Frozen Chicken Recall Includes Nearly 5 Million Pounds Of Product

The potential presence of metal pieces in packages of frozen chicken has forced a Minnesota company to recall nearly five million pounds of products.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, Austin–based Hormel Foods is pulling 4,874,815 pounds of ready-to-eat frozen chicken from store shelves due to the possibility of metal pieces in five of their products.

Faulty Conveyor Belt

The issue was discovered after Hormel received multiple complaints from food service customers who found metal in their frozen chicken breast and thigh products. After an investigation, Hormel determined that the metal likely came from the conveyor belt used in production.

To date, no injuries have been reported.

The Recalled Products

The affected products include frozen chicken breasts and thighs that were sent to HRI Commercial Food Service locations across the country. These products were distributed between February 10, 2025, and September 19, 2025, the labels of which can be viewed here. Products subject to recall are as follows:

13.9-lb. cases containing “Hormel FIRE BRAISED MEATS ALL NATURAL BONELESS CHICKEN THIGH MEAT” - Item code “65009”
13.8-lb. cases containing 3-oz. “Hormel FIRE BRAISED MEATS ALL NATURAL BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST” - Item code “77531”
13.8-lb. cases containing 4-oz. “Hormel FIRE BRAISED MEATS ALL NATURAL BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST” - Item code “46750”
23.8-lb. cases containing 5-oz. “Hormel FIRE BRAISED MEATS ALL NATURAL BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST” - Item code “86206”
13.95-lb. cases containing “BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST WITH RIB MEAT” - Item code “134394”

Each product carries the establishment number ‘P-223’ in the USDA mark of inspection, and a detailed list of the specific pack dates included in the recall can be found here.

What to Do Next

Authorities strongly recommend that consumers throw away the impacted products and not eat them. Returns are available at the place of purchase for a refund or exchange. Some of these products may also be in the freezers of hotels, restaurants, and other institutions. These businesses are urged not to serve the affected products and to dispose of them completely.

For additional questions or concerns, contact Hormel Foods Customer Relations via their website or by calling 1-800-523-4635.