Chickens serve as one of the most common meats in the world, and are frequently prepared as food in a large number of ways. It is one of the easiest meats to digest. There is significant variation in cooking methods amongst cultures; historically common methods include roasting, baking, and frying. Today, chickens are also cooked by deep frying and prepared as fast food such as chicken nuggets. Modern varieties of chicken, such as the Cornish Cross, are bred specifically for meat production, with an emphasis placed on the ratio of feed to meat produced by the animal. In Chinese culinary culture, chicken is highly-valued, as in the phrase "無雞不歡" (roughly translates as 'no chicken, no satisfaction').

Chickens raised specifically for meat are called broilers. In the United States, broilers are typically butchered at a young age. Modern Cornish Cross hybrids, for example, are butchered as early as 8 weeks for fryers and 12 weeks for roasting birds. Typically, the muscle tissue (breast, legs, thigh, etc), livers, and gizzard are processed for food. Chicken feet are less commonly eaten, though they are popular in Chinese cuisine. The head, internal organs such as the lungs and intestines, and feathers are typically discarded or ground into a protein meal for inclusion in other animal feeds, although Chinese cuisines may retain the whole bird on the dish (with the head), depending on the dish.

Capons (castrated cocks) produce more and fattier meat than normal cocks. For this reason, they are considered a delicacy and were particularly popular in the Middle Ages. Caponizing a cock, unlike castrating a steer or pig, requires delicate surgery and is an art almost lost today. The cock's testicles lie within its body cavity. To remove them requires special equipment and skill. The person caponizing the rooster must make precise and specialized cuts within the abdomen of the rooster. Infection and potential damage to the bird are possible should an unskilled individual perform the surgery. In the past, the surgery's carried out with a string looped around the cock's testicles, then pull both ends to remove.

Chicken eggs, produced by pullets and laying hens, are also very commonly eaten. The chicken egg is the most commonly eaten bird egg in the world. Hens may lay fertile or infertile eggs. Fertile means that the egg will some day become a chicken. Infertile means the egg will never hatch. Fertilized eggs will usually have a large white spot upon the outer layer of yolk-the blastoderm. Eggs purchased from the store are not usually fertile. Hens will continue to lay even if a rooster is not present, though these will not be viable. There is no difference in the nutritional value between a fertilized and unfertilized egg. Modern breeding techniques focusing on feed-to-egg conversion ratios have increased the number of eggs a hen can lay. Modern egg chickens are typically derived from the early Leghorn varieties. When the egg is laid, the egg is not soft but has a hard shell. This shell protects the egg's contents, making it a food source that is easily transported and stored. Nutritionally, the egg provides a rich source of protein and vitamins. Recent concerns over cholesterol, however, have caused many to question the place of eggs in the human diet.

Some chicken breeds are raised for both meat and egg production. Typically heavy breeds, these are primarily grown by small farmers or hobbyists. These include breeds such as the Wyandotte, Delaware, or Barred Rock.