What is this dark red lump on my chicken breast?

[Tulipstulips]

I’m roasting a chicken for lunch. Before I put it in the oven, I noticed it had a bit of a weird spongy lump on the breast, and now it’s been in for a bit, it’s turned a grim red-black colour. Anyone know what it is and whether it’s ok to eat the bird? It looks like a tumour and it’s not the first time I’ve have a bird with a tumour or cyst on the breast.

It wasn’t cheap either - it’s free range, high welfare meat (at least it’s supposed to be).

Side view - it’s not just a bruise, it’s an actual lump. Not very appetising!

That whole chicken looks bad! I’d chuck it.

It looks like a broken breast bone that’s bled. It will be fine to cook and eat.
The carcass may have got bashed during processing, nothing to worry about.Althoughthe meat around it may taste a bit bitter,

Although, check Does the bird smell fresh? If it’s in the least bit fishy smelling don’t eat it

I don’t think it’s off, it smelled fine and it’s nowhere near it’s sell by - it’s not brown yet because I cover it in foil for the first half of cooking, otherwise I find the skin burns. It’ll brown up now the foil is off.

Timetospare, thanks, that’s reassuring! We did wonder if it was blood, but though a bruise would be flatter.

There wasn’t a smell at all when I opened the packaging and prepared the bird, and I have an overdeveloped sense of smell so I’d have noticed. Definitely no fishiness.

That looks completely inedible and not appetising in the slightest. Wouldn't serve that to anybody. Disgusting

Looks like blood.

@Tulipstulips what I would say though, is that it shouldn’t have been sold like that, and you could always ask for your money back, especially if it was pricey.
In terms of eating it, just use what you can and if you have one, use a meat thermometer to check it’s thoroughly cooked.

It could be anything really. Injury or infection?
I once cut into a lump of pork that had a yellow puss filled hole, some kind of abscess.
Even with the high welfare meat, the animals don’t have a decent life/death.
I’m vegan now.

Looks fine to me OP. I wouldn’t throw it!

I couldn't guarantee that bruising happened to the carcass after death. Chickens and all farm animals are subject to horrific abuse during their lifetimes

It’s a rub mark from its bra.

Avalanche 😂😂😂

I am thinking about tweeting the supermarket we bought it from, I don’t really want to eat it to be honest. I’m also quite concerned about whether it happened before the chicken died. We’re obviously not vegan or vegetarian but I do try to buy ethically farmed meat.

@Whengodwasarabbit we had a turkey with a cyst a while back. We didn’t cut into it but it really looked disgusting.

Aside from all that, there is zero seasoning on it. Thsts needs remedying or it wont taste very nice!

It doesn't look very appetising, though that may just be the angle. It looks very pale!

It doesnt look healthy. I would ask for a refund and not eat it. Poor chicken. What a sad life.

Could be a tumour if it's a bump?

I wouldn't be in a hurry to eat it anyway

At that stage it had only been in the oven for about 15 minutes. It had seasoning on it and in the juices in the pan, along with onions etc inside it and around it... I’d just basted it before reseasoning. That’s not what it’ll look like once it’s been cooked properly! It’s not brown because I keep in under foil until the last part of cooking - keeps it juicy.

You'll have to show us the end result now cause that does look pretty grim!

That does look pretty gross! Please show us end result!

So we’ve eaten it now! The lumpy bit came off with the skin and breast underneath looked perfect, unlike when I had a tumour in the turkey breast. The breastbone was cracked so it must have been from there, the think. The chicken tasted fine!

Glad you didn’t chuck it, but you can still ask for refund as it really shouldn’t have been sold to you with a broken breast bone.

Glad you didn’t chuck it, but you can still ask for refund as it really shouldn’t have been sold to you with a broken breast bone.

How would they know? They don't X-ray the chickens at the supermarket. It could have happened in transit? (Lighthearted post)