Knowing the proper doneness temperatures when cooking chicken will ensure juicy results. But what if the meat or juices are pink and look like blood? If you’re like a lot of people, seeing anything but perfectly opaque meat and clear juices can make you cringe when chicken is on the menu.
Keep reading to find out what actually causes this the pink color in chicken and how to be sure your family’s chicken temperature is truly safe.
The chicken drumsticks are a tasty and popular part of the chicken. But when you fry or grill chicken drumsticks, the meat near the bone often turns pink or red when it’s done. When the chicken turns this pink or red color, it might not look fully cooked, which is something to worry about.
What Causes the Pink Color in Cooked Chicken Drumsticks?
The pink or red color that can appear in fully cooked chicken drumsticks is caused by a pigment called myoglobin in the meat near the bone. Here’s a more in-depth explanation:
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Myoglobin is a protein that is found in muscle and helps muscles get oxygen. It contains iron which gives it a red pigment.
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In raw chicken, myoglobin is found throughout the meat. During cooking, the myoglobin on the outer surface of the meat gets denatured by the heat and turns white/brown.
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But the myoglobin closer to the bones doesn’t get as hot. Because the bone protects and insulates it, it stays pink or red even after the rest of the meat is cooked through.
Does Pink Chicken Mean It’s Undercooked?
The pink color in cooked chicken drumsticks does NOT necessarily mean the chicken is undercooked or unsafe to eat
Any pink that is still on the chicken is fine as long as it has reached the right minimum internal temperature. The USDA says that chicken is safe to eat when its internal temperature is between the following ranges:
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Whole chicken: 165°F (74°C)
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Chicken breasts: 165°F (74°C)
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Chicken thighs/drumsticks: 165°F
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Ground chicken: 165°F
So even if your chicken drumstick is faintly pink near the bone, as long as the thickest part of the meat has reached 165°F, it is fully cooked and safe to eat. The pink color around the bone does not indicate otherwise.
It’s also worth noting that the older the chicken and the longer it’s cooked, the less pinkness there will be. A younger chicken and one cooked just to the minimum 165°F will likely have more residual pink than an older chicken cooked for a longer time.
How to Tell if Pink Chicken is Safe to Eat
If you have fully cooked chicken drumsticks that are pink near the bone, here are some ways to double check that they are safe to eat:
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Use a meat thermometer to verify the internal temperature in the thickest part of the meat (without touching the bone) reaches 165°F or above.
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Cut into the meat and check that the inside looks white throughout, not pink. Only the part right next to the bone might show some pink tinge.
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Check for clear juices when you cut into the meat – if they run pink or red, it could be undercooked.
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Look for the texture of the meat to be firm throughout, with no uncooked mushy spots.
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Smell the chicken. If it smells unpleasant or sulfurous, it may be spoiled rather than fully cooked.
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Let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting in. This allows juices to settle for a better doneness check.
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If unsure, you can always return the chicken to the heat for 5-10 more minutes until fully white and firm.
As long as you use these doneness indicators, along with properly cooking the chicken to 165°F, you can be confident that any lingering pink is just myoglobin and not a safety issue.
Tips to Prevent Pink Chicken When Cooking
If the pink color bothers you or makes you nervous, there are a few tips to reduce it:
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Cook the chicken to a higher temperature – aiming for 170-175°F rather than just 165°F. The higher heat will denature more of the myoglobin.
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Brine or marinate the chicken before cooking. Ingredients like salt, sugar, or acidic marinades can help break down muscle proteins like myoglobin.
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Avoid very high heat/short cook times. Lower, slower heat allows myoglobin to fully convert to the cooked color.
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Cook chicken to 175°F if serving to those with compromised immune systems. The elderly, children under 5, pregnant women, and those with illnesses may need the extra safety assurance.
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Bake or poach drumsticks rather than frying or grilling. The consistent heat minimizes pink spots.
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Cook chicken on the bone rather than boneless. The bones help conduct heat thoroughly through the meat.
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Let chicken rest at least 5 minutes before carving. This allows juices and heat to evenly distribute for more even cook.
Is Pink Chicken Safe to Eat? The Bottom Line
➤ Chicken Thigh Temp, Leg Temp: 170°F and Higher
Dark meat (leg and thigh meat) is still safe at 165°F, but it is recommended to cook it to an internal temperature of about 170-175°F (77-79°C). The chicken’s legs are actively worked muscles, and the meat is tougher because of it.
The leg pictured to the right was cooked to the recommended range of 170-175°F (77-79°C) (as verified with a Thermapen® ONE). Leg meat needs to be cooked to higher temperatures than the leaner and more delicate breast meat because it contains more connective tissue that needs time at high temps to dissolve properly. This higher temperature will ensure that the dark meat becomes tender and juicy. Even at this higher temperature, the meat still appeared quite pink.
Internal Temperatures for Doneness and Eating Quality of Chicken
What’s so magical about 165°F (74°C)? At this temperature, all foodborne bacteria die right away. This quick death of foodborne pathogens is recommended for poultry because it kills even the most stubborn salmonella bacteria. Even if a slow, low-accuracy dial thermometer is off by as much as 10°F (6°C), a final cooked temperature of 155°F (68°C) in chicken will only need to stay at that temperature for just under 60 seconds in order for the meat to be safe. Does that sound like the opposite of everything you know about keeping chickens safe? If so, you might want to read our full guide to chicken temps to learn more about how bacterial kill times work. ).
Is Pink Chicken Safe to Eat?
FAQ
Do drumsticks look pink when cooked?
Yes, chicken drumsticks can appear pink even when fully cooked. This is due to a few factors, including the presence of myoglobin in dark meat, the type of cooking method used, and the age of the chicken.
How do you tell if chicken drumsticks are fully cooked?
Use a meat thermometer to ensure your chicken is cooked through. Aim for an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the drumstick.
Is it normal for chicken drumsticks to be red?
As the bird freezes and then thaws, it sometimes causes pigment to leach out of the bone marrow and accumulate as a deep red color around the bone.
Is it normal for chicken to look pink after cooking?
Information. Chemical changes occur during cooking. Oven gases in a heated gas or electric oven react chemically with hemoglobin in the meat tissues to give it a pink tinge. Younger birds’ meat often turns the most pink because their skins are thinner and let oven gases reach the meat.