Most Americans prefer white chicken meat to dark, and the breast is what many home cooks prefer. But it can be tricky to prepare properly because white meat contains very little fat, and retaining the moisture is often a challenge.

Experienced cooks who like the juiciness of bone-in chicken choose their favorite parts for taste as well as cost.

Gayle Combs, co-owner of Phoebe's on Main in Beattyville, Ky., buys chicken to fry for Sunday dinner at the restaurant.

"I fry breasts and drumsticks and just a few thighs and a few wings. People love chicken breasts and drumsticks. It seems to me chicken tastes better when white and dark meat are fried together in the same skillet.

"My mother always said the best way to get good fried chicken is not to separate the pieces, but to fry all the pieces together. The dark meat is juicier, and I guess the juices from the dark meat come out into the fat and improves the taste of the chicken breast," she said.

According to the National Chicken Council, the wing is the most popular part of the chicken. It estimates that 11 billion wings (2.2 billion pounds) were marketed in 2006 as wings (as opposed to the wings on whole chicken or breast quarters).

Most wings are disjointed and sold as wing portions. The third joint (the thin end known as the "flapper") is exported to Asia; the meatier first portion (the "drummette") and second portion (the "flat") are sold domestically.

Because chicken producers are not able to produce wings without the rest of the bird, the supply is limited. Before Anchor Bar in Buffalo, N.Y., started cooking wings in peppery hot sauce in 1964, wings were cheap. It's when you buy them sauced and cooked that you pay more.

That's true of all chicken parts: The further it gets from being on a whole chicken, the more expensive it is.

Picking out a chicken at the supermarket is a guessing game, according to the professionals at Cook's Illustrated. The terms fresh, organic, free-range, all natural and lean rarely indicate good flavor or texture, or good price.

The best way to get flavorful chicken is to do what our grandparents did: Soak the chicken in salt water, which improves quality.

Here's how Cook's Illustrated brines a 3Z\x- to 4-pound chicken: Combine 1 gallon cold water, 1 cup table salt (or 2 cups kosher salt), and 2 cups sugar in a large pot. Add chicken and let it soak in the refrigerator for one hour per pound.

Know what you're buying

Are you confused by descriptions on chicken labels? Here's what certain terms mean.

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Free-range: Chicken may be labeled "free-range" if the animals had access to the outdoors. Generally this does not mean the chickens had access to a large, grassy range; they did have access to a fenced area, or pen, outside the chicken house. The size of the pen can vary.•

Organic: Chickens labeled "USDA Organic" must be free-range but not all free-range chicken is "organic." Less than 1 percent of chickens nationwide are raised as free-range.Raising chickens organically is a production concept. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines organic production and prohibits the use of the term organic on packaging of any food product not produced in accordance with its rule.The rule prohibits the use of antibiotics in animal production and requires the use of feed made from organic ingredients, so no pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used on the corn and soybeans in the poultry feed, among many other requirements. According to the USDA, the organic food label does not indicate that the product's safety, quality or nutritional attributes are better than conventionally produced product.•

Retained water: A statement, such as "May contain up to 6 percent retained water" or "Less than 4 percent retained water" is found on most packages of fresh poultry. This indicates the amount of water retained in the product as a result of essential food safety procedures, such as chilling processed chickens in ice-cold water to reduce their temperature and retard the growth of spoilage bacteria and other microorganisms.•

Farm-raised: All chickens are raised on farms, so the label "farm-raised" can refer to any chicken. When this term is used on restaurant menus and the like, it usually refers to chickens raised on a local farm.•

Natural: Under USDA regulations, a "natural" product has no added ingredients and is minimally processed, just enough to get it ready to be cooked. Most ready-to-cook chicken can be labeled "natural" if processors choose to do so.•

Produced without hormones: Despite what you might hear, no artificial or added hormones are used in the production of any poultry in the United States. Food and Drug Administration regulations prohibit the use of such hormones. Any package of chicken labeled "produced without hormones" also should state that no added hormones are used in the production of any poultry.•

Antibiotic-free: The label term "antibiotic-free" on chicken indicates the flock was raised without the use of products classified as antibiotics for animal health maintenance, disease prevention or treatment of disease. Animal health products not classified as antibiotics (such as coccidiostats, which control protozoal parasites) may be used.•

Enhanced chicken products: Some uncooked chicken products are enhanced with chicken broth or a similar solution. The presence and amount of broth or other solution must be stated, and the actual ingredients must be listed on the label.Enhanced and non-enhanced products are available in the marketplace. Processors who make enhanced chicken products suggest it is more tender and consistent and more moist when cooked.Salt is used in some enhanced products. The overall sodium content of the chicken often remains very low. The presence of salt or sodium is noted on the label.•

Fresh: Use of "fresh" on a label indicates the product has never been chilled — that is, cooled or held below 26 degrees.Cutting up a whole birdChicken is always one of the best buys at the supermarket. You save even more when you purchase whole birds and cut them up yourself.• Place chicken, breast side up, on a cutting board. Cut the skin between the thighs and body.• Grasping one leg in each hand, lift the chicken and bend back the legs until bones break at hip joints.• Remove leg-thighs from body by cutting (from tail toward shoulder) between the joints, close to bones in back of bird.• To separate thigh and drumstick, locate knee joint by bending thigh and leg together. With skin side down, cut through joints of each leg.• With chicken on back, remove wings by cutting inside of wing just over joint. Pull wings away from body and cut from top down, through joints.• Separate breast and back by placing chicken on neck-end or back and cutting (toward board) through the joints along each side of rib cage.• Breast may be left whole or, to cut into halves, place skin side down on board and cut wishbone in two at V of bone.

