Chicken gizzards are an uncommon meat source that many people are not familiar with. Chicken gizzards are a part of the chicken that is rarely used, as most recipes call for the breast or thigh.
Unlike the breast and thigh, the gizzard contains no meat. It is the muscular pouch in which birds store their food before digestion.
Since it plays a major role in helping chickens digest their food, it is a good source of nutrients for them. Interestingly, chickens can’t digest seeds so they collect them in their gizzard where they are eventually ground up by stones and grit that the bird has collected to wash down its food during digestion.
People eat chicken gizzards for its nutritional value and taste. It is an inexpensive source of protein that you can buy in bulk at most grocery stores.
Benefits of gizzard chicken
Although most people view chicken gizzard as an unnecessary part of the bird, those who know its value would never throw it away.
This little muscle has many benefits. For one, it is a great source of protein. Chicken gizzards are about 80% protein, making them a good addition to any diet. Those following a keto diet may want to keep some chicken gizzards on hand!
Additionally, chicken gizzards contain some vitamins and minerals. They contain some vitamin A and B vitamins, such as niacin and thiamine.
They also have some vitamin B6 and zinc. Unfortunately, chicken gizzards contain very little of these nutrients. You need to eat enough of them to benefit from the small amount that they contain.
Finally, chicken gizzards contain iron. This helps prevent anemia, which is low red blood cell count. People who are athletic and sweat a lot may need to add more iron into their diets.
How to cook gizzard chicken
Gizzard chicken can be cooked in a few different ways. You can grill it, roast it, or fry it. Grilling gives a nice smoky flavor, roasting gives a more pronounced flavor, and frying gives you that classic crispy texture.
Most recipes call for olive oil, seasonings like salt and pepper, and either butter or dredge material like flour. When grilling, some suggest putting the gizzard pieces on a wire rack to prevent them from getting soggy.
Just make sure to keep an eye on them as they cook so they do not burn. Once cooked, let them cool and dig in!
Gizzard chicken is best served with some sides. Some suggestions are potatoes, rice, pasta, or veggies like broccoli or carrots. If you are looking for a lighter side dish, some suggestions are greens like spinach or lettuce. (https://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov/pmc/article/PMC5649743/).
Recipes with gizzard chicken
Besides being a good source of protein, gizzard chicken can be used in many recipes. You can use gizzards as a replacement for chicken wings in recipes.
They also work well when making fried chicken or sandwiches. If you want to get creative, try making casseroles or pasta dishes with gizzard chicken instead of chicken breasts.
Since it has a similar texture, it would blend well and be delicious. An easy recipe is to take some gizzard chicken, wrap it in a panera bread wrapper with some cheese and bake it!
Another easy recipe is to take frozen gizzard chicken and heat it in a pan with some sauce until heated through. It is a great way to use frozen food and save money!
Cooking with gizzard chickens can be fun and let you be creative.
Gizzard chickens are noisy birds
If you have ever lived near a chicken farm, you would know that chickens are noisy birds. They cluck, they crow, they lay eggs, but what if I tell you that there is one thing they do better than all the other things?
That thing is walking!
Chickens are very efficient when it comes to walking. They have a special gait that helps them move around and evade predators. It also makes a very loud noise!
Because of this ability, chickens were once used in manufacturing machines that required moving parts. The clucking of the chickens made it easier to determine when the machine had malfunctioned.
Unfortunately, because of how efficient they are at walking, very few chickens end up being used in beds.
Where to buy gizzard chickens
If you want to try gizzard chickens, where you buy them makes a big difference. You can buy them at your local grocery store, but they are likely to be mass-produced and raised in cages.
These chickens are likely to be fed an inferior diet and treated poorly, as well. This is not good for the chickens’ meat or your health!
You can also buy them at farmers markets, but there is no guarantee about how the chicken was raised. It may be past the point of being healthy for eating, especially if it was an older bird.
If you want healthy gizzard chickens, it is best to go to chicken swaps. These events happen once a month or so and feature hundreds of people who bring their chickens out to play. You can go out and select the healthiest looking ones and purchase them for a good price.
What is the price of gizzard chickens?
When buying chickens, you will often see people talk about a special kind of chicken they call the gizzard chicken. These birds are typically younger and cost less at the store than their older, more mature counterparts.
This is not because the older chickens are of poorer quality, but because the young chickens are a better investment strategy.
Younger chickens tend to grow more rapidly, so by the time they are adults, they will be much bigger and therefore cost more.
Where can I find these birds?
So now that you know what chicken gizzards are and why they are good for you, the next question is how can you find them?
If you are lucky enough to have a local chicken farmer, then check with them to see if they have any gizzards available. Some farms even sell them online.
Depending on the farm, they may clean the chickens themselves or hire someone else to do it. If you buy a whole chicken, you can ask the farm how to get the gizzards since they would have to clean them.
Local markets and butcher shops usually carry chicken gizzards as well. You could even order a whole chicken and ask for the gizzard separately if you want just that part.
Why should you eat them?
Because they are a less popular chicken organ, gizzards are cheaper to purchase. They are also easy to find at most supermarkets and butchers. You can even find them at Wal-Mart if you are one of the few that have that as a grocery store.
Everyone loves chicken, making it a perfect meal for everyone. It is not too expensive to make either, so you can make it for a busy week night dinner. It also serves a lot of people, so you can either save the leftovers or feed someone else!
Overall, gizzards are a healthy meat option. They provide some protein and some vitamins and minerals. They are also low in fat and calories, so if you are looking to cut down on your weight-loss diet, they are a good source of meat to do so with.
