The ‘chicken ick’: why we suddenly become disgusted by foods we used to like

Have you ever suddenly gone off a food you used to love? This is something people on social media have been talking about – specifically when it comes to chicken.

Users report suddenly becoming disgusted by chicken, sometimes even mid-bite – despite having been able to eat the food just fine previously. The phenomenon is commonly referred to online as the “chicken ick”.

My research is centred on how our sensory system (mainly smell and taste) affects our behaviour. When it comes to the “ick”, it’s all about how we deal with our disgust response.

There are a number of reasons why you might suddenly become “weird” about a food that you used to be fine with. If this has ever happened to you, the good news is there are ways to get over it.

The first reason relates to a change in the way the food is presented.

Maybe one time you noticed your chicken tasted, smelled or looked different than it did other times. This can lead to a mismatch in what’s expected, which can cause your feelings towards that food to suddenly change.

It might also be related to whether you prepared the chicken in a different way to normal. Adding a new ingredient which changes the smell or flavour profile of the dish can also trigger feelings of disgust.

Another possible reason has to do with what you were doing before you got the “ick.”

If you were scrolling on social media looking at unappetising meals before starting to cook your own meal, this can influence the way you subsequently feel about your own food.

Or, if you were preparing the dish near someone who expressed disgust (even if they only made a face), this can influence your own disgust response. The reason this occurs is explained by the human tendency to mimic others via mirror neurons (brain cells that are involved in empathy and imitation) and the related process of emotional contagion – the unconscious process of “catching” the emotion of others.

Some of us are also more sensitive to experiencing disgust than others.

Disgust is an emotion that protects us from things that could potentially harm us – such as foods that are spoiled or unsafe to eat.

Work has shown that people who rate themselves as being more sensitive to feelings of disgust also exhibit higher “ick” tendencies in a dating context (a sudden aversion to a romantic partner). This suggests that people with higher habitual levels of disgust might be more likely to experience the chicken “ick” phenomenon.

Another important factor is how hungry you are at the time.

If you aren’t very hungry, you might be more particular about unexpected food features – such as a different smell, texture or flavour.

On the other hand, when you’re really hungry, you understandably tend to be less sensitive to disgust and may be less likely to notice things that might otherwise have turned you away.

Interestingly, our research found a similar effect also happens when participants were given alcohol. The higher a participant’s blood alcohol level, the lower their sensitivity to disgust.

So, it could be that certain states of being make us more or less likely to experience the “chicken ick.”

Gender might also have an effect.

Research on disgust shows women have a higher sensitivity to disgust than men. It’s theorised that such gendered differences in disgust sensitivity developed as an evolutionary response to be choosier when selecting potential mates and protect offspring from disease.

Disgust is also heightened during pregnancy and appears to be related to immune function.

How to get over it

If you’re someone who has developed the chicken “ick” before, there are two key things you can try to get over this feeling:

Try preparing your chicken differently next time. Your disgust might be linked to the specific way the food was prepared. The next time chicken is on your menu, try cooking it differently (such as using a different recipe or seasoning) or use a different cut of meat (such as chicken breast instead of thighs or wings). This might help you to unlearn your disgust.

Have someone else cook for you. If the texture or smell of the chicken (particularly raw chicken) has put you off of it, try having a loved one prepare the meal for you or go out to eat. This might make it easier for you to eat the cooked dish. Or, buy pre-cooked options from the supermarket that only need to be reheated so you don’t have to handle the raw chicken.

Removing the cues that cause the “ick” in the first place should act as a reset so you can enjoy the food again.

If that still does not work, it could be that you’ve formed a negative association with the food which needs to be “unlearned.”

In this case, it could take a little more time to retrain yourself. Some suggestions for doing this involve pairing food with something positive (such as a favourite food or listening to your favourite music while eating your meal) or even by changing the colour of plateware. By repeating this a number of times, you’ll condition yourself to the pleasant response – and will hopefully be over your chicken “ick.”

Lorenzo Stafford does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.