If you've recently foraged chicken of the woods mushrooms and are looking for an easy chicken of the woods recipe, you NEED to try these marinated chicken of the woods tacos! The marinade was inspired by my carne asada marinade, which means these tacos are loaded with flavor, but are also vegan-friendly!
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If you've been following my blog, Facebook group, or Instagram, you probably know by now that I love to forage mushrooms! From fried chicken mushrooms to shaggy mane mushrooms, lion's mane, and morels, I love them all!
One mushroom I've never found in the wild but have always wanted to is chicken of the woods, which is often referred to as "COW." Luckily, my friend, Fallon, not only found some last year but was generous enough to share some with me!
Finally getting my hands on COW during one of the busiest times of the year was a little challenging. I left the first one she gave in a fridge a little longer than I should have. As a result, it tasted bitter. Older specimens can do that. Chicken of the woods should be prepared soon after it's harvested.
So, when she found more and again shared some with me, I acted quickly to come up with this chicken of the woods recipe! As I expected, it tasted wonderful!
Jump to:
What Are Chicken Of the Woods Mushrooms?
Chicken of the woods (not to be confused with hen of the woods) are coral-shaped, edible mushrooms. Chicken of the woods do not have a stem; they grow on dead tree stumps and some live trees. Host trees include various hardwood trees such as oaks, eucalyptus, hemlock, fir, and willows. They also grow on conifers.
These mushrooms have a meaty texture and a mild taste, which makes them a perfect meat substitute. Chicken of the woods is a great beginner mushroom because their identification is easy, even for the novice forager.
There are various species of this mushroom, including Laetiporus Sulphureus (or sulfur shelf), Laetiporus cincinnatus, Laetiporus huroniensis, Laetiporus gilbertsonii, and Laetiporus persicinus.
Some have bright orange caps, while others are a lighter shade of peach. Laetiporus persicinus is known as "white chicken of the woods".
One key feature of these tasty mushrooms is their underside. Some COW mushrooms have white pores (as opposed to gills), while others have pale yellow pores. In fact, chicken of the woods is actually an edible polypore or bracket fungus.
Only harvest young, tender COW and leave the tougher, bug-riddled ones behind. Store in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator and use within a week or as soon as you can.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Mushrooms: I used about a pound of fresh chicken of the woods mushrooms.
- Marinade: You'll need oil, soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice, and red wine vinegar for the marinade.
- Marinade spice: To the liquid, you'll add salt, black pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, minced onion, cumin, and cayenne (optional). You can also substitute 1 tablespoon of my Mexican carne asada seasoning instead.
- Olive Oil: You'll need oil or butter to sauté the mushrooms in.
- Fixings: Tortillas, cheese, hot sauce, sour cream, avocados, chopped cilantro, and diced onion.
How to Clean Chicken of the Woods
To clean your foraged COW, slice off bark, moss, or damaged parts from the brackets, then wipe off with a damp sponge or cloth. Use a soft-bristled brush for more persistent dirt.
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the carne asada marinade by pouring the oil, soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice, and red wine vinegar into a small bowl or measuring cup. Add salt, black pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, minced onion, cumin, and cayenne, and whisk to combine.
Step 2: Clean and slice or shred the chicken of the woods brackets. Add to a ziplock bag and pour the marinade over them. Seal the bag and marinate for 1 hour.
Pro Tip: If you plan on grilling the mushrooms, you'll need to leave them in larger pieces (unless you grill them in a grill basket). Otherwise, slice or tear the mushrooms into strips.
Step 3: Heat oil or butter in a pan over low heat. Sautè marinated chicken of the woods until cooked all the way through. If you prefer, you can grill the mushrooms; however, you'll need to continually baste them with the marinade so they don't dry out.
Pro Tip: Like many wild mushrooms, chicken of the woods needs to be cooked all the way through, or they may cause gastrointestinal upset.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this chicken of the woods recipe with plenty of warm corn tortillas, queso fresco or shredded Mexican cheese, salsa ranchera, this 4 ingredients guacamole recipe, creamy guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo. Whatever you do, don't forget the spicy pickled Mexican carrots!
Recipe FAQs
Chicken of the woods has a meaty texture and a mild, lemony flavor resembling the taste of crab or lobster. However, older specimens can have a bitter aftertaste.
There are many chicken of the woods recipes out there. The main thing is they need to be fully cooked before eating. One of the best ways to cook chicken of the woods is by battering the mushrooms, then deep-frying them. Chicken of the woods, or "cow," can also be sautéed, grilled, or added to soups or stews.
Chicken of the woods is a great beginner mushroom because it can't be confused with too many other mushrooms. However, a novice forager might confuse jack-o'-lantern mushrooms for them because they grow in clusters on dead trees and stumps and are bright orange in color. 
Chicken of the woods can last for up to 7 days in the fridge when stored in a paper bag. However, it's always better to eat them as soon as they are harvested.
Precautions
This mushroom needs to be fully cooked before it's consumed. When trying new mushrooms, it is a good idea to only have a small amount initially to ensure there are no allergic reactions. Adverse reactions can include gastrointestinal issues and vomiting.
Pro Tips
- Although you can grill the marinated mushrooms, they're more tender when sautéed in butter.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and consumed within 3 days.
- The sooner you cook COW after picking, the better. As this mushroom ages, it tends to get bitter.
- Chicken of the woods can also be added to pasta dishes, like this lion's mane mushrooms recipe.
Related Recipes
If you enjoy this chicken of the woods recipe, check out these other related recipes!
Recipe
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Ingredients
Method
- Prepare carne asada marinade by pouring olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice, and red wine vinegar into a small bowl or measuring cup. Add salt, chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne, then whisk to combine.
- Clean and slice or shred chicken of the woods. Add to a ziplock bag and pour the marinade over them. Seal the bag and marinate for 1 hour.
- Heat oil or butter in a pan over low heat. Sautè marinated chicken of the woods until cooked all the way through. If you prefer, you can grill the mushrooms, however, you'll need to continually baste them with the marinade so they don't dry out.
- Serve cooked chicken of the woods with plenty of warm corn tortillas, queso fresco, salsa, guacamole, and pico de gallo.
Nutrition
Notes
- Nutrition info is for the marinated mushrooms only and will vary greatly based on how they are served.
- If you plan on grilling the mushrooms, you'll need to leave them in larger pieces (unless you grill them in a grill basket). You don't want them to fall through the grates. Otherwise, slice or tear the mushrooms into strips.
- Like many wild mushrooms, chicken of the woods needs to be cooked all the way through or they may cause gastrointestinal upset.
- Although you can grill the marinated chicken of the woods mushrooms, they're more tender when sautéed in butter.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and consumed within 3 days.
- The sooner you cook COW after picking the better. As this mushroom ages, it tends to get bitter.
- Chicken of the woods can also be added to pasta dishes, like this lion's mane mushrooms recipe.
Gene says
Absolutely delicious and easy to make.
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Gene, appreciate your comment and feedback!
Kelly Methey says
Wow Hilda, you come up with the most interesting and amazing recipes! Keep up the good work!
Hilda Sterner says
What can I say, Kelly? I have a lot of spare time on my hands!