While 'zero' usually means 'nothing,' at WeightWatchers, ZeroPoint® foods are everything! If poultry is a staple in your diet and you’ve got some questions, you’re in the right place.
So are we talking about just chicken breasts?
No! Most skinless cuts of meat in the poultry category are ZeroPoints! Here’s a list of all the ZeroPoint cuts in the poultry category. No matter which you buy, you can cook or smoke them with sauces that have a Points value of 0 and they’ll still be a ZeroPoint food.
- Chicken breast, skinless
- Chicken thigh, skinless
- Chicken drumstick, skinless
- Chicken leg, skinless
- Deli meat, skinless chicken or turkey breast (plain/oven roasted versions only)
- Chicken mince, breast
- Turkey breast, skinless
- Turkey mince, breast
- Turkey thigh, skinless
- Turkey drumstick, skinless
- Turkey leg, skinless
OK, so I’ve got options! What poultry is not considered a ZeroPoint food?
- Processed, unspecified products such as “deli turkey” which often contain sugar or dark meat—ingredients that are not ZeroPoint foods.
- Pre-marinated chicken or turkey breasts.
- Chicken and turkey wings
If I remove the skin from barbecued chicken breast, is it a ZeroPoint food?
With the exception of the chicken wing, any part of the chicken with the skin removed is considered a ZeroPoint food.
How do I cook lean chicken or turkey so it doesn’t come out dry?
Invest in a reliable meat thermometer so that you can cook these lean meats until they are fully done and safe to eat: an internal temperature of at least 75°C but not much past that.
When using a meat thermometer, be sure to insert it into the thickest part of whatever you’re cooking without hitting any bone. The tip of the thermometer should be close to the centre and not poking through to the other side. Remember, you’re aiming for the thermometer to hit 75°C.
Some of our fave poultry recipes
*Members living with diabetes will have non-starchy veggies, eggs, fish & shellfish, chicken & turkey, skinless, leans meats, tofu & tempeh, and beans, peas, & lentils on their ZeroPoint food list. These categories were carefully selected to consider the combination of carbohydrates, proteins, and fibre, and are less likely to impact blood sugar levels.