# Chicken: white meat or dark meat? Which pieces? Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 20, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098 "2012-08-20T21:32:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/1 "2012-08-20T21:32:01Z")
Dark meat for me. Thighs are my favorite. I really don’t get the popularity of breasts- I find them dry and bland compared to thighs. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/2 "2012-08-20T21:41:13Z")
I like cooking with thighs. They’re nearly impossible to overcook and they have a lot of flavor. If I’m ordering fried chicken I really like drumsticks because they’re small and easy to eat and breasts because they have a large piece of “clear” meat without connective tissue to eat around. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/3 "2012-08-20T21:49:17Z")
Dark meat is more flavorful and only slightly higher in calories than white meat. The whole “white meat is super good for you” thing is just trendy nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/4 "2012-08-20T21:51:07Z")
Drumsticks, simply for laziness purposes. PS suggest this is IMHO, not cafe society. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/5 "2012-08-20T21:57:50Z")
I don’t understand the popular preference for white meat. Dark meat has much more flavor. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/6 "2012-08-20T22:01:21Z")
> [@johnspartan](#): > > Drumsticks, simply for laziness purposes. This. I cook legs and thighs for flavorful meat. White meat is boring. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/7 "2012-08-20T22:05:43Z")
Thigh. I do like, white, too for cutlets and quick preps, though. Thigh has so much more flavor to me. Also, wings (which are regarded as white meat), are pretty awesome as well. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/8 "2012-08-20T22:11:44Z")
Dark meat when I was a kid. The veins in the leg gross me out now. I prefer white as an adult. I will eat a thigh or drumstick once in awhile if the white meat is already taken. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/9 "2012-08-20T22:16:30Z")
Totally dark meat, drumsticks being the best - the food that comes with a handle. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/10 "2012-08-20T22:20:16Z")
The best bits of a chicken are the bits you scavenge from the carcass and scoff in the kitchen before serving up the rest. Cook’s privilege. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/11 "2012-08-20T22:21:51Z")
> [@Jennyrosity](#): > > The best bits of a chicken are the bits you scavenge from the carcass and scoff in the kitchen before serving up the rest. Cook’s privilege. The oysters! ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/12 "2012-08-20T22:32:03Z")
White meat, if I have a choice. Dark meat is usually fine, but about 20% of the time it’ll taste…off to me. The closest I can describe it is that I can taste the coagulated blood in the meat. I never get that with white meat, so I prefer it. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/13 "2012-08-20T22:38:42Z")
White meat for me. I’m about 50/50 between preferring breasts and wings. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/14 "2012-08-20T22:47:23Z")
Thighs are the best. Chicken breasts and tenders are useful in that they can be easily diced and used in a variety of dishes. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/15 "2012-08-20T22:50:16Z")
I like white meat and dark meat about equally, if they are cooked well. It’s usually harder to cook white meat well though. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/16 "2012-08-20T22:53:40Z")
Thighs for me. I like to buy the boneless thighs for grilling, they don’t take as long. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/17 "2012-08-20T22:56:58Z")
All of them for me. What I don’t like is no choice. But for real flavor I’ll go with the dark meat. Drumsticks preferred on the bone, thighs off the bone. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/18 "2012-08-20T22:59:38Z")
I like white meat. Chicken breasts. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/19 "2012-08-20T23:05:11Z")
Wings for munching, breasts for cutting up and cooking. Dark meat for simmered sauces. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098/20 "2012-08-20T23:08:51Z")
Dark meat for the flavor and less tendency to be dry. Thighs are best. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-white-meat-or-dark-meat-which-pieces-why/632098.md?page=2)