How Much Chicken Should You Cook Per Person? [ANSWERED]

There is always a little wiggle when defining the right chicken size to cook per person.

Nonetheless, several health authorities recommend sticking to the daily and weekly directions for protein. So how much chicken should you cook per person?

For a typical meal where there would be side dishes, you need 8 ounces of bone-in chicken per person. The rule of thumb is to consider whether you are cooking bone-in or boneless pieces of meat. Further, you will have to increase the amount of chicken if you are serving bone-in chicken pieces.

Nonetheless, it is essential to understand that the cuts of chicken will change the dynamics of calculating the right amount to serve per person. Read on to learn more about how different chicken parts will dictate the amount to serve per person.

How Much Chicken Breast Per Person

Knowing how much chicken per person and how much chicken breast to cook are two different things. This is because 5 ounces of cooked chicken breasts is not the same as 5 ounces of uncooked chicken breast.

When determining the chicken breast per person, you need to plan for 8 ounces of boneless breast chicken where the meat will be the main meal accompanied by some side dishes.

How Much Boneless Chicken Breast Per Person

Boneless chicken or boneless chicken breasts generally yield about 6.5 – 10 ounces of cooked chicken. Therefore it is reasonable to say that you can give each of your guests a single boneless chicken breast even though it might be a good idea to have an extra to ensure everyone eats to satisfaction.

It would help to have extra pieces because some of your guests might be bigger, and you do not want a situation where you do not have the extra meat for them. Besides, there is nothing wrong with having some leftovers.

How Much Fried Chicken Per Person

Fried chicken is pretty famous in the United States, so when it comes to budgeting for your family or guests, you need to ensure that you get it right. Considering the popularity of fried chicken, it is likely that people will demand more.

The average individual will need about 4 to 5 pieces of fried chicken. However, the type of chicken you purchase will change the dynamics of determining how much chicken per person.

Buying The Best Chicken

Besides being able to determine the right amount that you will need per person, it is vital to ensure that you get the proper chicken. Different places across America are best known for selling quality chicken. For instance, you can get your chicken from Popeyes, Raising Cane’s, KFC, and Zaxby’s.

Aside from purchasing your chicken from famous food restaurants, which sometimes tend to be expensive, you can also get your fried chicken from local stores. In most cases, the best-fried chicken comes from locally owned stores.

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How To Purchase The Best Fried Chicken

When purchasing the best chicken, being informed is critical to making the right choice. Moreover, people are in the business to make money and do not care about quality. Here are some essential factors you must decipher to get quality chicken.

The Aroma And The Appearance

When looking at a fried chicken, the first impression should hint at its quality. Fresh and tasty chicken would likely have a pinkish color with quality skin. Therefore, if you see cosmetic damage, including tears or bruises on the skin, that indicates the chicken you are looking at may not be the best.

Further, a quality chicken should be plump so that when you press against it, it should be resilient and resume its shape after a few seconds. A tasty neutral aroma also serves as an indicator of freshness.

Package Liquid

If you notice that the fried chicken has excess liquid pooling in the package, you should keep searching because that indicates that the chicken may not be of the best quality. The liquids tend to dilute the flavor of the chicken.

Organic

Another essential factor that most people tend to overlook when searching for the best chicken is the organic certifications. Organic certification indicates that the meat is of the right quality and that the producer followed all the necessary steps for handling such products.

The Labels

It would be a big mistake to purchase a chicken from a local store without carefully going through the label. Reading the label allows you to learn a lot of facts about the chicken you are about to buy before making the decision. For instance, the label will tell you whether the chicken is organic or not organic.

Chicken Pounds Per Person

Planning your menu is crucial as it ensures you do not have a lot of unnecessary leftovers. Most people would focus on the chicken pounds they would need per person, negating that the side dishes also play a significant role in determining the amount of chicken you will serve each individual in your dining room.

When the chicken is the meal’s main feature and a few light side dishes, 0.5 pounds or 8 ounces per person will be enough. However, if there are people with bigger appetites, you may need to increase the quantity to ¾ pounds (12 ounces.)

On the other hand, if the chicken is part of a bigger dish, then ¼ to 1/3 pounds (4 to 6 ounces) will be enough per person.

Generally, when it comes to feeding your guests, you need to consider many factors to decide on the best quantity of meat to serve. Trying to make your decision based on the quantity aspect alone may result in you making a miscalculation.

How Many Pieces Of Chicken Per Person

While calculating the number of ingredients you need to feed your family or friends is key to cooking the best meals, you would agree that it has never been a simple task. So, how many pieces of chicken per person would you need when cooking for your friends or family?

It depends on how you intend to serve your chicken. For instance, if the chicken is part of a larger dish, you would need a single large piece of chicken; drumstick, thigh, or breast halve per person. On the other hand, if the chicken is the main dish, then you will require about 3-4 pieces of chicken per person.

How Many Chicken Wings Per Person?

Generally, you would need about six whole wings of fried or grilled chicken per person. If you decide to cut a whole chicken wing into two halves, you would need 12 pieces per person.

How Many Chicken Thighs Per Person?

Chicken thighs are one of the most popular cuts of chicken. Besides being delicious, it is a large piece of meat, which explains why many people love it.

If you are cooking grilled or fried chicken thighs for your guests or family, you need to plan for 2 to 3 three pieces per person. However, if you plan to use the chicken thighs as a part of a bigger dish, then at least one boneless thigh per person will serve you right.

Conclusion

Whether you want to grill or fry it, chicken is one of the tasty meats to cook for loved ones or your guests. Since it is an essential component of different meals, it is vital to ensure that you have a good understanding of how much chicken per person. Do not be afraid to have leftovers of well-cooked food because you can preserve them for tomorrow.