Chicken breast and thigh go neck and neck

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Chicken has long fascinated Sydney. There's the so-called Red Rooster line – said to mark the boundaries of the west-leaning chain from the rest of the city – while the wider public battle of breast versus thigh looks to have finally anointed a new king.

While breast is traditionally popular with the public, the strong flavour of thigh is generally preferred by chefs.

Wholesaler Peter Katsidis from Farmers Best says thigh – fuelled by the influx of different cuisines and Asian takeaways into Australia – has been gradually edging its way up.

"It's been neck and neck, but this week our wholesale price for thigh is $1 a kilo more than breast."

Veteran wholesaler Clayton Wright concurs: "With the major supermarkets all moving towards thigh fillet, this has for the first time made chicken thigh fillets dearer than chicken breast fillets".

Wright maintains a softer market has resulted in retailers jumping on cheaper alternatives, making the traditionally more-expensive option more-affordable.

Evidently not all home cooks have made the switch.

David Lucas, from Lucas Meats in Sydney's east says his customers have a clear favourite: "We've sold three to one in favour of breast forever."