The heat is too high or too low. If the heat is too high in the pan, you'll end up with chicken that has a dark, browned exterior but is still raw and uncooked inside. That's not a pleasant surprise to bite into.
Old oil is often full of particulate matter, which lends the chicken a darker color and, worse, a rancid flavor. The best way to tell if your oil is too old is to give it a big sniff before you pour it into your pot.
Because oils can heat up far past the boiling point of water, they allow for both the caramelization of starches and the browning of proteins, which is referred to as the Maillard reaction. As moisture evaporates from the fried food, it leaves behind tiny little surface craters, into which small amounts of oil move.
It should be evenly golden brown, if battered. With chicken, I usually time the first piece, take it out and slice it open or stick a thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, just to ease my mind. Chicken should be 165 degrees to be safely consumed. Generally, white meat cooks faster than dark.
Appearance. You can tell that cooked chicken meat is spoiled when the color has gone gray or green. You may also notice grayish-green mold on the surface of the meat, indicating spoilage.
It's likely the brown you are noticing is the blood seeping from the bones during the cooking process, and then turning brown after being exposed to heat. There is no blood in properly slaughtered chicken. It is drained off as part of the process.
Casey Owens-Hanning, poultry scientist, to learn about the different cuts of chicken and explore the best uses for each type. White meat cuts are the breast, breast tenders and wings. Dark meat cuts are the drumstick and thighs. The color differences occur because they are two separate types of muscle.
For a whole chicken or turkey, check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. All the meat—including any that remains pink—is safe to eat as soon as all parts reach at least 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer.
During the frying process, salt acts as a catalyst and accelerates oxidation. This causes the oil to become darker in color and release off-flavors, which affects the taste of the food.
First, the black specks you see coming off into your food are not harmful. They are most likely carbon deposits. This happens due to overheating of fats and oils. Using an oil with a low smoke point will carbonize at high temperatures and cause residue from the pores of your pan to rub off onto your food.
Too-hot oil will make for a dark exterior while the inside's still raw. Gross. Combat this issue with a meat thermometer (not the one you're using for the oil!). Don't be afraid to break the chicken's crust to take the meat's internal temperature; it should read 165 degrees.
Research suggests that the dark meat of black chicken breeds like the Kadaknath provides a rich source of carnosine. Carnosine is a protein-building compound that has antioxidant properties, so eating black chicken meat may be a healthier choice than white meat.
This is a dominant genetic trait, known as fibromelanosis, in which the pigment melanin is distributed in the skin, connective tissue, muscles, organs, and bones, causing them all to be black or a very dark purplish-black.
Dark meat cuts, such as the thighs and drumsticks, come from frequently-used muscles needed for walking and standing. These muscles use more oxygen and contain more fat and iron. The iron in the muscles is located in a protein called myoglobin. The myoglobin gives dark meat its darker color.
The black spots are just coagulated blood. There is nothing unsafe about eating the meat. You can scrape out the blood/dark spot if you desire. Many Americans and some other nationalities are adverse to eating the dark meat of chicken.
The more myoglobin, the darker the meat and the richer the nutrients. Myoglobin provides muscles with the oxygen required for exercise and movement. Since chickens are flightless birds, they use their legs and thighs to get around, making those parts darker than the breast or wings.
If your oil temp is too high, your fried chicken will be scorched on the outside with meat that is undercooked. If the oil is too cool, your chicken will be greasy and will lack the golden-brown crispy exterior you want.
Sight - Cooked chicken freshly made will have a brown or white color to the meat without pink. As with a raw piece of chicken, cooked chicken that is or has gone bad will begin to change color. As it spoils, chicken that has gone bad will begin to look grey or even green-grey.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) recommendations, leftover cooked chicken should be refrigerated at 40 F (or less) and used within 3 to 4 days.
Temperature plays a critical role in holding meat safely. The Danger Zone is the temperature range that is ideal for bacterial growth--between 40 °F and 140°F. Bacteria grow readily between the temperature range of 70°F and 120°F. Therefore, meat must pass through this temperature range quickly.
Unless the cooked chicken is kept warm, above 140°F, the general rule of thumb for cooked chicken is that it should not sit out on your kitchen table or buffet for more than two hours. Any cooked chicken left at room temperature for more than two hours should probably be thrown out.
KFC chicken should be consumed within three to four days in the fridge and up to two months when frozen. If you are unsure of its freshness or have any doubts regarding food safety, it is best to discard it.