A new study has shown that organic chicken is tougher and doesn't taste as good as battery reared chicken. I think I agree with this, certainly on the issue of tenderness. We have been following the recent fashion for free range chicken and often it's as tough as old boots.

Next step give up chicken altogether? If the ethical stuff is so tough and tasteless better eat something ethical and tasty like pigeons and other game.

The news report is here -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/07/05/chickensRG06.xml

I can't say that I'm surprised by the results of this to be honest. I've seen a number of tastings which came to the same conclusion in similar but smaller tests, including a recent Rick Stein programme.

It's pretty natural that a bird which runs about is going to develop more muscles than a bird which is forced to sit in the same place constantly.

If we could afford to eat free range constantly then I'd happily make the concession not to buy the slightly better tasting bird because of ethical reasons, in the same way that I would not buy foie gras despite suspecting that it tastes wonderful.

I only eat organic chicken and it's years since i have had intensively farmed stuff so i can't even remember what it tastes like. I do know that the chicken i eat tastes fantastic and if you cook it properly is very tender. There are always studies being done and both sides of the argument will be represented depending on which study it is. This one says intensive is better, many others say the opposite.

I certainly think organic/free range has more flavour and therefore is better to eat. I've never had anything that was tough, but if it's a little less tender but with better flavour and the birds have had a better life, then that's fine by me.