How to prevent chicken from getting rubbery?

Everyone likes chicken, right? Well no, if it’s dry and chewy. Chicken is possibly one of the most difficult ingredients to cook well every time. You rarely get perfectly tender and juicy cooked chicken; either overcooked or undercooked.

So how can you avoid rubbery chicken?

The best way to avoid rubbery chicken is to check the internal temperature of the meat. It should be 165°F (73-74°C). This means that your chicken is neither under-done nor over-done.

In today’s article, we’ll look at the different ways chicken can be undercooked or overcooked, what affects it, and all the common mistakes that cause rubbery chicken. Finally, we will also see how to prevent it and even fix it.

Different cuts of chicken

We know this may not seem relevant as to why chicken can get rubbery, but it’s arguably one of the biggest impacts as to why chicken can get this horrible texture.

Before we talk about any other reason why chicken gets rubbery, it’s important that we explain why different parts of the chicken will have the biggest effect on the final texture of the meat.

The size and shape of the chicken piece you choose will affect the cooking method you use, the temperature you should cook it at, and the amount of time you need to cook it.

It will even affect how you should use it (ie, in stews, as pulled chicken, as whole pieces, etc.) as well.

1. Whole chicken

Whole chickens are very popular in many, if not all, parts of the world. There are thousands of different recipes you can try using different flavor combinations, preparation techniques, and cooking techniques.

There are different types of whole chicken classified according to their size. The size mainly influences the cooking time of the whole chicken.

Most supermarkets stock Cornish broilers (fried), roasts and game hens. A game hen weighs less than 2 pounds (900 g) and is the smallest whole chicken you’ll easily find.

Broilers weigh between 2 ½ and 4 ½ lbs (1.13 kg - 2.04kg). Roasters are some of the oldest chickens and therefore very large, usually around and over 5 lbs.

Naturally, smaller chickens will cook for a shorter period of time and will be able to use higher temperatures. The larger ones should be cooked slowly and at low temperatures.

Whole chickens are almost always roasted. This is important to know because it will help you more easily determine how to avoid that horrible gummy texture.

2. Chicken breasts

Chicken breasts are a lean cut of chicken meat that comes from the chicken breast.

Chicken breasts may or may not be bone-in, and may or may not be skin-on. This has an effect on how the piece will cook.

Chicken pieces with the bone in usually cook better, as the bone helps conduct heat into the meat and essentially helps cook it from the inside out. This helps prevent the meat from overcooking, leaving the chicken juicy and tender.

Maintaining the skin also has a lot of benefits, even though it is considered unhealthy due to its oily nature. The skin helps protect the surface of the meat from becoming too dry by adding a layer of fat (ie moisture).

Chicken breast is definitely one of the largest cuts of chicken meat you’ll find and means you’ll need to cook it longer compared to chicken wings, for example.

What makes chicken breasts so amazing is their versatility. You can chop them up or cook them whole as is. You can fry them, roast them in the oven, use them in stews and soups, as chop up chicken, air fry them, and even pan fry them.

3. Chicken thighs and thighs

Chicken drumsticks and thighs, while different parts or cuts of a whole chicken, are more or less equal in size and amount of meat.

These two pieces are mostly used with bones and skin; they can be removed and this will affect cooking times (it usually shortens them a bit, but only a few minutes).

Both are dark pieces of chicken meat and will take a little longer to cook compared to other same size cuts of white chicken meat.

This is because dark chicken meat has a much higher fat content and density. This will also make it easier to avoid a rubbery texture, as there is more moisture that needs to “evaporate” during cooking.

They are also very versatile pieces and can be grilled, used in stews, soups and curries, deep-fried, pan-fried and air-fried.

4. Chicken wings

Chicken wings are smaller cuts that don’t necessarily have the most meat, but are still incredibly delicious.

Chicken wings are usually grilled or pan-fried as these are the two tastiest methods that give them the best texture.

Chicken wings can also be flavored very easily and are almost always served with some type of gravy or dipping sauce. This means that they are very easy to make without having that rubbery texture.

Why does chicken get rubbery?

So now that you understand how different pieces of chicken and the sizes of those pieces influence cooking to get the right texture, we can move on to talking about the causes of rubbery textures.

Chicken can be a very scary ingredient to cook with. There are thousands of recipes, preparation methods, and cooking times.

All of these factors influence the outcome of the chicken: juicy and tender, or dry and rubbery.

Before we talk about the many reasons why chicken often turns out rubbery, let’s first look at what exactly happens to the meat that causes it to get this unappealing texture.

