Why We Choose to Air-Chill Our Chicken

There’s a lot that goes into producing chicken you can trust - not just how the birds are raised, but how they're processed. One of those steps is chilling - and how a chicken is cooled after processing has a big impact on how it tastes, cooks, and even how safe it is.

By USDA standards, chickens have to be cooled to 40°F within four hours of being processed. That’s just good food safety. But there are two ways to do it:

• Water chilling, where chickens are submerged in vats of ice-cold, chlorinated water,

• Or air chilling, where chickens are cooled individually in a cold, clean environment using circulating air.

At Heartstone Farm, our chickens are processed at two small processors in Maine and New York State who use the air chilling method - and we believe it makes a big difference. Here’s why:

1. You’re Buying Chicken, Not Water

When chickens are water-chilled, they absorb water - both during chilling and through injections afterward. Some estimates say as much as 8% of the bird’s final weight is just water.
With air-chilled chicken, there’s no added water. You’re paying for chicken - not diluted meat and not water weight.

2. It Tastes Like Chicken Should

When you avoid the chlorine baths and added salt water, the flavor of the meat comes through clean. Air chilling preserves the natural flavor of the chicken, and it’s something you can really taste - especially if you’re cooking simply, with just a bit of seasoning or marinade.

3. It Cooks Better

Water-chilled chicken tends to steam as it cooks, making it rubbery and uneven. The extra water evaporates fast, and that can shrink your portions.
Air-chilled chicken cooks faster, absorbs marinades more effectively, and crisps up beautifully - especially on the grill or in the oven.

4. It’s Cleaner

Water chilling involves hundreds of birds in shared tanks, which increases the risk of cross-contamination.
With air chilling, each bird is cooled separately, with no shared water, reducing the spread of bacteria. One university study even found that air-chilled chicken contains 80% less bacteria than water-chilled.

5. It’s Better for the Planet

Water chilling takes a lot of, well, water. If every chicken in the U.S. was air-chilled instead, over 4 billion gallons of water could be saved every year. That matters - especially in a country facing droughts and water shortages.

At Heartstone Farms, we’re proud to work with independent processors in Maine and New York who do things the right way. It’s not the cheapest or fastest method—but it’s the one we believe in.

Because when it comes to better meat, every step counts.

CHECK OUT ALL OF HEARTSTONE FARM'S CHICKEN PRODUCTS HERE