Knowing the proper doneness temperatures when cooking chicken will ensure juicy results. But what if the meat or juices are pink, and it looks bloody? If you’re like many, the sight of anything but perfectly opaque meat with clear juices can make you cringe when chicken is on the menu.
Read on to find out why chicken is pink and how to make sure the temperature of the chicken in your home is safe for everyone.
Chicken is one of the most popular meats in the world, but it can be hard for home cooks to tell when it’s done because the color of cooked chicken can range from white to pink.
The safest temperature for chicken inside is 165°F (74°C). At this temperature, any bacteria that could be harmful are killed. However, the color of cooked chicken doesn’t always show how done it is. There are a few reasons why chicken that is cooked all the way through can still look pink.
Why Cooked Chicken Can Be Pink
There are three main reasons why thoroughly cooked chicken can sometimes be pink or red rather than white:
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Young age of grocery store chickens – Most chickens sold in stores are 6-8 weeks old. Their bones are still porous and not fully calcified. The bone marrow is purplish and can leak into the meat, causing a pink tinge.
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Myoglobin in muscles – Myoglobin is a protein that delivers oxygen to muscles. The legs contain more myoglobin, resulting in darker meat. Myoglobin can also pool in the breast meat and cause pink spots.
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pH levels – Less acidic meat with higher pH will appear more pink. Things like marinades can help lower the pH.
While pink or red spots on cooked chicken can be scary, they don’t always mean the chicken wasn’t cooked all the way through as long as the right final temperature has been reached.
The Safest Way to Determine Chicken Doneness
The only foolproof way to determine if chicken is fully cooked and safe to eat is to use a meat thermometer. Chicken is considered safe at 165°F. Here are some key temperatures for chicken doneness:
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Whole chicken: 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and thighs
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Chicken breasts: 165°F
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Chicken thighs and legs: 170-175°F for ideal tenderness
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Ground chicken: 165°F
Checking the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat ensures any bacteria are killed, even if the chicken still has some pink spots.
The old method of pricking chicken and looking for clear juices is not reliable. The color of juices can vary and does not confirm doneness.
Cooking Chicken to Prevent Pink Spots
While pink chicken is safe when cooked to 165°F, there are some tips to help prevent it:
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Cook chicken to 170-175°F for more visual doneness cues
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Brine chicken in an acidic marinade
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Avoid overcrowding chicken pieces when cooking
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Allow chicken to rest before carving to allow juices to redistribute
Connections between dark meat’s cells take longer to break down because it is cooked at a higher temperature. Acidic marinades lower the pH. Not overcrowding ensures even cooking. Resting prevents juices from leaking out when cut.
The Takeaway on Cooked Chicken Color
The bottom line is that chicken is safe to eat at 165°F, even if it has some pink spots. Pink color alone does not mean undercooked chicken. However, hitting the proper final internal temperature is crucial to destroy bacteria. Using a good digital meat thermometer and following recommended temps for different cuts of chicken is the only foolproof way to ensure its safety and doneness. While visual cues can be misleading, thermometer readings don’t lie. Cook chicken thoroughly but not to the point of overdrying.
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Why Cooked Chicken Can Still Be Pink
The chickens available at grocery stores that we purchase are usually between 6 and 8 weeks of age. These young chickens aren’t yet fully mature, and their bones are porous rather than completely calcified. The bone marrow inside of chicken bones is purplish and can often permeate through soft, porous chicken bones (pictured at right).
The liquid contained in the mass of a chicken expands during freezing, including the bone marrow. The dark marrow can push through the bone’s surface as it expands. The bones and meat adjacent to them become stained, and will remain a deep red/purple color regardless of the final internal temperature of cooked chicken.
Myoglobin is another culprit for the purple and red colors found in poultry. It is a richly pigmented protein that delivers oxygen to cells to muscle fibers. The more active an animal is, the more oxygen is contained in their muscle, giving it a darker color.
Chickens are flightless birds, so the breast meat is never heavily oxygenated. Low levels of myoglobin are why chicken breasts have such delicate white flesh. The heavily worked legs have darker meat because of higher levels of myoglobin.
Myoglobin can tend to pool in the meat fibers while chicken is being packed up and ready to be sold in a grocery store.
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. A slow, inaccurate dial thermometer can be off by as much as 10°F (6°C), but chicken only needs to stay at 155°F (68°C) for just under 60 seconds 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. ).
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FAQ
Can cooked chicken be a little pink?
Although chicken that is still a little pink is still safe to eat as long as it has reached 165°F (73°C). 9°C). Color is not a reliable indicator of doneness, and cooked chicken can range in color from white to pink to tan.
Is chicken still pink at 165?
The USDA says it is safe to eat chicken as long as all of its parts have reached a temperature of at least 165°. Color does not indicate doneness. The USDA further explains that even fully cooked poultry can sometimes show a pinkish tinge in the meat and juices.
How to tell if your cooked chicken is spoiled?
Texture and taste: If the cooked chicken feels dry, rubbery, or mushy when you bite into it, or if it has an unusual taste, it is no longer good.