Because not everyone is a master chef, your main dish just came out of the oven and feels like a real rubber chicken. But that doesn’t mean you have to chicken out on cooking poultry — there are simple ways to fix your chicken’s rubbery texture.
Grilling chicken can result in juicy, flavorful meat when done right But we’ve all experienced the disappointment of cutting into beautifully seared chicken only to find it’s chewy and rubbery
So what causes grilled chicken to turn out chewy? And more importantly, how can you ensure your chicken stays tender and moist when cooking it on the grill?
To explain why grilled chicken can become chewy and tough, I will write this article. I’ll also give you tips on how to fix the problems so that your chicken always turns out perfectly.
What Causes Chewy Chicken When Grilling?
There are a few common culprits that can lead to grilled chicken with a rubbery, chewy texture:
Overcooking
The number one reason chicken dries out and becomes chewy is overcooking it. High, sustained heat from the grill draws moisture out of the lean chicken breast meat quickly.
Going beyond the recommended safe internal temperature of 165°F will make the proteins seize up and squeeze out juices. The meat fibers then become tough and elastic.
Undercooking
Undercooked chicken can also have a chewy texture, though it doesn’t happen very often. When chicken isn’t fully cooked to a safe temperature, the texture will be dense and rubbery.
Always use a meat thermometer to ensure doneness as appearances can be deceiving. Chicken needs to hit 165°F even if the meat looks cooked on the outside.
Uneven Thickness
Varying thickness in chicken pieces leads to uneven cooking. Thinner sections will dry out faster compared to thicker parts.
Try to buy chicken breasts of similar size or pound them to an even thickness before grilling. This helps them cook at the same rate.
Low-Quality Chicken
Mass-produced chicken from crowded poultry farms often suffers from texture issues. “Woody breast” is an abnormality where the meat contains tough, rigid muscle fibers. This makes the chicken chewy no matter how it’s cooked.
When possible, buy air-chilled chicken rather than water-chilled, and look for organic and free-range options for better texture.
Lack of Marinade
Chicken breast meat is naturally lean and prone to drying out. Without marinade, brine or rub, grilled chicken won’t have any added moisture or fat to keep it juicy.
Tips to Keep Grilled Chicken Tender
Luckily, with a few simple tweaks you can avoid the rubbery chicken texture and lock in tenderness when cooking chicken on the grill:
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Don’t trust how the meat looks or how long it takes to cook—use a meat thermometer. Make sure the chicken is at least 165°F when you take it off the grill.
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To make sure the chicken breasts cook evenly, pound them until they are about 3⁄4 of an inch thick.
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Marinate or brine – Soak or marinate chicken for added moisture and flavor. Try a simple brine of 1⁄4 cup salt to 4 cups water.
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Apply rubs or oils – Coat chicken with oil, herbs, spices and acid-based marinades to keep meat juicy.
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Allow resting time – Let chicken rest 5+ minutes before cutting to allow juices to redistribute.
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Use indirect heat – Avoid direct heat which can cause chicken to seize up and dry out. Use a 2-zone fire or grill with lid closed.
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Cook over lower heat – Try maintaining a grill temp of 300-350°F and avoid flaming. Higher heat causes moisture loss.
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Opt for bone-in chicken – Bones conduct less heat, slowing cooking and retaining more natural juices.
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Cook to just 165°F – Don’t overshoot the safe finishing temperature or chicken will dry out.
What to Do With Chewy Chicken
If your grilled chicken still ends up chewy, don’t worry! You have options to transform it into tasty meals:
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Shred or chop chicken into smaller pieces to mask the texture. Use for chicken salad, wraps, tacos, soup and casseroles.
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Slice or dice chicken and simmer in sauce or gravy to add moisture back. Great for chicken pot pie, pasta dishes and stir fries.
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Dice chicken and skewer for kabobs. The extra marinade will improve texture.
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Use chewy chicken minced or shredded in dips, sandwiches, pitas and flatbreads where texture won’t be as noticeable.
Perfectly cooked grilled chicken takes some technique, but with the right tools and methods, you can avoid the dreaded rubbery outcome. Monitor temperature carefully, brine or marinate chicken, and use indirect heat for the best results. With a few tries, you’ll be an expert at grilling juicy, tender chicken every time!
Why is my chicken breast rubbery?
Overcooking chicken and buying woody chicken breast are two of the main causes behind rubbery chicken.
