Chicken tops Northern Ireland taste buds

It's official! More than three quarters of people in Northern Ireland prefer chicken to any other meat, a poll on behalf of Moy Park, provider of fresh, locally farmed and produced poultry has found. The survey revealed that Northern Ireland consumers aren't prepared to 'wing it' when deciding which meat makes it to the family table, with taste, health benefits and versatility the top three reasons why local people choose chicken as their favourite. The public were also asked to voice their opinions on the chicken dish that really tickles the taste buds and the top 10 included contenders such as, chicken and broccoli bake, marinated chicken fillets, perennial pleasers Chicken Maryland, Chicken Kiev and eastern inspired sweet and sour chicken and chicken stir fry – but flying to the top of the coop, were a traditional roast chicken with all the trimmings and a spicy chicken curry. Paul Burch, Moy Park Accounts Director Ireland, said: "We are delighted to see that the results really speak for themselves - Chicken is NI's favourite meat! Chicken is a versatile and convenient meat and represents great value for money, which is why it has always remained popular and tends to grow in popularity in times of recession. Whilst sales of chicken breast fillets remain very strong, we are also seeing growth in dark meat - legs, drumsticks and thighs - thanks to the barbeque season and growing demand for "foodie" ingredients. At the same time, some consumers are buying bigger fresh birds, which provide even better value for money and see a household through a Sunday dinner and mid-week meals. "Moy Park has launched a new range of fresh breaded, large fresh chickens and ready to cook meals. We are always looking at ways to adapt and grow in line with consumer trends and in Northern Ireland there is a strong preference for locally sourced food. We also recognise that consumers are demanding healthy food that is quick to cook to compliment today's busy lifestyles, which is why we have developed both fresh and convenience products under the Moy Park brand - all made with 100% locally sourced chicken." Moy Park’s new product range is available in stores across Northern Ireland. For more information and to view Moy Park’s full range of tasty chicken recipes please visit www.moypark.ie.