Why does chicken wrapped in bacon stay pink?

It’s a common phenomenon when cooking chicken wrapped in bacon that the chicken inside stays pink, even when the bacon on the outside is fully cooked. This can be alarming for home cooks who worry about undercooked chicken, but there’s actually a simple explanation.

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What Makes Meat Appear Pink

The pink color in chicken and other meats is caused by a protein called myoglobin. Myoglobin contains iron and gives meat its red or pink hue. When meat is cooked, the myoglobin proteins denature and lose their ability to hold onto the iron atoms. As the proteins release the iron, the meat loses its pink color and turns brown or grey.

However, myoglobin’s color changes occur at different temperatures:

Rare meat (120°F/49°C internal temperature) – Myoglobin is reddish in color
Medium meat (140-150°F/60-65°C) – Myoglobin turns pinkish

Well-done meat (160°F/71°C) – All myoglobin denatures, meat turns brown/gray

So meat that reaches at least 140-150°F will turn from red to pink, while meat that hits 160°F browned through. This is why steaks can be pink inside while still being safe to eat.

Why Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Stays Pink

Knowing how myoglobin causes the pink color explains why bacon-wrapped chicken stays pink. Here’s what’s happening:

The bacon heats up directly over the heat source and cooks first.
The hot bacon then slowly conducts heat inward to the chicken inside.
The outer layers of chicken closest to the bacon cook and turn white.

But the innermost chicken is shielded from direct heat. It only reaches about 140-150°F before the bacon is fully cooked.
At this temp, the myoglobin in the center of the chicken denatures and turns pink. But it doesn’t hit 160°F to fully brown.

So while the chicken is safe to eat when the bacon is cooked, the inner layers remain pink due to the slower conductive heating. The pink color indicates the chicken is cooked to at least 140°F throughout, even if the very center is not browned.

Is Pink Chicken Safe to Eat?

Now that we know why bacon-wrapped chicken stays pink, is it safe to eat? The USDA states that chicken is fully cooked and safe at 165°F (74°C). So if there’s any pink in chicken, does that mean it’s undercooked?

Not necessarily. While 165°F is the safe temperature, pink chicken is not inherently dangerous if:

The meat reached at least 155°F throughout. At this temp, salmonella bacteria are killed.

It was not ground chicken. Whole cuts of intact meat like breasts and thighs are safer than ground.
It was fresh, not thawed from frozen. Freezing can damage cells and spread bacteria.

As long as these guidelines are met, pink chicken is safe. The innermost areas just did not brown due to the lower conduction heat.

How to Prevent Bacon-Wrapped Chicken From Staying Pink

If you want to avoid pink chicken in bacon-wrapped dishes, here are some tips:

Cook at a lower temperature for longer. Chicken will have more time to brown at a more moderate heat.
Remove bacon while chicken finishes cooking. The last few minutes, take off the bacon so the chicken gets direct heat.

Use ground chicken. Ground meat cooks more evenly since the insides get direct heat.
Cut in half or pound thin. Thinner cuts give heat better access to the inside.
Precook the chicken. Par-cook in the microwave before wrapping in bacon to get it started.

With the right adjustments to time, temperature, and thickness, you can ensure your bacon-wrapped chicken comes out fully browned throughout.

Why You Shouldn’t Eat Raw Chicken

While pink chicken can be safe to eat, raw chicken is a different story. Eating raw chicken is dangerous due to bacteria like salmonella and E. coli that can lead to food poisoning. Here’s why consuming raw chicken should be avoided:

Salmonella – The most common bacteria found in raw chicken. Causes diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps.

Campylobacter – Also very common. Leads to cramping, abdominal pain, and diarrhea within 2-5 days after ingesting.
E. coli – Can lead to kidney failure in children. Also causes bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and cramps.
Listeria – Causes fever, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, confusion.

These bacteria are killed through proper cooking to 165°F. Thorough cooking denatures proteins in bacteria cells, effectively killing them by destroying their cell structure. Raw chicken should always be cooked fully before eating.

Is Raw Ground Chicken Safe?

Raw ground chicken is especially dangerous and should never be eaten uncooked. Here’s why:

Ground chicken has more exposed surface area where bacteria resides compared to whole cuts.

The grinding process can introduce bacteria throughout the meat.
Common industry practices like combining meat from multiple birds increases contamination risk.
Any bacteria present spreads quickly through ground meat.

Just a tiny amount of contamination can be mixed throughout raw ground chicken during processing. Always cook ground chicken to 165°F as measured by a food thermometer before eating.

Proper Food Handling for Raw Chicken

To stay safe when preparing raw chicken:

Store raw chicken below 40°F. Keep refrigerated until ready to cook.

Avoid rinsing raw chicken. This can spread bacteria through your kitchen.
Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw chicken.
Wash hands, countertops, sinks thoroughly after handling.

Use a food thermometer to check 165°F internal temp before eating.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Discard if left out past this time.

Following food safety principles reduces your risk of illness when cooking with raw chicken. While pink chicken and bacon-wrapped dishes can safely be enjoyed when prepared properly, raw chicken should never be consumed.

Conclusion

The reason bacon-wrapped chicken stays pink while the bacon browns has to do with the slower conductive heating to the center of the meat. The innermost chicken reaches temperatures of 140-150°F, causing the myoglobin to turn pink. But it doesn’t get hot enough to fully brown through.

As long as the chicken reached at least 155°F internally, it is safe to eat pink. Whole muscle cuts of chicken that were fresh (not frozen) are lowest risk for harboring bacteria when pink. To prevent pink chicken, cook more slowly at lower temps, remove the bacon wrap briefly, cut in half, pound thin, or par-cook.

Raw chicken, especially ground, should never be consumed uncooked. Proper handling, cooking, and storage of raw chicken is important to avoid foodborne illness. So go ahead and enjoy that bacon-wrapped chicken, even if it has a pink tinge!