Chicken of the woods (Laetiporus sulphureus)

Come across bright yellow-orange “fans” on a tree trunk in the forest, and it's hard to walk past. This is Laetiporus sulphureus, or chicken of the woods — one of the few bracket fungi people eat. When young it's tender and tastes like chicken. Let's look at how to identify it, when to pick it and what to watch out for.

What chicken of the woods looks like

Its features are very recognizable:

it grows in overlapping “shingles” of several fused fans on trunks and stumps;
the color is bright — from sulfur yellow to orange, fading with age;
the underside is spongy, with tiny pores, lemon yellow, with no gills;
young flesh is soft, juicy, yellowish, with a sourish smell.

This mushroom is hard to confuse: a bright yellow “bouquet” on a tree looks like nothing else.

Where and when to pick it

Chicken of the woods grows on living and dead broadleaf trees — oak, willow, poplar, less often on conifers. The season is long: from May into autumn, peaking in late spring and early summer. It often fruits on the same tree year after year. For other tree-dwelling mushrooms, see the article edible mushrooms that grow on trees.

Why only take it young

Chicken of the woods is edible only when young, while the flesh is soft and juicy. A mature mushroom quickly turns tough, woody and no longer edible. So only the young, soft edges of the fans are cut.

An important caution: specimens from conifers cause stomach upset in some people, so the advice is to take chicken of the woods from broadleaf trees and always cook it thoroughly. Like all mushrooms, it must not be eaten raw — more on that in which mushrooms can be eaten raw.

Why it's called chicken of the woods

The mushroom got its name from its taste and texture: well-cooked young flesh resembles chicken meat. That's why it's prized in vegetarian cooking as a plant-based chicken substitute.

Sources

“Key to the Fungi of Ukraine” (Kyiv, Naukova Dumka publishing house).
Laetiporus sulphureus on GBIF, the global biodiversity database.
Laetiporus sulphureus on Wikipedia.

Frequently asked questions

How do you identify chicken of the woods?

By the bright yellow-orange “fans” growing in overlapping shingles on trunks, the lemon-yellow underside with tiny pores and no gills, and the soft, juicy flesh of a young mushroom.

Is Laetiporus sulphureus edible?

Yes, but only when young, while the flesh is soft. A mature mushroom becomes tough and inedible. The young edges of the fans must be boiled thoroughly before cooking.

When should you pick chicken of the woods?

The season is long — from May into autumn, peaking in late spring and early summer. The mushroom often fruits on the same tree several years in a row.

Why is chicken of the woods called that?

Because well-cooked young flesh resembles chicken meat in taste and texture. That's why the mushroom is prized as a plant-based chicken substitute in vegetarian cooking.

Can chicken of the woods be confused with a poisonous mushroom?

It's hard to confuse: a bright yellow “bouquet” on a tree is very recognizable. Still, you need to identify the mushroom with confidence, take it only from broadleaf trees and cook it thoroughly.

Why should chicken of the woods be picked young?

Because only young flesh is soft and juicy. With age the mushroom quickly turns woody, tough and inedible. That's why only the young, soft edges of the fans are cut.

Is chicken of the woods from conifers safe?

Specimens from conifers cause stomach upset in some people. That's why the advice is to take chicken of the woods from broadleaf trees and always cook it thoroughly.