What 100 Percent White Chicken Actually Means

Frequent consumers of chicken know the familiar question: Do you prefer white or dark meat? At first glance, the preferential distinction is straightforward. If you source the poultry cut from the wings, breasts, or back, it's white meat. Alternatively, dark meat comes from the thighs, drumsticks, legs, or tail. The latter comes juicier and more flavorful; the former leaner and more protein-rich. By way of their composition, it's best to cook white and dark meat separately.

Yet as it often goes in the world of food, there's a gray zone in such matters. Naturally, fat composition isn't neatly delineated across the whole bird.  Meat from the back rests in both realms, as do cuts like wings. And manufactured poultry products like chicken nuggets turn even trickier, as they can be made from a combination of multiple cuts.

So, to help consumers navigate the possible compositions, the American government lays out labeling procedures. According to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, white and dark meat labeling is broken down by precise percentages. To be sold as "light or white meat," the cut must be exclusively white meat. Furthermore, the USDA adds a specification, noting that the term 100% white meat must contain no other ingredients. A step down is "mostly white meat", which necessitates only 66% white meat composition, and there are also such increments for dark meat. So next time you're shopping for poultry, keep these nuanced distinctions in mind.

Most often, you'll confront such regulated terms on product labels, not freshly butchered chicken cuts. For instance, McDonald's Chicken McNuggets are advertised as "all white meat chicken," and you'll also find the white meat label on shelf-stable products like canned or pouch chicken.

To know precisely what comprises such poultry, it's essential to read the label carefully, noting added words or clauses. In products like nuggets, white chicken breast is often paired with thigh meat, skin, or chicken rib, which comes from the shoulder. Furthermore, even foods specified as white meat chicken (like the aforementioned McNuggets) can contain binding and leavening agents, as well as flavor enhancers. Some ingredients — like spices and certain phosphates — aren't considered an additive by the USDA. So look for USDA-regulated 100% white-meat chicken, or for even more assurance, buy the best chicken cuts and cook them yourself.