Jidori Japanese Chicken, 3.5 lb. avg

Just as any cut of steak preceded by the title A5 Wagyu conveys unparalleled excellence in beef,  Jidori signifies the very best chicken you will ever come across. Like Wagyu, the pursuit of this caliber of poultry originates in Japan, where the delicious but low-yielding Hinai chickens were mated with Rhode Island Reds, producing Akita Hinai Jidori, a far more sustainable and no less phenomenal animal to raise and to serve. To uphold the name, Jidori Chicken are furthermore required to wildly exceed humane standards of animal welfare, ensuring that they have plenty of free space to roam, diets devoid of any animal byproducts or inorganic supplements, and they are always delivered to their final destination within twenty-four hours of slaughter.

In the 1990s’s, a Chinese-American entrepreneur in California adapted the standards of Akita Hinai Jidori to the United States. Today, California-raised Jidori subsist on diets of clover, apples, tomatoes, and mixed vegetables, all factors that contribute to their undeniable superiority to other birds, presenting a gorgeous distillation of everything we love about poultry, and nothing we don’t. 

Off the farm, freshness remains the hallmark differentiator between Jidori and other well-raised birds, as this allows the meat to retain a pinker breast, firmer texture, and bolder flavor. For chefs who long to prepare chicken that approaches the degree of esteem found only in fine Japanese cuisine, there is no substitute for Jidori. Yakitori is a favored preparation among Japanese chefs, as is raw, sashimi-style - a format unthinkable with virtually any other chicken you’ll find.

California, United States