Skip to main content

Chicken oysters are delicious (and you probably didn’t know they exist)

You'll be craving this chef's secret after one taste.

Roasted chicken in a pan.
Anshu A/Unsplash

What’s the best part of perfect roast chicken? The tender breast? The juicy thigh? Maybe the crispy skin? Those are all delicious parts of a roasted chicken, but they are also the wrong answer. We’re here to let you in on a little secret that not everyone knows about. The best parts of a roasted chicken are, without a doubt, the two little nuggets of happiness buried on the back of the bird known as the chicken oysters.

The chicken oysters have historically been a snack for the chef, a small payment for a job well done. Not many people are aware of their existence. But we’re here to tell you that after you know where to look, you’ll never forget about them ever again. Every chicken has two oysters, so that means they are a pretty hot commodity and you can decide whether to share the other one or not. We won’t judge you if you don’t.

The location of the chicken oysters are circled and labeled on a raw chicken.

Where is the chicken oyster?

The oysters are located on either side of the spine, tucked in at the back of the thighs, and while they’re slightly easier to remove from a cooked bird than an uncooked one, you should still remove them if you’re butchering a raw chicken. It’s this location that makes them so special (and tasty).

Since most people cook their chickens breast-side up and the oysters are buried towards the center of the bird where all the moisture is drawn to when cooking, they are protected from the searing heat of the oven and are essentially slow-cooked in fat and roasting juices. Since it’s nearly impossible to find chicken oysters for sale by themselves, our tip would be to pop them out whenever you buy a whole chicken to roast at home and freeze them.

What do chicken oysters taste like?

So what do chicken oysters taste like? If you are a fan of delicious flavor, taking the time to pop out these plump little bites of dark meat will make your day just a little bit better. Supremely tender and unctuous, the oysters have the most “roasted chicken” flavor of any part of the bird.

Once you’ve got a dozen or so, roast them all in a cast-iron skillet with lots of butter, thyme, and garlic, and serve them over a spring pea risotto. On the other hand, if you happen to have an izakaya nearby that serves yakitori, they’ll almost always have oysters on their menu, though usually in short supply. Or keep snacking on them after you roast a chicken. Just don’t tell anyone, and you really can’t lose.

chicken oyster yakitori
Chicken oyster yakitori at Yardbird in Hong Kong. yardbirdyakitori/Instagram

How to cook chicken oysters

Because there are only two chicken oysters per chicken, you might be wondering how to cook these precious treats. The key to chicken oyster enjoyment is thinking about quality over quantity, along with how to maximize enjoyment. And for that, one of the best ways is to do it Japanese style — yakitori.

Chicken oysters are a popular yakitori item. Like other Asian skewers, such as Southeast Asian satay, yakitori are cooked on small wooden skewers over hot charcoal. Here, it’s all about the pure essence of chicken flavor, and skilled yakitori chefs will butcher their own chicken oysters, leaving the skin on for maximum juiciness and flavor. We recommend doing the same. All you need is a grill, skewers, and some tasty chicken oysters, and you’re ready to go.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Hunter Lu
Hunter Lu is a New York-based food and features writer, editor, and NYU graduate. His fiction has appeared in The Line…
How to cook rice perfectly every time, no matter how you choose to make it
These methods mean no more mushy meals or rice stuck to the bottom of the pot
Cooked white rice

Rice is a staple portion of or a whole meal. Practically anywhere in the world, that region's cuisine features rice to some extent. Not only does it go with everything from steak to chicken, but it can also be used in sweet dishes, too (rice pudding, anyone? How about sweet sticky rice with fresh mango?).

Rice is also a perfect dry ingredient to keep on hand when you need a quick meal that will fill you up and leave you satiated, but that also won't break the bank. But it isn't always easy to make. Sometimes it gets mushy, others it sticks to the bottom of the pot. Cooking rice doesn't have to be tricky, though. To help, we’ve put together a guide on how to cook rice perfectly every time, so you can enjoy those tasty grains without the headaches.

Read more
How to grill corn on the cob: The tips, tricks, and recipes you need
This classic barbecue dish just got a whole lot better
Grilled corn on the cob

Fresh corn is an absolute summertime staple. We don't care how progressive or trend-setting your barbecue menu is; if you're not serving up grilled corn on the cob, you're doing it wrong. Not only is that juicy, sweet taste beautifully accented by the smokey char of the grill, but it's yet another dish that's even better when cooked over the flames.

Forget about that pot of water on the stove, heating up the kitchen on an already sultry summer day. That's a hard pass. If you ask us, that corn always belongs on the grill, and once you master how to grill corn on the cob, these are some of our favorite recipes.

Read more
You should know how to make these incredible sauces
Mastering these sauces will make you look like a pro in the kitchen
Bechamel sauce over lasagna

A good sauce is a core component of culinary culture. Knowing how to make a handful of them can elevate your kitchen game to unforeseen heights. Often, a good sauce is the star of the show. After all, what would Thanksgiving turkey be without gravy? Or Eggs Benedict without hollandaise?

Now, we don't expect you to pull a Bearnaise sauce out of your hat at a moment's notice. But you should be able to whip up a solid tomato-based sauce for pasta, or a good teriyaki sauce for rice and veggies or skewered proteins. We know, there are great pre-made options out there, from complex fish sauce to throw-it-on-anything Japanese barbecue sauce. Yet, you know as well as we do that when you pull it off from scratch, it's more rewarding and can even taste better.

Read more