The Dark Side of Cooking – Naturally Black Chicken

Hey there! How's it going? Wassup? Ready for a mugga and a virtual treat. We're talking food today...or should I say "Weird talking food today." Read on...

Did you know there was such a thing as black chicken? And I don’t mean as in dark feathers, but black skin, bones and even internal organs. There are actually several black chicken breeds in the world, especially in Asia, but the most popular of all has to be the Chinese Silkie.

Silkies are beautiful birds, covered in fluffy plumage, which is said to feel like silk, but underneath all that fluff they are far less attractive. Their skin is a dark-bluish color, the flesh is dark beige and the bones and some internal organs are pitch black

Although in the Western world silkie chickens are sold mainly for ornamental purposes, in countries like China they are considered a super food and are appreciated for their deep, gammy flavor. 

Called “wu gu ji” or “black-boned chicken”, the silkie has been prized for its medicinal value ever since the seventh or eighth century. 

Chinese women consume it after they have given birth to get a boost of energy, but it’s also said to have a positive effect on the yin, blood, lungs and stomach. 

Silkie meat is rarely roasted. To take full advantage of its curative properties, the Chinese mainly use it to make an amber-colored broth laced with ginseng , dried wolfberries and jujubes.

"Yo, bro.
Cut me some slack
Cause we got de black
Black is de word
De word is black
Fry me some thigh
Rest some breast
On ma plate
And don't be late

Gimme some chicken
And make it black
We don't have to eat no white chicken.
Cause we got de black.
De word is black.

See ya, eh!

Bob