You can stop this from happening by:
- buying “slow-growing” chicken
- cooking your chicken in moisture
- marinating the chicken in brine for 20–30 minutes before cooking
Rubbery chicken is still safe to eat in most cases — it’s just a little bit like chewing a dog toy… which generally sucks, unless you’re a dog.
We tucked into the truth behind why your chicken gets rubbery. Find out how to keep your tenders tender.
There’s more than one reason your chicken came out rubbery.
Overcooking might play a role in your chicken’s tire-like texture. Leaving chicken in a pan, oven, or grill for just a little too long can suck the moisture right out and leave you with a dry, rubbery bird. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the chicken become elastic. The types of chicken you buy at the store can also make a difference. “Woody breast” and “white striping” are two conditions farmed poultry can experience that affect the texture of the meat. (Oh, how selfish — birds going and getting diseases that make them harder to eat. Poor widdle humans. ).
According to a 2016 review, woody breasts occur when the chicken has a tougher consistency due to bulging muscles. These are harder to chew than non-woody chicken in the same way The Rock is tricky to eat without at least mayo.
There are white fatty stripes that run parallel to the chicken muscle fibers on the breast, thighs, and tender muscles. This is called white striping.
Both can affect the overall quality of your chicken.
Is rubbery chicken safe to eat?
As long as the rubbery texture is caused by cooking the chicken too long and not too short, you can still eat it, though it might not be the best.
Make a sauce to put on your chicken to make up for its dry, rubbery texture. It will add flavor and moisture. Go with a creamy Alfredo sauce, BBQ sauce, or soy-based sauce, and — *chef’s kiss* — you won’t even notice the rubbery consistency.
What makes chicken tough and chewy?
FAQ
What does it mean if grilled chicken is chewy?
HOT TAKE: Chewy chicken is caused by over cooking, generally in high dry heat, the simplest answer is don’t be so aggressive with your heat. Keeping inline with what i want to do here i’ve got a couple Q&A vids i’ll post with questions from you, the good people of instagram.
How to grill chicken so it’s not chewy?
Place your chicken breasts on your preheated grill, and close the lid. It’s important to keep the lid of your grill closed while your chicken is cooking so that no heat escapes. Cook your chicken breast on the grill for 6-8 minutes on one side. After 6-8 minutes flip your chicken breast and cook for 6-8 minutes more.
Why is my grilled chicken rubbery?
Rubbery grilled chicken is often a result of overcooking or improper cooking techniques. Specifically, overcooking can lead to the chicken losing moisture, causing its protein fibers to tighten and become rubbery.
How to prevent chewy grilled chicken?
Usually chewy skin is prevented by cooking hotter and making sure the skin is dry before you start cooking.
Why is my chicken so chewy?
If there’s anything worse than dry or unseasoned chicken, it’s rubbery chicken for sure. It can happen to the best of us: you follow the recipe precisely and maybe even set a timer for extra precision. Yet when you go to take a bite, the meat is as chewy as can be. According to Greatist, this sad state is usually an indicator of overcooked chicken.
Why is my Grilled Chicken rubbery?
If your grilled chicken turns out rubbery, you’re not alone. Fortunately, rubbery chicken is easy to fix: you want to use a meat thermometer to check temperature, pound the chicken evenly and use a brine before cooking.
Why is my chicken tough after cooking?
Reason #1: You are cooking the chicken for too long or at too high of a temperature. When chicken is cooked, it needs to be cooked correctly if you don’t want it to end up tough. The most common reason why chicken ends up tough after it is cooked, is because it has been overcooked.
Why is my chicken so dry?
The short answer is that it’s because of the type of meat (called “woody breast”) or because it was cooked too little or too much, which dries out the meat and makes it feel like a tire. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the meat become elastic and tough.
Why is my chicken rubbery if I cook it too long?
When you leave chicken on the stove or in the oven for too long, it loses more water, and you’re more likely to get that awful rubbery chicken. There are also two types of chicken, generally known as white striping and woody breast, that are prone to rubberiness regardless of whether or not you overcook them.
What should I do if my chicken is chewy?
After taking chicken off the heat, cover it loosely with a layer of tin foil to help it stay moist. Sometimes, a chicken breast will turn out chewy or rubbery even when you’ve followed the instructions to the letter. In this case, it might not be your fault. Woody breast is a condition that’s characterized by toughened muscle fibers.