Where to buy roasting chickens in San Jose area?

[jeffkirk1]

Howdy folks,

I was wondering if anyone had any good tips on where to buy the smaller roasting chickens (like the ones used in restaurants) as opposed to the Brobdingnagian creatures on sale in local grocery stores.

I recently bought the Zuni Cafe Cookbook (a fantastic work, by the way) and want to do the Roasted Chicken with Bread Salad recipe, which calls for the smaller chickens. I'm just getting into cooking at home and am not too familiar with specialty / custom meat and poultry providers in the South Bay.

Thanks!

Jeff Kirk

[Melanie Wong]

Have you tried the Ranch 99 market closest to you? They typically have several types of whole chickens available. Just heard from a (non-Chinese) friend who roasted a Loong Kong chicken (used the head and feet to make stock) and pronounced it excellent. Don't know how big they are, maybe 3 to 4 lbs. and usually in the butcher case. I buy the poussin-size under 2 lbs., here, usually found packaged in the self-serve case, that are great for French/Italian sauteed preps cooked on the bone.

[Ronald Wong]

You might check out Whole Foods or Draegers.

[Alan408]

A roasting chicken is a larger chicken. Sizes of chickens are: broiler, fryer, roaster.

I have used Fulton Farms from Lunardis, just ask for a small one, they are ~<3-4+ pounds each. Paladino's in Redwood City used to sell 2-2.5lb chickens, perfect size for two.