FOOD NEWS
What Does It Mean When A Chicken Breast Is 'Woody'?
BY Kat Lieu
For the past decade, consumers have noticed a phenomenon where cooked chicken breast ends up "woody," which means that the breast is coarse, rubbery, fibrous, and tough in texture.
Woody chicken breasts aren't too difficult to spot. If you buy large, inorganic chicken breasts that are paler than usual, coupled with a raw texture, they are probably woody.
While not yet proven, the phenomenon is likely linked to chickens selectively bred for large breasts and forced to grow rapidly, changing the meat's muscle structure and quality.
With little to no space to move, these highly stressed and big-breasted birds also develop fat and collagen in areas that should be mainly protein, namely the breast.