Chicken History: Centuries-Old & Internationally Loved

The History of (Almost) Everyone’s Favorite Protein.

Did you know that chickens were originally not raised to be eaten? Today, chicken is a vital part of every international cuisine. Here is a brief chicken history and how it been loved internationally since the first bite.

Chicken History: Centuries BC to Today’s Supermarkets

10,000 Years Ago

The first domesticated chickens were raised not for the intention to eat, but rather for cockfights in the geography of today’s Southeast Asia, India, and China.

600 BC

For historical evidence of chickens, Babylonian carvings depicted these birds on their walls. In fact, Egyptians built large incubators made of bricks to hold up to 10,000 chicks. These incubators created a better egg-laying environment and atmosphere in terms of temperature.

400 to 200 BC

The earliest evidence that chicken was kept for food originated in Israel were historians found over a thousand chicken bones with the marks of knives that were used to butcher them. It is interesting to note that these chickens were mostly female, as males were likely used for cockfights.

100 BC

At this point in history, there is evidence of chickens existing and being eaten in Europe. This likely happened from travelers from the Middle East and Asia coming back to Europe after seeing the consumption of chickens.

476 to 1453

The Middle Ages brought heightened popularity for eating chickens which were considered the most popular meat at the time. People believed that chicken was an easier protein to digest compared to other meats. In fact, history shows that King Richard the Lionheart feasted on grilled chickens during the 12th century.

1400s to 1700s

Explorers to the “New World” discovered the agriculture and native animals of the lands which they took back to their home countries. This is how turkeys and ducks made their way across the Atlantic and into European kitchens.

These explorations greatly influenced and evolved international cuisines in every part of the globe. It is believed that the first chickens in the Americas were introduced by Polynesians who reached South America a century before Columbus.

1939 to 1945

World War II saw the consumption of chicken drastically increase around the world as other meats, such as beef and veal because scarce and too expensive for everyday eating.

Today

Today, Americans consume more chicken than beef. In fact, chicken is a universal protein found in the most popular cuisines all around the world. Take the variations of roast chicken, for instance. There’s tandoori chicken, Peruvian chicken, French rotisseries, and even the everyday purchase of whole roast chickens in supermarkets across the U.S.