As you and I know, chicken has long been considered the “healthy” meat.

It’s lean, it’s versatile, and compared to a juicy steak, it’s usually seen as the smarter pick for your waistline and your heart.

But recent research suggests that even a modest amount of chicken—just two to three servings a week—could be linked to a surprising 27% higher risk of dying early.

Not exactly what you expect from your go-to “safe” protein, right?

New Research That Might Make You Rethink Your Plate

A recent observational study tracked the eating habits of thousands of adults over several years.

Researchers found that those who ate over 300 grams of chicken per week—which is about two or three medium-sized servings—had a noticeably higher risk of death from all causes compared to those who ate less than 100 grams weekly.

And it wasn’t just an overall bump.

Men in the highest chicken intake group had more than double the risk of dying from gastrointestinal cancers like stomach or colon cancer compared to the low-intake group.

Now, observational studies can’t prove direct causation.

It’s not like chicken itself has been found guilty in a court of law.

But when you adjust for things like age, smoking, exercise, and general diet quality—and the risk is still that high—you have to wonder if our assumptions about chicken being automatically “safe” might be overdue for an update.

Why Might Chicken Raise Mortality Risk?

One big factor could be how the chicken is cooked.

Frying, grilling, or charring chicken at high temperatures can create harmful compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

These substances form when muscle meats are exposed to intense heat, and they’ve been shown to damage DNA in ways that could trigger cancer.

Even though eating the occasional grilled chicken breast isn’t going to hurt you, frequent exposure to these chemicals—especially if you love your chicken blackened or heavily grilled—could add up over time.

Then there’s the issue of processed chicken products.

Chicken nuggets, patties, deli slices, and breaded tenders often come packed with sodium, preservatives, and unhealthy fats.

When the “chicken” you eat looks more like a fast-food menu item than something that came from a farm, the health picture changes dramatically.

Highly processed meats, even if they’re made from poultry instead of beef or pork, are linked to higher risks of heart disease, cancer, and early death.

The World Health Organization classifies processed meats as carcinogenic—yes, even when it’s “white meat.”

So, when studies show problems with higher poultry intake, you have to ask: are we talking about grilled chicken salads or fried chicken sandwiches?

A Closer Look at Cooking Styles

If you grew up like I did, grilling chicken outside on summer weekends was a family tradition.

We didn’t exactly worry about whether the edges got charred—we were just trying to get some nice grill marks and crispy skin.

Unfortunately, those blackened bits we thought meant flavor are also hotspots for HCAs and PAHs.

The takeaway isn’t that you can never grill again.

It’s that lowering the intensity of heat, marinating meats beforehand, and avoiding charring are smart moves if you want to enjoy grilled chicken without extra risks.

Roasting, baking, and steaming are much safer options, and they’re usually a lot easier to control temperature-wise too.

Food Safety: The Everyday Danger

Aside from long-term cancer risks, chicken also poses short-term risks if it’s not handled carefully.

Chicken is notorious for carrying bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter, both of which can cause serious foodborne illness.

The CDC estimates that about 1 in 25 packages of raw chicken is contaminated with Salmonella.

Translation: if you’re not careful, your innocent chicken dinner could land you (or someone you love) in the hospital.

Key steps to stay safe include:

• Cooking chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C)

• Never rinsing raw chicken (it spreads bacteria all over your sink)

• Using separate cutting boards for raw meat and vegetables

• Washing hands, knives, and surfaces thoroughly after handling raw poultry

It’s basic, but food safety habits matter more than people realize.

Should You Quit Eating Chicken?

Not necessarily.

Experts aren’t telling everyone to ditch chicken entirely.

They’re just pointing out that how much you eat, how you cook it, and what form you eat it in matters a lot more than people assume.

You can still enjoy chicken and stay healthy by being smarter about your choices.

Smarter Chicken Habits

If you want to keep chicken in your diet (and honestly, who doesn’t?), here are some ways to do it safely and healthily:

• Moderate Your Portions: Stick to a few servings per week rather than making chicken the star of every meal.

• Choose Fresh Over Processed: Fresh, unbreaded, uncured chicken beats nuggets, tenders, and deli slices every time.

• Use Safer Cooking Methods: Bake, roast, poach, or lightly sauté rather than charring, grilling, or deep-frying.

• Be Food-Safe: Always cook thoroughly and avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen.

• Diversify Your Proteins: Add plant-based options (beans, tofu, lentils) or fish into your weekly rotation. A varied diet helps protect you from overexposure to any one food’s risks.

Putting It All Together

At the end of the day, chicken isn’t the villain.

But thinking of it as automatically “healthy” no matter how it’s cooked, how much you eat, or what form it comes in?

That’s the real problem.

This new research reminds us that even foods with good reputations deserve a second look.

Here at DM News, we’re all about informed eating, not fear-driven eating.

By being a little more mindful about how often, how much, and how you prepare your chicken, you can still enjoy it—without worrying you’re unknowingly stacking the odds against your health.

Because at the end of the day, good health isn’t about banning foods.

It’s about understanding them—and adjusting along the way.