Earlier this month, social media users were shaking their heads at the latest example of the crazy antics of Gen Z: NyQuil chicken. The slimy, teal concoction was the latest dangerous social media trend, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which begged people to not cook chicken in cold medication. News of the warning began to spread in the media.

But data fails to show NyQuil chicken was more than a few viral posts before the FDA's Sept. 15 announcement. It wasn't until after the warning that interest in NyQuil chicken spiked.

Folklore experts note that the NyQuil chicken challenge seems to be the latest internet "trend" to receive massive amounts of coverage despite few or zero real-world examples.

"Every week we have a new Tide Pod challenge, a new NyQuil chicken, a new Blue Whale suicide challenge," said Andrew Peck, an assistant professor of strategic communication at Miami University whose research examines hoaxes, rumors and urban legends.

“From the perspective of a concerned parent, this all must seem new and scary," he added. "From the perspective of a folklorist, this is something that people have been doing for hundreds if not thousands of years.”

What is Nyquil chicken?

The FDA released its warning after it found "social media trends promoting dangerous misuse of medications,” according to spokesperson Courtney Rhodes.

The federal agency did not address questions on how many people were taking part in the challenge before it issued its statement or whether there have been any reported illnesses or deaths related to NyQuil chicken.

TikTok confirmed that there were only five searches for NyQuil chicken on its platform on Sept. 14, the day before the FDA published its statement. By Sept. 21, there were roughly 7,000 searches, as first reported by Buzzfeed News.

Searching for "NyQuil chicken" and "sleepy chicken" on TikTok now directs viewers to a page saying online challenges can be dangerous.