Chicken is a versatile staple in almost every culture's cuisine which can be prepared in a myriad of ways.

Chicken is comparable to beef in quantity and quality of protein, with 3 1/2 ounces of roasted chicken breast supplying 49% of the RDA for protein for the average man, and 62% for the average woman.

Dark-meat chicken supplies about the same amount of fat as light meat with the skin-(-about 10 grams of fat in 3 1/2 ounces roasted. Dark meat with the skin is the fattiest of all (16 grams of fat per 3 1/2 ounces roasted).

Be sure to select pasture-raised poultry that is produced without hormones or antibiotics.

Estimated Glycemic Load = 1

When shopping for a whole chicken, look for a well-shaped bird with a plump, rounded breast, and more breast than leg. Individual cuts should be plump and moist. Fresh chicken is highly perishable -store it immediately in the coldest part of your refrigerator and keep it in its original store wrapping. Make sure that the fluids from the package do not leak onto other foods in the refrigerator.