For most Americans, finding pink inside their chicken is one of the most disturbing things that can happen at the dinner table. The assumption is instantaneous: the chicken is undercooked, possibly carrying a whole load of dangerous bacteria, and it has DEFINITELY contaminated their entire plate of food. If they’re in a restaurant, they’re sending the plate back to the kitchen immediately; if they’re at home, they’re cursing their own cooking skills and possibly considering buying a new thermometer- because they could have sworn the chicken was temping at 165!
But hold on. There’s actually a chance that the chicken, while admittedly pink, is, in fact, cooked through and safe for consumption. In fact, color isn’t a great indicator of doneness at all.
I know, I know—your world is rocking. If it’s not undercooked, how can the chicken still be pink? And how do you actually tell if it’s really cooked if color isn’t a reliable indicator? Relax. There are simple scientific principles at work here, and once you understand them it will make total sense. Here’s what you need to know.
How Chicken Can Be Pink & Still Fully Cooked
Raw chicken is undeniably pink, so seeing pink inside your chicken can be an indicator that the chicken is undercooked—but this isn’t always the case. Tinges of pink in the meat may be caused by a few other factors, including:
The Chicken’s Age
Younger chickens have bones that are more permeable, which makes it possible for the pigment inside of the bone marrow to seep into the meat, turning it pink even when it’s fully cooked through. Younger chickens also have thinner skin, which makes their meat more susceptible to color-changing chemical reactions (more on that below!).
If The Chicken Has Been Baked Or Smoked
If a chicken has been cooked in an oven, the oven’s gases can react with the hemoglobin in the chicken’s meat, turning it pink. This is especially common with younger chickens, which have thinner skins that can allow this reaction to occur.
On the other hand, if the chicken has been smoked, the outer half-inch of the meat often turns pink from the exposure to the smoke. If it’s been commercially prepared, it’s almost a certainty.
How The Chicken Has Been Raised And/Or Preserved
Exposure to nitrates and nitrites can cause chicken to turn pink. According to the USDA, these chemicals can come into contact with the chicken when it’s alive through its feed or water supply, or after the chicken is dead, through preservatives.
So, How Do I Know If My Chicken Is Cooked?
Home-cooking wisdom would have you believe that you can tell if it’s cooked by the color of the chicken, the clearness of its juices, or, in the case of roast chicken, the wiggle of a joint, but these are unreliable indicators that are no substitution for a meat thermometer. The only way to know if your chicken is fully cooked through is to check that it has an internal temperature of 165 degrees. End of story. Even if the chicken still appears pinkish, you can know with certainty that it’s fully cooked if it’s hitting that 165 degree mark.
