This applies even if your chicken is organic. Apparently it is a muscle disorder that is related to genetic breeding. We are no longer laughing about Frankenchicken, because that's what it is. Cooked chicken that has gone bad will usually be slimy, sticky, and overly soft. If you cook chicken in a skillet, oven, or grill for an excessive amount of time, the moisture will be sucked out of the meat, leaving you with a dry, rubbery bird. I doubt there's any way to tell without some specific control tests. I buy my chickens and rotisserie chickens from Whole Foods or the organic ones at Costco. What does our FDA do with our tax dollars? So I sent them back their coupons and told them they had a BIG problem on their hands that coupons were not going to solve. But all could be culprits. After grilling and cooling it was tough to cut up and had a really thick grain that was hard to cut through. The owner came cover and I told her what the waitress said, fearing it was not cooked thoroughly. How to Tell if Chicken Is Bad: Signs and What to Look For - Healthline I thought I was going to be able to save time driving, but Im going back to Whole Foods! It happened to me too last night for the first time in my life. I KNEW that my chicken was safe to eat; temped at 161 when it came out of the oven, even nuked it after cutting and plating because the texture was so convincingly raw! Overcooking might play a role in your chicken's tire-like texture. So glad I found your comment and know the solution: dont buy Springer. Sitting here looking up weird textured chicken breasts because Im eating one rn. I asked my husband to taste it and he tasted the flowery taste too. I had this exact issue today while cooking drumsticks. No thanks. Never had a problem with Whole Foods regular antibiotic free Rotisserie chicken. Older hens generally produce thinner shells as their oviducts wears out. Just SO gross! It has happened when i have sliced and stir fried boneless skinless chicken breasts and also when I have roasted bone-in skin-on chicken breasts. It will take many, many customers to make a large enough demand for the poultry farmers to take notice. . I came across this thread because I was trying to figure out why my raw chicken breasts had a gelatinous texture to them. Had it happen twice before with months separating them and thought perhaps it was how we froze or thawed them. I don't know what to do. This causes stringy, weird texture. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the chicken become elastic. Rubbery Chicken: Causes, Solutions, and Mistakes to Avoid - Greatist It doesn't solve ruining your meal and possibly not eating chicken again but I hope if enough people complain they can take it seriously at the production end. My sister swears by it and she has had the bad experience of weird chicken too. Tonight I cooked them and they looked wonderful. >.<. Had to throw the sandwich out because of the gross factor. Edit: as some of you have suggested I believe the cause of the weird texture in the chicken was bromelain. last straw was ordering in from a local restaurant with critically-acclaimed roast chicken last weeksame issue on a bone-in breast! Cant do raw feeling chicken , I work for a farm animal welfare NGO (we work with companies to improve their policies) and we've been seeing this issue come up a lot, as it's not only a quality issue, but a welfare issue as well. Thanks for chiming in BakerRB. I know this thread is a tad old. Ive been slowly going off chicken and this might be the final straw. I havent had that problem anymore. OK here goes, It was explained to me like this from a respected butcher. And eventually they will have to go back to raising their chickens (and pigs) the way they used to . The texture is gross, even though fully cooked, it feels like it's raw, rubbery, gummy, very odd texture very unappetizing & unappealing. I had the same problem I thought maybe because I didn't pound it out. I carry several government chemical licenses. The random raw textures is still when over cooking @179 degrees. Maybe that's the issue. Raw chicken shouldn't be slimy, sticky, or tacky and should be glossy and somewhat soft. "I pay close to double what I used to pay when I was buying non-organic, but for me, its worth it.". You're not alone. The boneless skinless chicken breasts have been cooked past 165F in MULTIPLE spots and we even bought a new thermometer. Americans have no idea, that everything American on the stock market is now majority owned by all the same Global institutional finance entities, all bought up & controlled by finance. These muscular issues are a result of selective breeding for really fast growth and high breast meat yielding chickens (which make up 98% of chicken breeds today raised by companies), and actually is not a result from hormones (as it's actually illegal to administer hormones to chickens and pigs in the US). Interestingly one issue seems like an answer to the other. Not always, but occasionally when grilling boneless-skinless breast of chicken the texture comes out crunchy. Its not you, its genetic altering gone wild. Because anything with enzymes will breakdown fiber, even in genetically edited Frankenstein chickens. I know my household has dropped chicken consumption dramatically. Well, I'm an old fogey and I've been cooking chicken for decades (whole and parts) a variety of ways, at a wide range of temperatures, using all sorts of pans, pots, grills, heat sources, etc. What is so frustrating is making a nice chicken dish (marsala, francese) for company and not knowing who will get the uneatable piece! My husband insisted the chicken was done. Overcooked chicken will be very dense and even hard, with a stringy, unappealing texture. The poultry industry has a fowl problem: an emerging phenomenon called "woody breast." While it's not harmful to humans, the condition causes chicken breasts to be tougher because of hard or woody fibers that lace the meat. .wrote them several letters and they just sent me coupons . I just had this experience with Trader Joe's organic chicken breasts. this Is not chicken. The taste of chicken gizzard is often described as "gamey," and some people find it to be an acquired taste. I'm not