Yellow or White? The Chicken Color Mystery
Ever stared at two trays of chicken in the store—one pale, one deep yellow—and wondered what’s going on? You’re not alone. Many of us have asked: does color signal freshness, flavor, or health? The truth is more interesting than you’d think.
Chicken color does reveal something, but not quality the way most people assume. White chicken usually comes from indoor, factory-farmed birds fed grains like corn, wheat, and soy. These birds grow fast, exercise little, and rarely see the outdoors. Their meat ends up pale pink or white, sometimes with a bluish tint.
Yellow chicken often comes from birds raised more naturally. Their diet—rich in corn, greens, or marigold petals—adds yellow pigment to their skin and fat through carotenoids. Think flamingos turning pink from shrimp; it’s the same principle.