1/3 cup flour1 teaspoon garlic salt1 teaspoon lemon pepper1 teaspoon chili powder8 skinless chicken thighs2 tablespoons butter2 tablespoons olive oilcup hot jalapeo jellyJuice from ½ lime2 teaspoons chopped parsley, plus sprigsLemon slicesRipe olivesMix flour, garlic salt, lemon pepper and chili powder in plastic bag. Add chicken; shake to coat.Heat butter and olive oil in large frying pan on medium heat. Add chicken and cook, turning, until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and cook about 5 minutes more, or until chicken is tender.Remove chicken from frying pan. Turn chicken crosswise, meaty side up, and cut into it diagonally 3 or 4 times. Place chicken in foil-lined pan and spoon jalapeo jelly evenly over chicken.Bake at 400 degrees about 5 minutes, or until jelly melts. Squeeze lime over chicken. Remove chicken to serving dish and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Garnish with lemon slices, olives and parsley sprigs. Makes 4 servings.Source: National Chicken Council

4 chicken breasts, skinned1 bottle (8 ounces) zesty Italian dressing¾ cup Italian bread crumbs1 tablespoon olive oil14 ounces spicy tomato salsa½cup freshly grated Parmesan cheesePlace chicken in a large zipper-lock bag, and pour dressing over chicken. Seal bag, then refrigerate 15 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade; drain.Place bread crumbs in shallow dish; add chicken one piece at a time, dredging to coat.Place chicken in large rectangular glass baking dish coated with olive oil and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.Remove chicken from oven and spoon salsa around chicken. Return to oven and bake about 15 minutes longer, or until fork can be inserted in chicken with ease.Place chicken on serving platter and spoon salsa on and around chicken.Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.Makes 4 servings.

2 pounds broiler-fryer chicken wings½ cup butter, melted1 teaspoon cayenne pepperteaspoon garlic powder1 cup finely crushed pretzels½ cup finely chopped pecans¼ teaspoon black pepperChutney-pecan dipping sauce (recipe follows)Mango slicesPlace each wing on cutting board. Cut off tips at first joint, and discard. Cut remaining wings into two parts at joint. Mix together butter, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. In another bowl, mix together pretzels, pecans and black pepper. Dip chicken in melted butter mixture, then pretzel mixture, and place on large greased cookie sheet.Bake at 350 degrees about 50 minutes, or until fork can be inserted in chicken with ease. Place chicken on serving dish. Garnish with mango slices. Serve with chutney-pecan dipping sauce.Makes 6 appetizer servings.Chutney-pecan dipping sauce: In container of food processor or blender, place 4 tablespoons butter, Z\3 cup chutney, cup honey and cup pecan halves. Process, pulsing on and off control several times, until pecans are chunky.Source: National Chicken Council

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced1 large onion, sliced8 broiler-fryer chicken drumsticks1 large clove garlic, minced½ teaspoon salt1 teaspoon oregano1 teaspoon basil1 can (16 ounces) tomatoes1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce8 ounces thin spaghetti, cooked according to package directionsPlace sliced mushrooms in single layer in 2-quart shallow baking dish. Separate sliced onion into rings and arrange over mushrooms. Place drumsticks on top of onion, and sprinkle with minced garlic, salt, oregano and basil.Drain juice from tomatoes and pour juice over chicken. Mash tomatoes with a fork or place in processor or blender container and process about 15 seconds; pour over drumsticks.Pour canned tomato sauce over all, covering drumsticks well. Place baking dish on a sided cookie sheet and bake in 400-degree oven about 1 hour, or until fork can be inserted in chicken with ease. Serve over cooked spaghetti.Makes 4 servings.Source: National Chicken Council

Like all fresh meats, chicken should be handled with care. Proper handling and cooking of chicken eliminates the risk of bacterial infection.• Refrigerate raw chicken promptly. Never leave it on a countertop.• Packaged fresh chicken may be refrigerated in original wrappings in the coldest part of the refrigerator.• Freeze uncooked chicken if it is not to be used within two days. If properly packaged, frozen chicken will maintain top quality in a home freezer for up to one year.• Thaw chicken in the refrigerator — not on the countertop — or in cold water. It takes about 24 hours to thaw a 4-pound chicken in the refrigerator. Cut-up parts require three to nine hours. To thaw in water, place chicken in its original wrap or a water-tight plastic bag in cold water. Change water often. It takes about two hours to thaw a whole chicken.• For quick thawing of raw or cooked chicken, use the microwave.• Before hands, countertops, cutting boards, knives and other utensils used in preparing raw chicken come in contact with other raw or cooked foods, always wash them in soapy water.• When barbecuing chicken outdoors, keep it refrigerated until ready to cook. Do not place cooked chicken on the same plate used when it was raw.• Always cook chicken well done. Internal temperatures should reach 180 degrees for whole chicken, 170 degrees for bone-in parts and 160 degrees for boneless parts.• To check visually for doneness, pierce chicken with fork; juices should run clear, not pink, when fork is inserted with ease.• Never leave cooked chicken at room temperature for more than two hours. If not eaten immediately, cooked chicken should be kept hot or refrigerated.• Marinade in which raw chicken has been soaking should never be used on cooked chicken.• Cooked, cut-up chicken is at its best refrigerated for no longer than two days; whole cooked chicken, an additional day.• Reheat leftovers all the way through. Bring gravies to a rolling boil.• Transport cooked chicken in an insulated container or ice chest. Keep colder than 40 degrees or warmer than 140 degrees until ready to eat.By MCT News Service