Why Is Everyone Talking About Costco’s Chicken Right Now?

When there’s trouble at any warehouse, the r/Costco community on Reddit is first to know. Unfortunately, in recent months, many users have reported buying raw chicken with a strange, unappealing, rope-like texture. The issue seems to appear in chicken breasts, which begin to unravel when they’re cooked or sliced, almost as if they’re pre-shredded.

Bizarre as this may sound, it’s a known phenomenon in the poultry industry.

What’s going on with Costco’s raw chicken?

The official term for chicken breast that’s threaded with stringy or shredded texture, even before it’s cooked, is “spaghetti meat.” It’s an unappealing name for an unappealing trait.

Has anyone else had issues with Organic Kirkland chicken?
byu/Silly-Share6069 inCostco

The scientific explanation for spaghetti meat is simple. It’s a muscle abnormality caused by overly fast growth in birds raised for eating, primarily broiler hens. When muscles grow too quickly, they lose integrity, leading to soft, mushy tissue that separates into noodle-like bands. Unfortunately, it’s a known side effect of commercial farming, since farms are under pressure to produce cheap, big chickens and more of them. The issue first appeared in 2015 and remains a persistent bugbear for the poultry industry and for shoppers.

Is it safe to eat?

Technically, spaghetti meat is safe to eat. It’s not as healthy as unaffected poultry, however, as it has less protein and more fat, but it’s not toxic or inedible. If you don’t want to toss it, there are ways to make it more appetizing. Our best tip is to cook and shred the chicken. Many of our favorite shredded chicken recipes are richly spiced: think chicken tacos, Thai chicken pizza and barbecue sliders.

Mixing this chicken with other textures, such as shredded cabbage, carrots and nuts in a salad, can also distract from any stringy feel.

How do you avoid ‘spaghetti meat?’

It’s tricky to catch spaghetti meat until you’re slicing into it. That said, shopping for chicken thighs, wings or legs rather than breasts will reduce your risk. You can also buy poultry from smaller farms, which don’t use the same growth methods as commercial meat producers. Farmers markets and meat CSAs are good sources of local meat.