A piece of chicken meat (actually any type of meat) is made up of protein fibers. Once heat is applied to the meat, these protein fibers contract. By contracting, they essentially push out moisture and lose it.

The goal for perfectly cooked chicken is to control the shrinkage of these fibers, basically so that they shrink enough to be fully cooked, but not so tight that the chicken loses all its moisture.

The way to do this is by controlling the temperature at which the chicken is cooked, as well as the time the meat is subjected to.

Ultimately, what you want is a tender chicken that is still juicy: that is the goal and what many people have a hard time achieving. So let’s dig into the two biggest things that cause rubbery chicken below.

1. Overcooking Chicken

Overcooking chicken is arguably the number one cause of rubbery texture in cooked chicken, regardless of which part of the chicken you use.

It’s easy to overcook chicken and this is why many people have problems with rubbery meat.

If you use too high a heat, cook the meat for too long, or simply don’t wrap it properly after cooking, your chicken can potentially become chewy, dry, and rubbery.

The protein fibers contract so much that moisture is expelled and the meat becomes very tough.

There are few things as disgusting as dry chicken, and there isn’t much you can do to hide this unpleasant texture and flavor. No amount of sauce or broth will hide it.

2. Rare chicken

On the other hand, while it’s bad to overcook chicken, it’s even worse to undercook it!

This not only causes a gummy mouthfeel and unappetizing taste, but also poses health risks such as salmonella.

Undercooked chicken is very easy to recognize. Firstly, if the meat is in any way pink, even if it’s just a slight pink tinge, you may need to put it back in the oven or fry it some more, better safe than sorry!

Another area where pink meat is usually easily visible is in the very center of the chicken piece.

Choose a thicker area of the meat and cut it. Since thinner pieces cook faster than thicker ones, this technique will help you make sure that the whole piece has cooked through, not just the thin areas.

The juices that come out of the cooked chicken may be pink or bloody at first, but will be clear when the meat is fully cooked. The same goes for the juices and the meat near the bones of the chicken: it will only be fully cooked when there is no bleeding.

Undercooked chicken poses a ton of health risks, and serious ones! The most well-known diseases contracted by raw or undercooked chicken are Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria.

Both harmful bacteria cause food poisoning and can even lead to death. The usual symptoms are diarrhea, vomiting, high fever and dehydration.

How to Avoid Overcooking Chicken

There are a few things you can do to prevent your chicken from overcooking. The first thing to consider is the cooking method you choose.

Naturally, pan fried chicken will cook differently than oven roasted chicken, which will also cook differently than fried chicken.

You also have to keep in mind that different pieces of chicken will cook differently. A whole chicken breast will take longer to cook completely than a chicken wing.

Finally, you have to choose the best temperature and cooking time for the chicken.

A general rule of thumb is to roast each 2.2 lbs (1 kg) of chicken for 45 minutes, adding another 20 minutes to finish cooking the chicken in the oven. This is usually done at a temperature between 180-200°C (360-390°F).

For fried chicken, more specifically smaller cuts like chicken wings), you can set the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and fry them for about 8-10 minutes.

As for the piece that you are going to cook, the larger it is, the longer it will have to cook. However, you will need to lower the temperature of your oven or fryer to prevent it from overcooking.

Smaller pieces will take less time to fully cook, so just don’t keep them on the heat for as long. You can check them after about half the original cooking time, instead of overcooking.

The best way to check if the chicken has cooked enough without overcooking is to check the internal temperature. It should be 165°F (73-75°C) in the thickest part of the meat.

How to prevent chicken from undercooking

Preventing and even fixing underdone chicken is much easier than overdone chicken. The most important thing is to always check the meat before serving or eating it.

In general, the times listed for chicken recipes are fairly accurate and should be safe to follow, however we recommend that you still check the meat.

If you see any of the signs of undercooking chicken that we mentioned above (any pink meat or bloody, milky juices), you should keep cooking the chicken.

Just pop it back into the oven or deep fryer (or whatever method you’re using) and leave it for another 5-10 minutes, depending on how raw it still is.

If the chicken meat looks good, but you’re still not sure if it’s fully cooked, check the internal temperature in the thickest part of the meat again.

Other ways to prevent rubbery chicken

In addition to preventing chicken from being overcooked or undercooked, there are more things you can do to prevent it from getting a rubbery texture.