alone! But I would say, dark meat just a bit under is pretty close to that rubbery "crunch-like" unpleasant texture. "Woody Breast" is what the industry is naming it. Kentucky Bourbon Grilled Pork Chops - The Kitchen Magpie If you cook chicken in a skillet, oven, or grill for an excessive amount of time, the moisture will be sucked out of the meat, leaving you with a dry, rubbery bird. I'm so glad I found this thread. At first, I thought it was a result of cooking frozen chicken that hadn't fully thawed. I again mentioned what the waitress said when the waitress came out she said she meant that the next FRIED chicken this time would be cooked through. Unfortunately, if you're buying frozen chicken breasts, you likely won't know if any are woody until you defrost them. I think I have some form of PTSD now from eating it. Overcooked chicken can have a rubbery texture because when the protein fibers are exposed to the heat for too long, they lose . I've been so turned off by the taste I've actually stopped buying them thinking it was the specific brand. That is the short non scientific answer. It was NOT raw but felt raw. Tyson, just in general, should be crossed off the ole grocery list as it isits the probably the worst as far as product quality, and that's even excluding the "woody breast disease" issue. Practice looking at the chicken you eat out so that you can identify perfectly-cooked chicken every time. I have noticed it in both the individual wrapped pieces that come in the zip bags and the plastic trays. And you better think again if you think organic is really any better. Absolutely horrible here in AZ. I am never buying big breasts again! Why does some chicken have a rubbery texture? But then the industry would have to admit to lying for profit for the last 20 years. He also suggested spatchcocking and and cooking at 325 for an hour (I have been cooking at 425-450). I must say though Ive never had bad chicken from KFC! It grosses me out. The "Woody Breast" disease or symptom is pretty specific to the breast. When I buy smaller ckn breast I haven't had the issue. Help - Odd chicken texture - Food52 I asked my step mother who is a chef and she said that it was impossible. Not only does it result in what you all have experienced in cooking chicken, but is also a painful, chronic issue in the chickens. I checked the internal temperature and they were all between 175-185, well over the safe temperature for chicken. The processing of preparing chicken for the market place is being injected with water!! And yes, it tends to be the larger ones sold at the butcher counter as singles (by the piece, boned, skinless). I cut it and it was a little hard to cut into but the when I started chewing it had a consistency or should I say texture of it being raw but when I looked at it it was cooked and looked fine. It's not plain roasted but it sure is tasty and the chicken is delicious. I guess sourcing is the answer? Sorry I can't help you because I haven't bought chicken in a supermarket for more years than I can remember. I have had this problem for months and it seems totally random. I have had issues with the taste of other meat but buying organic seems to have helped with those. I used homemade shake & bake and drizzled all with olive oil. It seems too simple to be true, but eating or drinking something hot may temporarily cause your sense of taste to get weird. I hope this saves someone time from cooking them and finding out later. I guess Im switching to organic. I knew it was cooked, but the way it felt when chewing was as if it wasn't. Why Does My Chicken Have A Strange Texture? - Sweetish Hill In a rush for poultry producers to get more money per pound they started growing bigger chickens up to 6lb plus. . If all they have is Frackenchicken then I look for a whole small chicken and I have been lucky to date. Woody chicken breast meat is more coarse with fibers that feel "woody" hence the name. My research and experience has concluded that the possible reason for the off texture is the saline brine injected in most frozen and brand name chicken. What causes weird chicken texture? - Davidmwhitearchitect.com at first the thin cut breasts were better but have even had a couple of those with the weird texture. factory chicken. It is so gross. It was something I was running into at home. June 19, 2019. I laughingly called it a Frankenchicken during prep. I am shocked that there is not more talk about this issue. Why Does Some Chicken Have A Crunchy Texture? - Sweetish Hill We had signs about it in a restaurant I worked in about 3 years ago, but as far as I was aware it was never an issue. Then, dredge it in seasoned flour and shake off the excess. The chickens are being grown for market too fast. Tonight we cooked chicken breasts on the grill, I had marinated them in soy sauce and thought they would be good. My friends and I ate at an exclusive place in Florida. I even tried fried chicken in hot oil the old way and same texture still ! Have not had chicken for a long time and gave it one more chance. They aren't super tough, just your expected chicken breast texture. Lately, even before the pandemic but not to the same extent, I have had issues with chicken. ALL the meat WAS good. Now i need to quit Costco?? I don't know why, but the wsj article seems in the right direction. Seems this thread was useful. this must be rooster or rat meat. It's as described above, you cook the chicken thoroughly, but the texture is almost rubbery as if it is raw and it turns my stomach every time. The texture really is disgusting. I recall them being more saltybut this was back in the land before time, so probably shouldn't have included them. My kids had a awful look on their faces and my daughter finally says this chicken is horrible! It feels like an injection of rubber into the meat or something and it completely ruins my appetite for the evening. They definitely are. In 20 years of breeding free range heritage breeds, she's seldom encountered the issue. If you know of a better brand please share. My husband said nothing was wrong but I know what a completely cooked chicken breast tastes like and what if feels like when I chew. Egg Oddities: A Guide To Irregular Eggs - Hobby Farms