How much chicken will we need?

Get a good mix of all pieces, breasts, drumsticks, thighs. If the resturant has any caterering experience, just ask them! They'll be able to give you a good idea.

Thanks FMS. If no one knows, I'll try that. I am trying to avoid mentioning that it's for a wedding (due to the price increases many places have for weddings). I just want to call, ask how much it costs for X number of pieces, write down the price and go on to the next one. My cousin would be picking up the food and bringing it to the reception and we will have chafing dishes and an oven to keep the chicken hot.

Not one half but one and one half. otherwise you'll run out of chicken quick if all you buy is 35 pieces of chicken. And that is the normal catering number. However It must also be considered how many people like fried chicken. Cuz it's a popular meal. And there are many who will eat chicken and nothing else. And the piece of chicken you get will make a difference as well. A wing versus a breast or a thigh. Some parts of a chicken are bigger then others so if you are getting wings or legs I would say multiply by 3 or 4. Cause I don't know too many people who eat just one wing or just one drumstick especially when you are speaking of adults.

I would think 2-3 pieces of chicken per person or half a chicken/person Max.

Also - I was thinking... Costco has amazing prices for their Roasted Chicken. It's a huge tasty chicken for $4.99!

Chicken Salad is also easy and inexpensive to do!

We don't have a Costco in our area but we do have a Sam's Club. We're going to check there definitely. So from what has been said thus far, we should probably get 1.5 - 2 pieces per person and definitely get a good mix.

When we get a large quantity for church we get 2 pieces per person. We usually get it from Kroger.

Yeah we have 150 coming and we are doing 2 pieces per person

@Brooklynne - we don't have a Kroger either. The closest one is 45 minutes away. We do have several grocery stores that could make enough chicken though. We'll be doing tons of calling tomorrow.

I would say 2-3 pieces per person, not 1-2. I'm a small woman, but man when it comes to baked chicken I can definitely eat my share! So better safe then sorry right? I also agree to go with a mix of chicken. And also when you serve it make sure you have them seperated by parts or you will have people digging through trying to find the piece they want. Easy thought I know, but also very easy to overlook ;-)

That should have said fried chicken, not baked...Baked chicken (at least how my mom makes it) and yeah i'm only eating 1 or 2 pieces..LoL...

If it were me, I'd get primarily breasts, then legs, and maybe just nix thighs and wings altogether. It seems like when I'm at functions with chicken, the breasts go quick and I sometimes don't get any as a result(it's the only part I'll eat). From there, especially if you have a lot of kids, legs are a lot of peoples' favorites. I think people eat the thighs and wings because most places throw them in the mix whether you want them or not and they're cheap, but I don't know anyone who specifically goes out of their way to eat those pieces. Plus, some people have a hard time differentiating breasts and thighs when they're fried, so it'd make it easier if nothing else.

Honestly, I only eat chicken thighs, so I vote for those! LOL!

Remember that chicken breasts weigh far more than other parts.

The more I think about it, the more that I think that 2 per person should be fine. Our wedding is at 2pm and our reception will start between 4 and 5pm which is not quite a "meal time" so people will not be as hungry as they would be if the reception started at 6pm.

Kathy - Really? I've only EVER bought them because they're cheap and we were super broke. And I genuinely don't know anyone who eats them when breasts and legs are available.

I love Thighs and Legs and also Wings. I don't like chicken breasts at all! Yak.. They are super dry. I understand that they have less fat, but no fat to me is no taste.

And Thighs are great if you are on a budget - they are more affordable!

Elena - Blasphemy! Chicken breasts are DELICIOUS!!

Im with the other ladies. i heart chicken boobs. hehe