Chewy Chicken: Reasons Why, & How To Fix It!

When cooked perfectly, chicken should be juicy, moist, and mouthwateringly tender.

From time to time though, even the most experienced of home cooks can experience problems with cooking chicken.

Why exactly have you ended up with chewy chicken?

And most importantly, what can you do to fix it, and avoid it from happening again? 

Let’s take a look at exactly what you need to know, from the science behind your kitchen conundrum, to creative ways to make sure your meat can still be eaten and enjoyed… 

What causes chewy chicken? 

There are a number of reasons that could be factors in why your chicken is chewy.

These include undercooking, overcooking, and leaving the meat uncovered for too long, which essentially dries out the meat. 

Home cooks should also be mindful that breast and thigh meat should be prepared differently for the best results and texture, so this may mean altering your cooking times and method depending on the type of meat that you’re using. 

As a rule of thumb, white meat such as chicken breast should be cooked until it’s 165 degrees, whilst darker meat such as chicken thigh should be cooked until it’s 180 degrees. 

In addition to these factors, there is also a muscle condition that’s known as ‘woody breast‘.

Whilst chicken effected by this is safe to eat, the texture is unusually hard and tough. 

Chicken breast versus chicken thigh

Amateur home cooks sometimes make the mistake of thinking that different cuts of chicken can all be treated the same in terms of preparation and cooking.

This isn’t true, and it’s worth taking the time to understand the science behind getting optimum results depending on the type of chicken you’re using. 

Chicken breast should be cooked until it’s 165 degrees internally, and it’s best to remove the meat from the heat source as soon as it reaches this temperature.

As breast meat is lean, there is very little fat that needs to be broken down during the cooking process.

This will ensure that bacteria is killed and it’s safe to eat, and cooking it for any longer will likely have a negative impact on the texture. 

Chicken thigh, on the other hand, should be cooked to a slightly higher temperature of 180 degrees.

This is because darker meat has an abundance of connective tissue. If not cooked enough, this can render the meat tough and chewy. 

Though many people prefer cooking with breast, partly because the white meat often looks more palatable, I personally prefer thigh and drumstick meat for many recipes, for the taste and texture. 

Breast works well for dishes that require the meat to be cooked quickly, such as stir frying, deep frying, and barbecuing.

Thigh is usually preferable for slow cooking and stews. 

The bottom line here is that choosing the right kind of meat will help you to ensure that your chicken doesn’t turn out chewy. 

Common reasons why chicken is chewy and tough 

Undercooking

For the reasons outlined above when we looked at the differences in cooking breast and thigh, undercooking thigh meat is especially common, and a big cause of chewy chicken. 

Of course, your meat being chewy isn’t the only hazard that you’re risking when your chicken is undercooked.

For the best results in the kitchen, and to ensure the safety of those that you’re cooking for, it’s definitely worthwhile to invest in a meat thermometer. 

Overcooking 

Overcooking is more likely to be the cause of chewy chicken when it comes to breast meat. 

Again, a thermometer is your best friend here!

Once your breast meat has reached 165 degrees, it’s safe to eat and can be removed from the heat source for you to enjoy. 

Leaving chicken uncovered

Leaving chicken uncovered both before and after cooking can cause dryness. 

Here are a few best practices to follow at either side of the cooking process: 

• Always check the packaging of raw chicken before purchasing, and once you get it home. You should of course avoid any ripped or teared wrapping, and if it does become damaged during transit, make sure to wrap in cling film 
• If you’re marinading your meat, make sure it’s covered with cling film or a lid 
• If you’re leaving your meat to rest (for example, if you’re cooking a whole chicken), cover in foil until you’re ready to serve 
• Keep any leftovers well covered in the fridge so they can still be enjoyed later, without risking chewy chicken due to dryness 

Woody breast

There’s still a lot that’s unknown about woody breast, and it’s an issue that continues to challenge the poultry industry.

The condition is sporadic and impacts a very small number of birds, but if you love to cook with chicken, it’s something that it’s worthwhile being aware of. 

If you can, feel the meat you’re buying through the packaging before you make your purchase.

Those that suffer with woody breast will be tougher to the touch, and may have hard lumps. 

Anecdotally, many people find that larger chicken breasts are more likely to be woody, so this is something to be mindful of when shopping. 

Finally, it’s also thought that you can avoid woody breast by shopping at smaller, local farms and purchasing your meat directly from the source, and buying organic where you can. 

How to fix chewy chicken

Once your chicken is cooked, the bad news is that there is little that you can do to change the texture.

You can however explore various avenues to salvage the meat and turn it into an enjoyable meal nonetheless. 

Here are some ideas for you: 

• Finely slice the chicken and serve with other ingredients. When the chicken is in small pieces and not the star of the show, the less than perfect texture won’t be as noticeable. You could slice and add it to a sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, and creamy avocado, just for example, or stir it through a veggie based pasta with lots of chopped red chilli 
• Add a sauce. This will add moisture, as well as extra flavour so the chicken isn’t too much in the limelight. Some of my personal favourites are peppercorn, mushroom, and creamy garlic sauce 
• Avoid reheating. This could make the problem worse! Serve it cold in salads or sandwiches

Final thoughts on fixing chewy chicken 

Chewy chicken can be caused by a number of different issues. You can try to avoid it by making sure you select the correct cut of meat for your meal, and you use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature before removing from the heat source. Sometimes though, the problem is caused by something that is out of your control, like woody breast. 

One of the best ways to become a better home cook over time is to learn from your kitchen mistakes, and take a little time to understand why they happened and how you can avoid them in the future. 

If you’re dealing with chewy chicken, try to work out why.

Did you leave it uncovered when marinading?

Did you overcook chicken breast?

In the future, would you like to try to source local meat, and take note of the difference you notice in the texture?