Strange chicken texture?

[SeidlBrewingAndBBQ]

I just did chicken breasts tonight and had this issue, then came straight to the forum for answers. I've had this issue a few times in a row now. I typically buy chicken breasts from our local IGA/grocery store, but went straight to our local butcher shop this time since I was getting some pork shoulder too. Even with the local/fresh chicken, it still came out terrible. Is it safe to say I am undercooking it (even though it's reading 165-170)? It's a hard texture to describe, but rubbery seems right. It's not at all tough like you would expect when overcooked. I cooked at 425-450, and I want to say it hit 165 at 35 minutes or so. I was doing other things so I don't remember the exact timing.

 

[JamesB]

What are you using to measure internal temp?

 

[SeidlBrewingAndBBQ]

What are you using to measure internal temp?

I check throughout using the probe that plugs right into the controller and double check with a cheap digital thermometer at the end. I'm in need of a new digital thermometer as it is. Anyone have a good recommendation? I know I can find that elsewhere on here too.

 

[Walleye Hunter]

425+ is a bit hot for chicken cookin', try 375.

 

[Murphy's Law]

The Traeger probes are notoriously inaccurate so that could be an issue right there.

The probe that measures pit temperature on my grill is off by about 30 or 40 degrees at >400 degrees so you could very well be cooking at a lower temp than you think.

I have no idea how far off my meat probe is because I really have no idea where it is. You’ll find most of the folks on this site use a third party remote thermometer like Fire Board, Ink Bird, etc. lots of good info on this site about those.

Regarding the digital thermometer, look at the MK4 from Thermoworks. They are the absolute gold standard and are on sale now for $70. That may seem like a lot but they were selling for $100 a few weeks ago and trust me on this, it will reduce the number of, “why is my food…” questions you may have.

Chicken, at least for me, is one of the hardest things to cook. A few things I’ve found is to rinse and leave in the fridge uncovered overnight, start low to render some of the fat and moisture in the skin and then ramp temp at the end of the cook, and I’ve even basted with some butter toward the end of the cook.

I’ve put a light coating of baking powder on my wings because it will change the ph of the skin and help with a crispy skin but haven’t done that with breast or whole chicken

Keep plugging away and don’t get discouraged or give up!

 

[JamesB]

I check throughout using the probe that plugs right into the controller and double check with a cheap digital thermometer at the end. I'm in need of a new digital thermometer as it is. Anyone have a good recommendation? I know I can find that elsewhere on here too.

The Traeger probe is notoriously inaccurate. Many of us here use FireBoard 2 leave in probes, and Thermapen MK4 instant read.
As mentioned above, 450 may be a bit hot for chicken ( temps that hot leave absolutely no margin for error). A chicken cooked at that temp will have considerable carry over cooking ( maybe as much as 10 degrees). I smoke chicken for an hour or so at 170, then bump the temp to 350 to finish.

 

[Slimpicker]

I just did chicken breasts tonight and had this issue, then came straight to the forum for answers. I've had this issue a few times in a row now. I typically buy chicken breasts from our local IGA/grocery store, but went straight to our local butcher shop this time since I was getting some pork shoulder too. Even with the local/fresh chicken, it still came out terrible. Is it safe to say I am undercooking it (even though it's reading 165-170)? It's a hard texture to describe, but rubbery seems right. It's not at all tough like you would expect when overcooked. I cooked at 425-450, and I want to say it hit 165 at 35 minutes or so. I was doing other things so I don't remember the exact timing.

I cannot tell what your complaint it is, if it's skin or the meat itself but:

I cook perfect chicken on Traeger, even perfect 'skinless'. (if I didn't, i wouldn't be married anymore)
You are cooking way too high for a convection smoker.
Traeger will ALWAYS 'skin over' meat, I can take a skinless breast or thigh or whole, and actually peel the outter layer back like skin!!
I start my chick meat at about 250°-275° with my smoke tube going, put your probes in and don't touch them (hence you need a 3rd party probe system, if you keep poking HOLES in your chicken with probes to test the temp you will DRAIN all the juice out!!! I promise you)
I crank up the temp to as high as 350° for the last half of the cook and almost always remove after reaching 168-170° IT, I've had chicken as high as 180 and juice squirted out like a zit!!!
I don't give a about skin texture but mine is always okay, but you can ALWAYS crisp it up on a gas grill.
If you want good tasting Traeger chicken, stop concentrating on the skin and start cooking the MEAT right.

obviously some guys will crank their grill to 450 at the end to crisp the skin, I don't wait for my Traeger, i just GAS BLAST it.

 

[Pzshgp]

My chicken to has a strange texture. I bought high quality chicken thinking the low bulk chicken was the problem. Still had issue, wo do you recommend cook longer at a lower temp. I was cooking 450 for 30 min.

 

[traeger860]

My chicken to has a strange texture. I bought high quality chicken thinking the low bulk chicken was the problem. Still had issue, wo do you recommend cook longer at a lower temp. I was cooking 450 for 30 min.

Yes. 450 is way too high to cook chicken. The outside will be like leather before the inside is to temp. Try 350-375 max. You can even try 200-225 for a while and then bump the temp towards the end of the cook.

 

[Slimpicker]

450 is way too high to cook chicken. The outside will be like leather

EXACTLY

 

[Shedd]

What cuts of chicken was you cooking? Like the others said, you’re cooking too hot. Especially if boneless breast but really at that temperature anything would turn out horrible. I start out low and slow to get some smoke then up it to 350 until 165.