Chicken of the Woods
Chicken of the woods is a common edible mushroom widely distributed around the world including Washington state, Oregon, and British Columbia.
When fresh, it has a smooth, bright orange upper surface. The underside has pale to lemony yellow pores that are very small. Fresh tissue is tender and easily cut though more difficult to tear by hand. It grows on dead wood.
Older specimens become brittle or woody with age. As the tissue dies it will eventually turn white and chalky in appearance
Edibility of Chicken of the Woods
Generally edible with some precautions. Foragers in the eastern US avoid species growing on conifer however tree host isn’t generally a consideration for west coast species. Many report GI issues when eating this mushroom. A common strategy for reducing GI upset is to cook the mushrooms low and slow. Also consider eating only a small amount your first time to check for personal sensitivities
Similar to Chicken of the Woods
The most common look-alike to Laetiporus mushrooms is Pycnoporellus fulgens. This mushroom has a much tougher tissue, a velvety rust-orange upper surface, and large pores