Air-chilled chicken is a method of cooling chicken during processing that uses purified cold air to reduce the body temperature of the chicken, rather than immersing it in a cold water bath. During the air-chilling process, chickens are suspended separately from a track that moves through several chambers. In the first, cold purified air is run over each bird, which quickly reduces its body temperature. Then, depending on the system used, the chickens will cycle through one or two more chilled chambers for up to 3 ½ hours. The air-chilling process takes longer than the water bath, but many feel the results are worth the time. Air-chilled chicken is considered to be of higher quality than water-chilled chicken because it is more tender and flavorful. The natural juices are not diluted, so the meat is more tender and flavorful. When you buy water-chilled chicken, you are paying for water—on average 8% of its body weight. But with air-chilled chicken, all you pay for is chicken. There is very little loss of weight from slaughter to market, and there is no purge—that red/pink watery liquid you often find in packages of chicken. Because they have not absorbed excess water, they also cook faster than a conventionally chilled chicken. And perhaps the best argument for air chilling is the crispy skin. You can achieve photo-perfect roasted chicken, with glorious crusty skin that is just not possible with a water-chilled chicken.