Theories abound as to reasons for the abiding affection humans have for grilled meats. But the why is hardly important for foodservice operators who seek to tap into that affinity in ways that work within kitchen and budget limitations. Chicken is a natural place to start, given its menu omnipresence across cuisines and concepts. Whether yours is a quick-serve salads-and-bowls concept, a sports bar, a fast-casual with appetizers, sandwiches and mains on the menu or any other F&B approach, it’s likely you feature a few chicken dishes. How can you dial up their craveability?

The distinctive appearance and flavor of flame-seared chicken breasts or thighs is sure to impart a new level of premium quality for longstanding menu favorites and inspire attention-grabbers for specials and LTOs. Many foodservice operators may feel understandably daunted at the idea of using raw poultry to achieve these coveted characteristics. It’s a labor-intensive process that requires a certain level of culinary skill to pull off consistently and with minimal food safety risk—not to mention the proper equipment—making the prospect a non-starter for many restaurants. And for those already working with raw product, from-scratch constraints steal focus from other opportunities to expand and innovate the menu.

Enter the fully cooked line of HORMEL^® FIRE BRAISED™ Meats, including Chicken Breast and Chicken Thigh, from Hormel Foodservice. Flame-seared and slow cooked in their own juices, the products deliver outstanding flavor and texture—every time. “The unique prep and cooking methods we use sets this entire collection apart,” says Zach Vierkandt, Brand Manager. The meat is run through a proprietary flame-searing line and then slow cooked in their natural juices. “This gives the chicken a very natural caramelized color and exterior char, unlike some competitive products that use artificial grill marks.” Operators can count on its unmatched moist and tender texture, plus the light char-grill aroma and appearance.

This Kale & Butternut Squash Salad is the perfect combination of crunchy, chewy and savory. Start with a marinated kale base, add butternut squash, pomegranate seeds and red onions. Top with a crowd-pleasing chicken breast and sprinkle with shaved Parmesan.

DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY

When using the HORMEL^® FIRE BRAISED™ Chicken Breast and Thigh, operators can reduce many of the worries associated with cooking this menu essential, checking multiple solutions boxes from the heavy prep lift to food safety. “When you are cooking at volume and having to rely on labor, you need tools like these in your arsenal,” says Chef Barry Greenberg, Hormel Foodservice Corporate Chef. “You just can’t make it work otherwise; it’s a no-brainer.”

Consistency is one of the most prized factors in a foodservice operation and the HORMEL^® FIRE BRAISED™ Chicken delivers. “I know what this product is going to taste like every single time,” says Greenberg. “I don’t have to worry whether the prep cook was giving full attention to the recipe or if it stayed in the marinade too long. It takes a lot of pain points out of the equation.”

The product boasts the flavor and versatility benefits of cooking from raw, but without any accompanying food safety risks or increased labor burden. It also features premium hallmarks not always found in other fully cooked items in the marketplace, notably a cleaner label, featuring minimally processed ingredients and no artificial flavors or colors. “It’s a fully cooked product that chefs can feel good about,” says Vierkandt.

Top a pita wrap with buttered chicken sauce, crunchy cucumber, freshly sliced tomatoes and a mint garnish. Add moist and tender chicken breast, wrap it in foil and you have this Butter Chicken Pita Wrap.

BE A CHICKEN CHAMPION

When chefs don’t have to worry about the hero ingredient, they can focus their attention on ways to further elevate menu items. “This product is giving you a head start—you no longer have to concentrate on building those layers of marinated flavor or adding moisture. It opens your mind. ‘What else can I do with this time?’” says Greenberg. “I can make a finishing sauce or a seasoning—which is the flavor element that the customer is going to remember. Or maybe it’s a handmade pasta accompaniment I never had time for when I was butchering a chicken.”

The menu inspirations throughout this article illustrate easy but often transformative applications. Click here to discover other suggested directions.

“Chicken is the animal protein that is most widely agreed-upon,” says Greenberg. “Chicken entrées are easy for diners to get their mind around. Even when you are doing something creative with it; chicken is a great carrier for flavor. It’s popular for a reason.” HORMEL^® FIRE BRAISED™ Chicken Breasts and Thighs are a great foundation for culinary play, just one step up from a blank canvas.

This Chicken Thigh Chinois Salad features Napa cabbage, mixed greens, shaved carrots, black and white sesame seeds and Mandarin oranges to create a colorful base that is topped with caramelized pulled chicken thigh with a light, tangy dressing.

Chicken thighs are currently enjoying a higher profile among chefs and their customers. According to research from Technomic*, chicken thighs have been making gains in foodservice segments since 2018, with particular breakout in college/university dining, as well as in Brazilian and Spanish cuisine concepts. “It’s been a well-kept secret that the thigh is the best cut of the chicken,” says Greenberg. “It’s still whole-muscle meat, and it maintains the most moisture and has the most flavor.”

Noting that chicken thighs are particularly popular in global cuisines, he points to opportunities where the HORMEL^® FIRE BRAISED™ Chicken Thigh could be put to particularly good use. “I’m thinking of a Vietnamese-style chicken, where the thigh would get a hard sear after thawing, plus caramelized fish sauce, then served over a noodle and cucumber salad. The thigh would also work well in a Mediterranean application, not an old-school red sauce Italian dish, but maybe with pieces of garlic, olives, white beans, fennel and sundried tomatoes.” Vierkandt adds that the thigh is well-suited for other menu formats, such as chopped or shredded, which can be harder to prepare with breast meat.

Whether using breast or thigh, “Just because we’ve taken the first step in the cooking process doesn’t mean that there is any limit in versatility,” says Vierkandt. “In using this product, there are still endless possibilities for handcrafting a recipe, adding flavor, applying seasoning, using different piece sizes, adding a signature sauce and so on.”

Greenberg doubles down on the encouragement. “Give it a try. It may be hard for some chefs to get over the hurdle of thinking they need to cook everything from scratch. There’s going to be a time when you’re going to need help from products like these,” he says. “We’d love to be the answer for you.”

Enjoy ultimate chicken confidence with this true kitchen winner. Click here to order a sample today.

*Technomic Menu Ignite national food trends data, 2023