47th National Chicken Cooking Contest is Inspiring

Chuck Zimmerman

National Chicken Cooking ContestBirmingham, AL was the place to be for the 47th National Chicken Cooking Contest.

A “spectacular” dish combining boneless chicken breasts with jasmine rice, shredded coconut and a crunchy Thai-style slaw took first place and the grand prize of $100,000 in the 47th National Chicken Cooking Contest here Friday.

National Chicken Cooking Contest WinnerMichelle Anderson, a training analyst from Eagle, Idaho, created the dish -“Thai-Inspired Stuffed Chicken Breast and Slaw” – and prepared it for a panel of food writers and editors in a competition involving a contestant from every state in the Union and the District of Columbia.

“The dish looked spectacular and tasted delicious,” said Nancy Dell’Aria, food editor of Woman’s Day magazine and chairman of the panel of media judges. “It had several different textures and a delightful crunch. We knew it was a contender from the first bite.”

The contest is sponsored by the National Chicken Council and the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, with the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association serving as local host. Elise Durbin, secretary-treasurer of the Marshall Durbin Companies of Birmingham, is chairman of the Contest.

Ag Groups, Food