Waitrose chicken

What’s special about Waitrose chicken?

Waitrose rears all of its chicken in the UK on Waitrose exclusive farms to high welfare standards - we find that the better we look after our birds, the better the quality and flavour for our customers. We know every farmer and we know where every chicken we sell comes from which is a great way to make sure we are always providing you with quality wholesome food

What types of chicken are available?

Waitrose chicken is tender, juicy and rich in flavour with a firm texture. Waitrose stock a range of quality British chicken: choose from Select Farm chicken, free range chicken, free range corn fed chicken, organic free range chicken and Poulet d'Or and all of them are available as portions. The darker meat, such as thigh and drumstick, has the best flavour and is the choice for casseroles and for recipes calling for richness and succulence. Skin on breast portions generally deliver more flavour but for the lowest fat option simply remove the skin or buy skinless fillets.

British Select Farm chicken

'Select Farm' sets the everyday standard for quality, high welfare products at Waitrose across all its meat, fish and milk.

We never forget that the flavour and texture of our chickens is why you buy them, so our select farm birds are fed a diet enriched with maize, which gives you the best flavour and succulence.

Our farms are exclusive to us and only produce Select Farm chickens for Waitrose. The birds are reared with natural daylight, straw bales to play with and proper rest periods during the night. Their purpose built houses have large windows down each side to allow the natural light to stream in. Good for the chicken and the farmer.

Waitrose Select Farm Chicken is reared in smaller flocks with 20% more space than other supermarkets, giving our birds the room they need to keep fit and active. These standards meet the RSPCA's stringent recommendations and have the support of other key organisations such as Compassion In World Farming (CIWF).

The stocking density of all Waitrose Select Farm Chicken is set as 30kg/sqm. This standard is strongly supported by Dr. Marc Cooper, RSPCA Senior Scientific Officer who comments:

"We believe Waitrose is the first major supermarket to set a low maximum stocking density for all its whole, own-brand chickens of 30kg/sqm, as recommended by the stringent RSPCA standards, which is implemented by our Freedom Food labelling and assurance scheme."

Philip Lymbery, Chief Executive, CIWF, also supports Waitrose’s new measures:

"CIWF greatly welcomes the significant move by Waitrose to provide more space to its Select Farm chickens. This move puts Waitrose at the forefront of the industry in this area."

Find out more about Select Farm

Free range British chicken

Our free range birds have unrestricted access to pasture during the day where they can forage and range. Chickens are descended from jungle fowl that naturally live in the undergrowth so we provide cover and shelters to make them feel protected and secure. At night they return to their houses as a precaution against predators. Free range birds are reared using a slower growing breed, and the combination of the outdoor life and a balanced diet all help to ensure the best eating quality with a firmer texture.

Free range corn-fed British chicken

A delicious and richly flavoured bird with a characteristically golden colour to the flesh which comes from their maize based diet. They are reared in the same way as our other free range birds. An interesting alternative for those that prefer a richer flavour.

Organic free range British chicken

Waitrose organic chickens are reared using a slower growing breed, free to roam in organic pastures and fed an organic cereal-based diet. At night they return to their houses as a precaution against predators. The organic farms are regularly and independently audited by Organic Farmers and Growers

Speciality chicken Poulet d'Or

A traditionally reared corn-fed, free range chicken produced exclusively for Waitrose in England. Poulet d’Or translates as “golden chicken” so called because of the colour which comes from the maize rich diet. This specially chosen slow-growing breed is reared in small flocks on selected farms in southern England, including our own farm, the Leckford Estate, in Hampshire. Poulet d'Or is a large chicken, full of flavour.

So why is Waitrose chicken always so good?

All Waitrose fresh chicken is reared on specialist poultry farms in the UK which meet our high standards. The farms are regularly inspected to ensure the standards are maintained and animal welfare is given a top priority. All Waitrose chickens are fed a balanced diet both to ensure the health of the bird, ensure they thrive in their environment and deliver the best eating quality.

How should Waitrose chicken be cooked?

Whilst all our chicken is protected from Salmonella it is good practice to follow Food Standards Agency guidelines and cook all chicken thoroughly until the juices run clear when pierced with a fork. To prepare chicken, before cooking, remove all packaging. Wash all work surfaces, cutting boards, utensils and hands thoroughly after touching raw meat. Do not reheat cooked chicken once cooled.

Try these chicken recipes: