Chicken is America’s favorite meat. No other meat comes close to chicken’s popularity. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in 2018, Americans consumed 93.8 pounds of chicken per capita. The meat group closest to chicken in 2018 was beef, with 57.2 pounds per capita — a wide gap. Chicken makes up 43% of all meat consumed in the U.S. According to the USDA, “Chicken began its upward climb in the 1940s, overtaking pork in 1996 as the second most consumed meat.” Since 1996, chicken has been a favorite of both consumers and chefs alike.

Source: Wayne Farms