If you’re a non-veg lover and like to eat one of the healthiest chicken dishes then you are in for a treat.

Today you will learn about one of the rarest breeds of chicken which is known for its meat colour, it tastes, its health factor and for being the most expensive chicken dishes.

Kadaknath Chicken, also called as “Kali Masi” (fowl having black meat), is an indigenous and one of the rarest India poultry breeds.

This breed is related to an Indonesian poultry breed known as Ayam Cemani.

They are native to the jungles of Dhar and Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh and some parts of Chhattisgarh states of India.

The name Kadaknath comes from Hindi word “Kadak” which means “Strong”. The name literally means “strong-bodied” chicken.

The breed’s history can be traced back to centuries and are primarily raised by rural and tribal communities in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

This breed is known for its medicinal and culinary properties among local people.

Hyperpigmentation – Due to genetic condition know as fibromelanosis, this chicken breed has all black body with greenish iridescence. The feathers, skin, beak, comb, wattles, and even internal organs and bones are black. Even the blood has black colouration.

Weight – The roosters weigh 1.8–2.0 kg (4.0–4.4 lb) and the kadaknath hens weigh 1.2–1.5 kg (2.6–3.3 lb).

Flavour – Kadaknath chicken meat is very flavourful, rich and earthy. As this chicken is bred in the “open farm system” and free of chemicals, the meat is very healthy also.

This chicken is famous for medicinal properties of its meat.

Tribal communities use its’s blood for the treatment of chronic diseases. The meat is also used as an aphrodisiac.

This variety of chicken is believed to have 25-27 per cent protein per 100 grams of meat and low-cholesterol (0.73-1.03 %) content.

In comparison regular white chickens have somewhere between 13–25% level of cholesterol. This means that kadaknath chicken meat is good for your heart.

It is raised in its natural environment comprising backyards and open fields rather than industrial environments.

This makes the birds robust and reduces their dependency on vaccinations or antibiotics to be healthy.

These birds are primarily raised by tribal and rural people in a free-range system.

They are hard bodied and well-adapted to their natural habitat, showing disease resistance in free-range conditions.

However, raising them in a free-range system increases the risk of diseases such as Marek’s disease, Newcastle disease, botulism, and bird flu.

Despite these challenges, rearing chickens in a free-range system adds to the production of organic egg.

This is the reason why the Kadaknath egg is rich in protein and also the reason why Kadaknath egg is so costly.

Kadaknath chicken is known for its unique characteristics and high market value, which contribute to its expensive price.

This breed is found only in limited area of only 2 states in India. In these regions there are farmed in free range system by the local and Trible people.

Due to their cultural significance to the tribal people, they are associated with traditional cuisines and delicacy.

Kadaknath chickens breed more slowly than commercial chickens, resulting in longer breeding times and increased costs for farmers.

We have already seen the medicinal and health benefits of the chicken. Due to this the meat of the chicken is in high demand in both local and internation market.

These above factors combined are the reason why the why kadaknath chicken is costly when compared to more commonly raised commercial poultry breeds.

GI or Geographical Identification is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or reputation due to their origin.

Kadaknath meat got Geographical Indication tag on 30 July 2018 by the Indian Government.

Due to limited supply of the chicken and high demand, there have been many scams on resent years where the farmers raising the chicken have been duped financially.

This is reason why every one should know how to identify kadaknath chicken. Reading this article will help in identifying this.

The Kadaknath chicken is a remarkable breed native to India.

The breed holds cultural importance among indigenous communities and has been recognized with a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

Due to is medicinal and health benefits, the meat is very costly and is in high demand in local and internation markets.

The above information is collated from various sources available on the internet and is not based on any tests we have done ourself.