Difference Between White and Dark Chicken
Table of Contents
Chicken is very famous as a healthy and affordable food source. Chicken contains vitamins, proteins, and several minerals. Along with this it can be made in so many ways and can be applied to different seasonings. While choosing chicken meat you may get confused about whether to choose white chicken or dark chicken. For this, you need to know the differences between the white and dark chicken.
White vs Dark Chicken
The main difference between white and dark chicken is that white chicken is the chicken meat that is found in wings and breasts, while the dark chicken is found in chicken legs. White chicken meat is mild and lean in flavor and easily dry out if you overcook it. On the other hand, dark chicken meat is juicy and more flavourful.
White chicken is the chicken meat that is found in the wings and breasts of the chicken. As these muscles are used for flight, these muscles require fast energy production. In these muscles of chicken anaerobic energy is used, so it can quickly break down carbohydrates. So, these chicken pieces have less fat and a dry and stiff texture.
Dark chicken is the chicken meat that is found in the legs of the chicken. As chickens mostly walk and run, these muscles allow for aerobic energy production. In these muscles, oxygen is used in converting fat and carbohydrates into fuel. For storing oxygen these muscles have a protein named myoglobin which gives the meat a dark color. For this, these chicken pieces are juicy and have more fat.
Comparison Table Between White and Dark Chicken
| Parameters of Comparison | White Chicken | Dark Chicken |
| Body part | White chicken is found in the breast and wings of the chicken. | Dark chicken is found in the legs of the chicken. |
| Red fiber | White chicken contains almost 10 percent red fibers. | Dark chicken contains almost 50% red fibers. |
| Softness | White chicken is stiff and dry in texture. | Dark chicken is soft and juicy. |
| Nutrition | White chicken has less amount of fat and calories. It is idle for those who want to cut fat and calories from his/her diet. | Dark chicken is high in fat and calories. It is also rich in zinc, riboflavin, iron, and niacin. |
| Taste | As white chicken has a stiff and dry texture, it is less tasty compared to dark chicken. It can easily dry out if overcooked a little. This white chicken tends to cook best in a stew or sauce to avoid dryness. | As dark chicken is juicy and soft it tends to cook best on the grill, roast, bake, pan-fry, or broil. |
What is White Chicken?
White chicken is the chicken meat that is found in chicken wings and breasts containing 10 percent of red fibers. These muscles of the chicken use explosive force as it is used for flight. These types of muscles of the chicken are the type 2 muscles that give support to short burst movement. Fast energy productions are also required in these muscles of chicken.
Due to the usage of an anaerobic energy system, these muscles can easily break down carbohydrates without any help from oxygen. For this, these muscles barely store myoglobin, which gives a darker shade to the chicken meat. As a result, these pieces are lighter in color.
White chicken is also low in calories and fat. Type 2 muscles generally convert energy from carbohydrates instead of fat. As a result, there are fewer fats in these muscles. This is why white chicken meat has a dry and stiff texture and has lower fat and calories.
White chicken is milder in taste and flavor and easily dry out if overcooked a little. White chicken needs to be seasoned heavily to be tasty and can be best if cooked in a stew or sauce. In the cooking world white chicken is popular compared to dark chicken because of its mild flavors. Chefs can add any flavor and can experience the white chicken.
What is Dark Chicken?
Dark chicken is the chicken meat that is found in the legs of the chicken. Dark chicken contains almost 50 percent of red fibers. Dark chicken is soft and juicy in texture.
As chickens mostly run instead of flying, the legs of the chicken have type 1 muscle fibers. This type of muscle fiber is allowed to conduct aerobic energy production. In this energy system, Oxygen is required for converting fat and carbohydrates into fuel.
For storing oxygen in these muscles a protein named myoglobin is found in dark meat. Myoglobin gives a darker shade compared to white chicken. In the aerobic energy system fat is used to convert energy. As a result, dark chicken has a high level of fat.
It has more saturated fat compared to white chicken. Apart from the fat, dark chicken is also rich in calories. Additionally dark chicken contains more Vitamin B-12, riboflavin, iron, thiamine, and Zinc compared to white chicken.
Dark chicken is more tender and softer compared to white chicken. As it has a juicy texture, for the high-fat content, it is widely used in roasting, broiling, grilling, baking. Dark chicken has a stronger flavor than white chicken. It can stand on its own in the department of flavor and taste.
Main Differences Between White and Dark Chicken
Conclusion
Choosing between white and dark chicken is very confusing sometimes. There has been a long-run debate around which chicken meat is better- the white chicken or the dark chicken. People choose chicken as their preference. White chicken is less tasty compared to dark chicken as it contains less fat and calories.
If you are looking to cut down calories and fat from your diet white chicken is the best option for you. Though white chicken can be cooked and seasoned in many ways by adding flavors. White chicken is considered to the Chef’s palate as they can add many flavors to this type of chicken. Dark chicken is tasty itself for the high level of fat. So it is mainly used as a roast, grill, or baking dish.
References
ncG1vNJzZmiZo6Cur8XDop2fnaKau6SxjZympmeUnrOnsdGepZydXZeytcPEnqVmr5iewaZ5wKebZpyRp7hur8eimqSdnmLEqsDHZquampyafA%3D%3D