Abstract: Changes in the edible quality of chicken meat fermented by Penicillium nalgiovense were studied using a texture analyzer (TA-XT plus), gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), and high-speed amino acid analyzer (Agilent 1100). Chicken meat paste was sterilized by autoclaving, inoculated with Penicillium nalgiovense, pre-fermented for 3 days at 27 ± 1 ℃, and ripened for 7 days at 4 ℃, to produce a fermented chicken meat product. Changes in certain aspects of the edible quality such as texture, free amino acid (FAA) content, and volatile compounds were compared among meat samples during fermentation, including the final fermented chicken meat products and unfermented meat samples (control). The results showed that, for the meat samples, during fermentation, hardness first increased and then decreased. Springiness decreased gradually, while gumminess increased gradually. The FAA content, essential FAA and flavor FAA, in the fermented chicken meat product ripened for 7 days increased significantly (P < 0.05). The volatile compounds in the final fermented chicken meat products were mainly alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and esters, of which guajacolum and γ-butyrolactone were newly formed when compared to those in unfermented chicken meat samples. Hence, sterilized chicken meat fermented by fungi presents an acceptable edible quality and represents a creative way to develop a new type of fermented meat product.