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BACKGROUND The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of heat stress and probiotic supplementation on protein functionality and oxidative stability of ground chicken leg during display storage. Two hundred and forty, 1-day-old male chicks (5 birds per pen) were subjected to four treatments in a 2 (thermoneutral condition at 21 °C and cyclic heat stress at 32-21-32 °C for 10 h day-1) × 2 (regular diet with 0 or 0.25 g kg-1 Bacillus subtilis) factorial design. Chickens were harvested at day 46, and pairs of whole legs were collected at 1 day postmortem. The chicken legs were deboned, ground, tray-packaged with oxygen-permeable film, and displayed for 3 days. RESULTS Heat stress and probiotic supplementation had no impact on pH, water-holding capacity, color, protein functionality, lipid lipolysis and lipid/protein oxidation stability ( P > 0.05). Display storage increased the pH and lipid oxidation of ground chicken legs ( P < 0.05). In addition, protein oxidation occurred during display storage, as determined via an increased carbonyl group ( P = 0.0109) and reduced thiol group ( P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION The results of the present study indicate that chronic heat stress and probiotic supplementation had no practical adverse impact on protein functionality and oxidative stability of ground chicken leg meat. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]