Why does overcooking chicken breast make it rubbery, while overcooking other parts like the thighs make it tender?

Question

Why does overcooking chicken breast make it rubbery, while overcooking other parts like the thighs make it tender?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Breasts and thighs cook at different rates. If you cook them the same amount of time, you are likely overcooking the breast and perfectly cooking the thighs.

Also, tenderness is a combo of the structure of the meat and moisture level. Chicken breast has almost no fat or connective tissue. When you cook it, you are getting rid of water and killing microbes. Too much water gone makes the meat dry and chewy.

Personally, I don’t like chicken breast. I always go for thighs.