In Italian cooking, the word 'pollo' refers to which type of meat?

The Italian word for 'chicken' is 'pollo'. It is usually used to refer to both the animal and the meal. Whereas in English an 's' is added to the end of the word to make it plural, the Italian word for more than one chicken is 'polli'. Many Italian dishes feature chicken, for example, 'pollo alla diavola' (Italian herb roasted chicken), 'pollo al forno' (oven-baked chicken), and 'pollo impanato' (breaded chicken).

Other words are used to describe specific chickens, such as males and females. A male chicken, i.e. a rooster, is called 'gallo', and a female chicken or hen is known as 'gallina'. A young rooster, on the other hand, is a 'pollastro'.

The term 'pollo' may also be used to describe someone who is foolish or easy to deceive. The phrase 'pollo da spennare', which literally translates as 'a chicken to pluck', means someone is an easy target. In English, the equivalent phrase is 'a sitting duck'.

In Italy, several idioms feature the word 'pollo' or 'polli'. Examples include 'essere come i polli di mercato' (to be like market chickens), meaning to be mismatched; 'far ridere i polli' (to make chickens laugh), meaning to say something ridiculous, and 'conoscere i propri polli' (to know one's own chickens), meaning to know one's close friends or family really well.