ABOVE: Its versatility and affordability make chickens a global favourite. Photo: Roman Odintsov, Pexels
Historically, Australians didn’t eat chicken.
As a nation we have gone from believing chicken meat to be a bit ordinary to gorging on millions of chickens each year.
Data from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development shows the average Australian eats around 92.5kg of meat each year, including an impressive 42kg of chicken.
We’re lucky here in Australia to have a comparatively high standard of living, allowing us to feast on meat.
This doesn’t explain, however, why our consumption of chicken is so high compared to other meats, especially considering our productive beef industry.
Australia sits third on the world table for chicken consumption, behind Israel and the USA.
Chicken popularity has boomed since the advent of the simple nugget in the 1980s. Photo: Meggy Kadam Aryanto, Pexels
Our love for chicken has grown considerably over the last 40 years.
Other meats, most significantly lamb, are now not as enticing as the humble chook.
Consumption of lamb has declined dramatically over the last few decades and beef consumption, although steady, goes through a significant demand cycle.
Where did this love for chicken come from?
The answer comes down to improved taste in chicken meat and the household budget.
Chickens used to be kept in backyards for egg production and only butchered once they were old and gnarly.
The taste of the meat was tainted with flavours from their poor diet, making chicken an unappetising alternative to the much tastier and richer flavours of beef and lamb.
Healthy chooks fed on a high-quality diet produce tastier meat. Photo: Oleksandr P, Pexels
Advancements driven by the Australian chicken industry improved conditions for chicken production, introducing better feeding practices, more nutritious feed, upgraded housing for poultry and improved health management.
Bigger chickens fed on a high-quality diet in a healthy environment meant a dramatic improvement in flavour over the old backyard peckers.
Australia’s love for chicken bloomed.
Crucially, chicken is also an affordable source of protein compared with other meat varieties, making it a popular choice for hard-pressed families looking for a tasty alternative to a traditional
family roast.
The remarkable versatility of chicken meat means that it can be prepared with considerable variety.
Since the 1980s, chicken meat in its multitude of forms – from the ever-popular nuggets, wings and tenders to the simple roast chicken, has become a staple on Australian tables.
The popularity of the humble chook does not look like waning any time soon!