This Overlooked Chicken Cut Is Way Cheaper Than Breasts Or Wings

As expensive as groceries have become in recent years, current indications seem to be that there is no relief in sight. The trend is not expected to slow in the near future. Unfortunately, as prices rise, it isn't really an option to buy less — we all still need to eat. Thus, the only viable solution is to change shopping habits. This universal belt-tightening is the reason that generic products are more popular than ever, as shoppers eschew expensive name brands. When it comes to shopping for proteins, though, the equivalent solution is often changing the cut of meat in your cart. For chicken, that might mean leaving the breasts and wings behind in favor of the often-overlooked leg quarters.

Chicken leg quarters are a minimally processed cut. They are bone-in and skin-on, containing both the drumstick and the thigh. Because of the work saved on the back end — and the popularity of breast meat — this cut of chicken can often be found at incredibly low prices. Buying in bulk, chicken leg quarters may be had for under one dollar per pound. Even picking the cheapest option and buying in equally large quantities, chicken breast is often three times as expensive, and wings are even worse.

However, despite being the cheapest cut of chicken on average, leg quarters are actually quite meaty and versatile. In general, you can sub leg quarters for any recipe in which you might use thighs or drumsticks, or, if you are willing to attempt a bit of home butchery, it only takes a minute to divide them into individual cuts yourself.

There is no reason why you need to divide the leg quarters in two since there are plenty of excellent chicken leg recipes that make use of this inexpensive cut exactly as is. What you'll find as you delve into these meals is that leg quarters are meaty, flavorful, and well-suited to everything from grilling and roasting to stewing. If roast chicken is on the menu this week, consider passing up the whole bird and using leg quarters instead. Good deals can be found on whole chickens, but leg quarters are still cheaper on average.

If you want to get creative, there are loads of recipes out there for things like glazed honey shallot chicken legs or buttermilk baked chicken with chimichurri. Both are still nice for a Sunday roast, but they bring a bit of extra intrigue to the dinner table. At under one dollar a pound, you can also look at the low-price chicken leg quarters as an excellent excuse to whip up a decadent stewed dish in your slow cooker, like a crockpot coq au vin or a crockpot chicken cacciatore.

A tiny price tag, a smidge of labor in the kitchen, and an excellent meal at the end of the day. Now that's some culinary math that anyone can get behind. But this cut can also be an elegant showstopper, as in the case of this confit-style chicken legs recipe. It almost doesn't matter what you are hoping to cook. Whatever you're after, chicken leg quarters will deliver — and they will do so while also taking some stress off the grocery budget.