If you’ve ever cooked chicken at home—roasted, baked, or boiled—you’ve probably noticed it: that mysterious white substance oozing out of the meat. It might look odd or even a little off-putting, but here’s the good news: it’s completely normal and totally safe to eat.
Experts across the culinary world, from celebrity chefs to poultry farmers, agree. That white stuff is albumin, a natural protein found not only in chicken but also in eggs, milk, and fish. Think about raw egg whites—they’re clear until you cook them, and then they turn white. The same thing happens in chicken. Heat causes the proteins to coagulate, and albumin surfaces in that familiar gooey or sometimes rubbery form.
Baltimore chef Drew Curlett explains, “Especially with boneless chicken breasts cooked at high heat, you’re going to see that liquid push out. In a pan, it usually evaporates; in the oven, it collects on the surface.” How you store your chicken also matters. Freezing can create tiny ice crystals that puncture the meat’s cells. When thawed and cooked, water and proteins leak out, forming that white layer you notice.
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