What Is Green Circle Chicken?

Green Circle chicken is a very special bird. Certified humane, air-chilled and exclusively available at D’Artagnan, every chicken that bears the name is raised free-range on a diet of surplus vegetables. Inspired by the common sense, waste-nothing philosophy of days past, when chickens lived on vegetable scraps and roamed freely around farmyards and pastureland, Green Circle chicken has been featured on the front page of The NY Times & CNN, and is a favorite among chefs. If you ever needed proof on the plate that a happy chicken is a tasty chicken, you’ll find it here. Read on to learn more.

What Makes Green Circle Chicken Different

D'Artagnan is dedicated to finding farmers who share our vision of rearing livestock humanely. We look at scale and sustainability; choosing only farms that respect nature and focus on the best animal welfare practices.

Our network of small Amish and Mennonite family farms in Pennsylvania raise chickens the old-fashioned way. They are environmentally responsible & sustainable and offer farm-to-table traceability.

The Green Circle chicken is a special bird for many reasons, but what sets it apart is the diet. These chickens are fed clean surplus vegetables from markets – bruised, cut, or otherwise unattractive vegetables - along with cuttings and peelings from restaurant kitchens and wholesome grains. These unloved vegetables are saved from going to landfills, so not only do the chickens benefit from the vegetable diet, but it makes sense for the environment too.

Certified Humane Chicken

All Green Circle chickens are raised and handled according to Humane Farm Animal Care’s stringent welfare policies and are the rare bird that receives their humane certification. And of course, no antibiotics, hormones, or arsenicals are ever used.

Our chickens are also free-range. In order for poultry to be certified free-range, it must be raised in specific conditions: with access to the outdoors and natural light, the ability to forage naturally, and a minimum of 1.5 square feet of space per bird when indoors. Green Circle chickens enjoy more than twice that space in the barns. In addition, to be called free-range, chickens must be raised to 8 weeks of age, as opposed to 5 or 6 weeks, which is standard for commercially raised chicken.

Air-Chilled for Better Flavor

Green Circle chickens are air-chilled and hand-processed in a low-volume facility near the farms where they are raised. The air-chilling process guarantees our chickens have no additional water weight, which leads to better post-cooking yields, with a deeper flavor profile and crispy skin.

Heritage Green Circle Chicken

Heritage Green Circle chickens are an old breed of bird, recognized for complex flavor. Our heritage birds are raised with the same Green Circle methods, with access to the outdoors and the ability to forage naturally. They are raised to 85 days - which is an unthinkably long time for any commercially raised chicken. The heritage program was developed for New York chefs who were seeking the full flavor of chicken they enjoyed in Europe and were delighted with the savory results.

Our holistic approach produces truly wholesome chicken. From start to finish, these birds are treated and fed well, and the result is a supremely tasty chicken on your table.

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