You can add some type of cooking oil when baking or frying the chicken. This will help add moisture, so even if you accidentally overcook the chicken, it won’t be completely dry and rubbery.

This can also be done by marinating the chicken pieces. We prefer to use a good meat marinade or a very citrusy one.

Citrus acid helps break down protein and tenderize meat. This also means that even if you overcook the meat, it won’t be rubbery.

A basting sauce is another great idea that will help add moisture. All you have to do is keep basting the chicken while it cooks. In this way, it absorbs that moisture.

If you want to avoid rubbery chicken in soups, stews and curries, a great way to avoid it is to basically sear it before cooking it otherwise. Simply heat a pan with a little olive oil, add the chicken and brown it on all sides.

This helps create a barrier that will trap moisture inside the chicken and also creates a nice meaty crust that will add even more flavor to your dish.

Once the piece is browned, you can add it to your whole stew, soup or curry and continue cooking. This technique also works great if you want to grill the chicken.

Our last tip is that you can cover the roasting pan (if you are going to roast the chicken in the oven) with some aluminum foil. This will also help trap in moisture and keep the meat moist.

What to do with gummy chicken

If you haven’t been able to avoid gummy chicken, there are a few things you can do to try and save it. This is our favorite method:

1. Take some broth or broth and heat it up in a pot. Bring the liquid to a simmer, not to a boil.
2. Cut the chicken into slices (make sure it is fully cooked) and place on a roasting or baking sheet.
3. Pour the heated broth or broth over the sliced chicken and pop into the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes at about 300°F.

The heated liquid facilitates the absorption of the meat. The low heat at which it is baked will also help the meat absorb moisture. In the end, you’ll be left with a softer, more tender piece of meat.

If you can’t do this method or don’t want to, then you can think of a better way to use the overcooked rubbery chicken. We recommend shredding the chicken and mixing it with a sauce.

Make sure you crumble it fine enough that you don’t eat a big, dry piece and feel the texture. You can mix the finely shredded chicken with a little barbecue sauce, a sweet chili dressing, or a mayonnaise sauce.

Then you can incorporate it into a wide variety of recipes such as chicken tacos, sandwiches or burritos and wraps. There are literally tons of ideas you can try, all of which are delicious and perfectly hide the gummy texture.

Related questions

Is it safe to eat gummy chicken?

Rubbery chicken is generally safe to eat, unless it’s undercooked. Like we’ve said, rubbery chicken can be caused by overcooking or undercooking.

Although neither is an attractive texture to have and eat, overcooked chicken is safe to eat as all harmful bacteria have been destroyed.

Undercooked rubbery chicken has potentially harmful bacteria, such as salmonella, which can cause serious illness and even death in extreme cases.

Can organic chicken become rubbery when cooked?

Organic chicken tends to have a chewier texture and tend to get rubbery much more quickly and easily. This is due to the way they have been raised and fed.

Free-range and organic chickens have a lot of room to roam, which basically means that their muscles are much more developed than factory-raised chickens.

More muscular chickens produce meatier, rougher, more woody flavored meat. For these chickens, we recommend using slow cooking methods at lower temperatures to help soften the texture.

How to prevent chicken from being rubbery in soups?

You can try our browning method first and add whole, browned chicken pieces before adding them to the soup. Browning helps add a barrier to prevent moisture loss too quickly.

If you don’t like this method, you can try adding the chicken in the last 15-20 minutes of cooking.

Make sure the chicken pieces are on the smaller side (for example, diced chicken breast). Also, be sure to use lower temperatures to prevent the internal temperature from getting too high.

Is the term “woody chicken” used to describe rubbery chicken?

Woody chicken does not mean rubbery chicken, although the two often go hand in hand. The term woody chicken is used more to describe the tough texture and “wild” flavor of some types of chicken.

Many times organic chickens have this characteristic. Many people also say that chicken species with genetic problems (such as mutations) can produce this type of flavor and texture.

Woody chicken usually refers to the chicken breast and thighs, not other parts like the thighs or wings.

One way to recognize if the chicken is woody or not is by physically feeling it. If you touch it and it’s hard (or feels harder than usual) or lumpy, it will have this woody characteristic.

Can smoked chicken create a rubbery texture?

Unfortunately, as much as we love smoking meat, it’s not always the best or easiest cooking method.

Smoking food still involves some form of heat, which is how smoke infuses food. This also means that food can be overcooked and end up creating a rubbery texture.

Be sure to follow the recipe to the letter, as there’s nothing quite as bad as overly smoky chicken that also has a rubbery texture.