The Best Ways To Cook With Woody Chicken

"Woody Chicken" sounds like the name of an irritating cartoon character, but in reality, it's something even more annoying: poor-quality poultry that might ruin your dinner. According to Rosangela Teodoro, proprietor of Teodora's Boucherie Gourmande in Cohasset, Massachusetts, "Woody chicken is noticeably stiff and tough, with a paler or bluish coloration in certain areas, as well as some white streaks parallel to the muscle fibers." As for the texture, she said, "It becomes rubbery and fibrous, making it difficult to chew and compromising its juiciness, making it less pleasant to the palate."

The poultry industry has yet to determine the real reason why chicken meat becomes woody, although some believe it stems from the fact that chickens are raised to grow as large as possible in a short amount of time. This means they may not get the necessary oxygen and nutrients they need, which can damage the muscle tissue. If you do find yourself in possession of woody chicken, though, there's no need to throw it out. There are several steps you can take to make it more palatable, starting with a good marinade.

Teodoro explained, "To tenderize chicken meat, it is necessary to break down the proteins and excess collagen in a controlled manner, as these are the factors that make chicken tough." Marinades with an acidic element, such as citrus juice, vinegar, yogurt, buttermilk, beer, or wine, should do the trick. You can also marinate your chicken in pineapple or papaya juice, as both fruits contain enzymes that also help tenderize meat.

Besides a good marinade, there are several other things you can do to improve your woody chicken. Rosangela Teodoro suggests, "Shredding [or] grinding ... breaks down the long muscle fibers and hardened connective tissue into much smaller pieces, making the meat more enjoyable." You can also employ a technique similar to one used by Wile E. Coyote against his cartoon nemesis. He was constantly trying (and failing) to crush the Road Runner with an anvil, while you can whang on "Woody Chicken" with a meat mallet to soften it up a bit. As per Teodoro, "This will physically break down the muscle fibers and connective tissue, making the chicken thinner and easier to cook."

A well-chosen recipe can also help get that recalcitrant chicken in line. According to Teodoro, "[Cooking] in water, broth, or sauce at lower temperatures for an extended period is also an effective method, as the moist, prolonged heat transforms collagen into gelatin, which will soften the muscle fibers and contribute to the juiciness of the dish." She recommends using woody chicken in soups (It would work perfectly in our hangover-killer pozole), a number of curries (Ditto for our spicy panang curry), or stews (our chimole with recado negro can use up a couple of pounds of the stuff). As Teodoro notes, the creamy or clear liquid in such recipes "helps to mask the unwanted texture of fibrous meat and prevent dryness, as well as enrich the flavor."