happy to show you the air-chilled selection. You’ll find whole birds, of course, along with an assortment of parts like breasts, thighs, wings, drums and tenderloins. We are proud to work with our partners Pitman Farms, Bell & Evans, Joyce Foods, BC Natural, Field to Family and Miller Poultry to provide you tasty air-chilled chicken raised to our strict standards, including no antibiotics — ever. Have you tried air-chilled chicken? Could you taste the difference? Tell us more – we’d love to hear your thoughts!