VIA MERCHANT
VIA MERCHANT
Pros:
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Premium quality
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Sustainably raised
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Fully-customizable subscription boxes
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Shipping included in price
ALLISON ROBICELLI FOR TASTE OF HOME
Good Chop is an online subscription butchery that brings high-quality free-range chicken from the farm to your front door. Everything they sell is raised responsibly without the use of hormones or antibiotics and is sourced from small farms in Nebraska and Iowa that are committed to using sustainable agricultural practices. The company offers two different sizes of fully customizable subscription boxes, which ship out every four weeks. You can pause or cancel at any time. Good Chop offers the following cuts of chicken:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts and thighs
- Organic boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Organic ground chicken
- Organic chicken wings, thighs and drumsticks
- Chicken wings and drumsticks
- Organic bone broth
Good Chop offers chicken that’s 100% organic, as well as chicken that’s raised to the same standards but lacks certification. We also tested two types of chicken sausage, which grill up succulent and juicy. At the time of updating, these options are no longer available, but we hope they’ll be back soon! For a sneak peek at the brand’s other offerings, read our full Good Chop review.
What to Look for When Ordering Chicken Online
Now that you know the best places to buy chicken online, here are some other things you might want to look for when figuring out which one is right for you. If animal welfare and eco-friendliness are important to you, check each company’s website for their sourcing statements, which provide greater detail about the quality of their chicken.
Another thing to consider is the quantity and storage space. The best places to order chicken online ship their goods frozen solid, so they can go straight into your upright freezer. Before you place your order, make sure there’s plenty of room in there if you’re not planning on using your chicken right away.
Before you order chicken online, be sure to check the cost of shipping first. Some companies calculate the shipping cost into the price, but others charge an additional fee that’s based on how much you spend.
Why You Should Trust Us
I got my first professional cooking job in 2002, and in the past 21 years, I’ve learned a lot about cooking—and eating—meat. I’ve written and tested hundreds (if not thousands!) of recipes, written three cookbooks and cannot begin to calculate how much chicken I’ve cooked throughout my career. What I can tell you, though, is that I know what great chicken is supposed to taste like. I only recommend you buy chicken online if the product is well worth the price. Out of the 10 services I tested, these were the ones that lived up to my standards.
We also spoke to Kristen Smith, MS, RD, LD, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, for some additional insight on what to look for when ordering chicken online. Kristen Smith is the manager of bariatric surgery and service line development at Piedmont Healthcare. She is the author of The 5-Ingredient Family Cookbook. Kristen is also a member of the Academy’s Weight Management dietetic practice group, the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Obesity Action Coalition. She is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and earned a master’s degree from New York University.
How We Found the Best Chicken Delivery Services
ALLISON ROBICELLI FOR TASTE OF HOME
For the best chicken delivery service, we ordered frozen chicken from multiple mail-order companies. We first researched which companies were most likely to catch customer’s eyes when looking for online meat delivery services. We were eager to see if the top results warranted their perceived popularity or if they’d invested more money into their advertising budget than their products. If you’re wondering why you aren’t seeing some of the best-known mail-order meat brands on this list, it’s because they didn’t meet expectations when put to the test.
Additionally, we also ordered meat from several upstart companies that have yet to achieve the national notoriety of the well-established mail-order meat brands but have built plenty of buzz and solid reputations in the short time they’ve existed. Apart from that, we tested a mix of conventional chicken raised without much in the way of transparency, as well as chicken raised to the highest standards regarding humane treatment. These cuts keep eco-consciousness and the use of hormones, antibiotics, steroids and other substances top of mind.
Cooking
Once the chicken was in the kitchen, it was tested using varying cooking methods, including roasting, grilling and air-frying. We stuck to simple preparations, initially cooking with little more than oil and Kosher salt so that the full flavor of the chicken could shine through. To judge texture, we cooked some to absolute perfection so that we could see if they were juicy and flavorful on the inside.
Failsafes
Our tester intentionally overcooked some chicken because we know that accidents happen, and you shouldn’t pay a premium price for something that can easily be destroyed if you’re distracted by a phone call, boisterous children or any of the other surprises life can throw your way while making dinner. We wanted chicken that remained delicious if your attention was temporarily pulled elsewhere or if it desiccated into a dud.
We tracked our findings in a detailed testing spreadsheet and then assigned each brand a rating. Only the top results made our final list.
FAQ
Why should you buy chicken online?
Buy chicken online for an affordable way to get top-notch quality while beating the specialty store price tag. Because online retailers may buy and sell in bulk, there’s an opportunity to pass on the savings to the consumer. They’re not only able to provide competitive pricing, but they also tend to have a better selection than your local store. While most grocery stores don’t carry spatchcocked chicken or bone-in chicken breasts, you can find both of those items (and more!) using a chicken delivery service.
Many of the best places to buy chicken online also provide sustainable options. In addition, they list the chicken’s farm, feed and the environment on the farm. You’ll also have options when it comes to labeling, too, which is great if you’re looking for a specific type of chicken (i.e. organic, humanely raised, etc).
Can you order frozen chicken online?
Yes, you can order frozen chicken online! According to Kristin, most chicken is shipped frozen, and once it arrives, folks can typically refreeze it.