<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Why dont you just grab the chicken and eat it like it is presented? Tearing the piece up is not what we have in mind for the flavor profile. If you tear it up, it isnt what we turned in. Our bbq is intended to have a certain flavor from top to bottom that goes together, not just in the middle. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I totally agree with you Dale. I try to prepare my chicken assuming a judge will take a bite though the skin, and meat, on either side of the bone. If a judge is going to break the piece down, I don't really see any hope of impressing them.
back to the original question, we used bone-in thighs with skin and focus on getting the skin right. The two times we got called for chicken, the skin was right, the other 3 times...not so much.
Its like any of the meats, there's risk and reward. You CAN submit white meat chicken, but if it aint darn near perfect, don't expect love from the judges. Good skin seems to get us big scores (well bigger).