One of the easiest mushrooms to identify in our forests is the chicken-of-the-woods mushroom, also known as sulphur shelf, or more simply: chicken mushroom. Although they have similar names, chicken-of-the-woods and hen-of-the-woods are two entirely different mushrooms (although both are edible). Hen-of-the-woods was so named because someone thought the ruffled brown cluster of caps (usually growing at the base of a tree) resembled the fanned out tail feathers of a portly hen. Chicken-of-the-woods, on the other hand, was given its name because someone thought it tasted like chicken, and well, they certainly don’t look like chickens. 

Their unmistakable bright orange color is easily spotted, even when growing from the trunks of rotting trees far from the trail. The upper sides of the caps are bright orange (fading to lighter orange and ultimately to white as the mushroom ages). Chicken-of-the-woods mushrooms are polypores (meaning they have a porous underside rather than gills) and form large, overlapping clusters of laterally flattened lobed caps. Each individual cap can be 2 to 12 inches in diameter. Caps are soft and fleshy when young, but become tough and fibrous as they age. There are two similar edible species, with no poisonous look-a-likes, making it a fairly easy “beginner” mushroom: Laetiporus sulphureus has bright yellow undersides, while Laetiporus cincinnatus is white on the bottom. 

Younger, more tender chicken-of the woods.

Older chicken-of-the-woods, where only the outer brackets are tender enough to eat. 

Both species of chicken-of-the-woods mushroom are shelf mushrooms that grow on injured or dying hardwood trees, and will regrow in the same spot every year until they kill their host tree and use up all of the available nutrients. They don’t, however, necessarily reappear at the same time every year. Weather and other environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, and rainfall, can shift the timing of their emergence by up to three weeks from one year to the next. 

This time of year (September into October) is the best time to find chicken-of-the-woods mushrooms. To harvest, use a knife to cut the brackets away from the bark. The younger the mushroom, the more tender it will be (and the fewer bugs it will contain!). Although you get less volume from a younger, smaller mushroom, the quality is much higher. If you encounter and older specimen, the portions of the mushroom closest to the tree may be too tough to eat, but you can probably find enough tender parts around the margins to make it worth your time. I don’t think chicken-of-the-woods actually tastes like chicken, but it is a very hearty mushroom and can be used as a chicken substitute in casseroles, soups, stews, and pastas. Chop into manageable bits and remove any dirt, bark or insects. With the chicken-of-the-woods mushrooms we found this week (pictured in this post), I chopped and sautéed them in butter for about 15-20 minutes until thoroughly cooked, and then added them as a topping to a chicken and rice dish we were having. Unlike most mushrooms that shrink considerably when cooked, chicken-of-the-woods holds its volume fairly well. If you’re lucky enough to find a specimen large enough that you have too much to eat before it goes bad, chop, sauté, and freeze the extras. 

Cleaned, chopped and ready to cook. 

Sautéing in butter.