Cooked Chicken Smells Like Ammonia: What Makes Chicken Smell Like Ammonia?

Nobody wants their chicken dish to have an unpleasant smell of ammonia.

But what causes the ammonia smell on chicken and how to get rid of it?

Here we provide some useful information about this topic to help you always have the best chicken without a pungent ammonia smell.

Why does my cooked chicken smell like ammonia?

Smelly cooked chicken might be caused by several reasons.

If you figure out there is an ammonia smell on your cooked chicken, it may be due to one of the following reasons:

Spoiled chicken

The bacteria found in spoiled chicken can cause the breakdown of the proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in the chicken, which leads to a gas that smells like urine or ammonia.

If you also notice other signs of spoilage on your chicken like grey spots, discoloration, or a sticky and plumpy texture, it now can say for sure that your chicken is rotten and needs to be discarded.

Chicken is not cooked properly

In some cases, chicken that smells like ammonia doesn’t mean it is completely spoiled.

It might be due to you cooking it in an improper way, like the temperature or methods of cooking.

Therefore, if there are no other signs of spoilage on your chicken except for the ammonia smell, and your chicken is still raw, this is because you have not cooked it properly.

The ideal temperature for the chicken to be cooked perfectly is 165 degrees F.

Is it safe to eat cooked chicken that smells like ammonia?

Ammonia has a strong smell that is often used to indicate danger.

However, depending on the reason why your chicken gets this smell, it might be safe or dangerous to eat cooked chicken that comes with this smell.

For example, if the ammonia smell goes with other signs like a sticky or watery texture and bad taste which indicate spoiled chicken, this means you should not eat that chicken and need to discard it right away.

In case there is just a slight ammonia smell from your cooked chicken without any other severe identifications, it is safe to consume because this smell is just the result of an improper way of cooking.

How to get rid of the ammonia flavor from cooked chicken?

Cooking chicken is a great way to prepare a delicious meal for your family.

However, it is not always that you can end up with a delicious meal, but an unpleasant smell like ammonia.

So here are some common ways to get rid of the ammonia flavor from your chicken when cooked:

Rinse the chicken in a solution of vinegar and water

Before cooking, try rinsing your chicken with a diluted solution of water and vinegar.

Vinegar is a staple in many kitchens not only as a cooking ingredient but also as an agent to remove a bad odor from foods.

However, remember that when washing your chicken with vinegar, you will need to rinse the meat cut well under cool water to remove the vinegar smell from your chicken.

Massage chicken with salt and turmeric powder

Another way you can try to remove the ammonia smell from your chicken is to massage it with salt and turmeric powder before cooking.

Since turmeric powder has a relatively pungent smell, it should be used in certain recipes that call for this spice so that it will end up as you want.

Otherwise, you can rinse the chicken in plain water to remove any excess turmeric on the chicken before cooking.

Cook the chicken properly

The last thing to do to make sure that your chicken doesn’t have any unwanted smell is to cook it properly.

You should check the internal temperature of the chicken after cooking for a while to ensure it reaches the right temperature and is ready to be served.

The bottom line

If you want to make sure that your chicken dishes always taste fresh and delicious without any unusual smell like ammonia, it is important to look for a reputable place to buy this ingredient.

Moreover, cooking chicken in a proper way will also help you get rid of some strange smells in your dish and ensure your family’s health.

Since now, if you have bought chicken that smells like ammonia, it isn’t a problem anymore with our aforementioned solutions.

Happy shopping and cooking!