If you have been buying chicken recently and noticed that it is incredibly tough to chew, you are not alone, and one chef is claiming there is an “epidemic” of this problem hitting grocery stores across the United States. This issue, widely known as “woody chicken,” is a growing concern for consumers who are tired of preparing meals only to find the texture of the meat is completely ruined.
Florida-based chef Madison Lambert, who shares her expertise on TikTok under the handle @girlinthegreenapron, posted a video explaining exactly what is going on. Woody chicken is a phenomenon where the flavor stays mostly the same, but the breast meat becomes tough, excessively chewy, and gummy. Lambert says that the worst part is you often do not realize you have purchased a woody piece of chicken until after you have cooked it.
She offered a simple visual inspection trick that she claims can help you avoid this frustrating problem while you are still in the meat aisle. “If you’ve been getting chicken that tastes like rubber bands, or it’s just so chewy that you have to spit it out, this is why,” Lambert starts in her video. She then shows several raw chicken breasts, pointing out tiny, white lines running across the meat. “Do you see these lines in here? That’s gonna give you a woody piece of chicken,” she stated.
It is honestly awful that this issue has become so widespread
Lambert believes the problem has become so common over the last four years that she sees these white lines in “about every other pack of chicken you get.” Since you cannot rely on the industry to fix it immediately, she recommends keeping your eyes peeled. “If the chicken people have any ability to fix this, it would really make my life better,” she said. “But, in the meantime, you just got to use your eyeballs.”
The visual phenomenon Lambert is referring to is known as “white striping.” White striping and woody chicken are recognized industry issues, though scientists do not entirely confirm the exact connection between the two. The current thought is that white striping occurs because the chicken grows faster than its muscle fibers can typically handle. This rapid growth is known to negatively affect the meat’s texture and flavor.
In fact, one study found that chicken breasts displaying white striping actually contain over 200% more fat compared to breasts that do not have the striping. That is a massive difference, and it certainly explains why the texture changes so dramatically.
Unsurprisingly, shoppers are incredibly frustrated by the prevalence of this tough meat. Many users jumped into the comments section to share their disappointment. One user exclaimed, “I thought I was just bad at cooking chicken!” Another commenter shared their insight, stating, “It doesn’t effect taste, it’s purely texture. It’s not pleasant, but it’s not dangerous or anything, just tough meat.” Good to know, it isn’t like the infamous pork loin with honeycomb-like patterns, or ground beef stinking of ammonia.
Some users are demanding immediate change from the poultry industry. One TikToker declared, “We should all stop buying chicken until they fix whatever the problem is.”
Published: Dec 17, 2025 03:30 pm