How To Cook Raw Chicken<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nYou need to take several steps when you cook raw chicken to ensure it\u2019s safe to eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For one thing, you should always wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling it, but you don\u2019t need to wash the chicken itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Raw chicken is already ready to be cooked, so you don\u2019t need to wash it as you would vegetables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, you should ensure that you avoid cross-contamination by using a separate cutting board when you\u2019re preparing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t let the raw chicken touch other foods, or the juices may carry harmful bacteria to other foods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You should then wash your cutting boards and any utensils you used to cut your chicken. Don\u2019t use these utensils again before you wash them, or you could end up giving yourself food poisoning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The amount of time you spend cooking your chicken depends on how much you\u2019re cooking at once and how you cook it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re following a recipe, you should follow the directions accurately to ensure that it\u2019s cooked properly. Smaller cuts of chicken will require less time, while a whole chicken will take longer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It also depends on how you\u2019re cooking your chicken. Roasting usually takes longer than grilling or pan-frying. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re microwaving a dish with raw chicken in it, you should follow the directions thoroughly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chicken should not look pink, and you should also use a food thermometer if you\u2019re worried that it hasn\u2019t reached an internal temperature of 165\u00b0F. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you cook your raw chicken, you should eat it straight away, or if you plan on leaving the rest for later, you should follow our earlier storage instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After all, you don\u2019t want to leave the cooked chicken out for too long at room temperature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How To Tell Your Chicken Is Cooked Correctly<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nNow that you\u2019ve cooked your chicken, you may wonder if you cooked it correctly. The good news for you is that we have come up with the answers you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s not too difficult to see when chicken is cooked correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While we would recommend a food thermometer, not everyone owns one, and if you\u2019ve never used one before, you need to know how to use it correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How To Use A Food Thermometer<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIdeally, the internal temperature of your chicken should be 165\u00b0F. We suggest using a digital thermometer; you should put it in the thickest part of the meat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try not to touch any bones, as the bone tends to conduct heat. It\u2019s easy to get a false reading if you touch the bone. Once you\u2019re satisfied the temperature is safe, your chicken will be good to serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Feeling The Chicken<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhile it\u2019s best to use a thermometer, if you don\u2019t have one, there are other methods to use. One test for many experts is the finger test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To compare what raw meat feels like, you should relax your hand and pinch the flesh on your hand just below your thumb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll know what medium-rare meat feels like if you touch your thumb with your middle finger and pinch it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can feel medium-cooked meat by touching your thumb with your ring finger, and well-done meat can be compared to touching your thumb with your pinkie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Admittedly, this technique is better for smaller cuts of chicken, and you should only do this if you feel comfortable with your comparing skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To help understand better, we should note that raw chicken often has a rubbery, wobbly texture, while cooked chicken has a firm feel to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check If The Juices Are Clear<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhen your chicken is cooked correctly, you\u2019ll find the juices are clear when you cut into it. However, if you notice a pinkish or red color, you should cook it for longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While this isn\u2019t a popular method, it\u2019s not bad. Many don\u2019t like it because they don\u2019t want to take the risk of contaminating their chicken, and the juices can also keep your chicken moist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Did Your Chicken Shrink?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSometimes it\u2019s more difficult to see if your chicken is cooked based on skin color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chicken can look great on the outside but still remain cold and pink on the inside. However, a cooked chicken will shrink, as will other meats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the best method to examine your chicken if you\u2019re grilling for a barbecue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember that this method might require a little bit of trial and error; if your meat is too small, it might mean your chicken is overcooked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check The Color Of Your Chicken<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nCooked chicken should be a white-ish gray color and should lose any signs of pink. The best way to check on this is by cutting the chicken with a knife and looking at the inside of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If there\u2019s still some pink, you must cook your chicken longer. You should only eat it when you find that there is no sign of pink in your chicken anywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Personally, we recommend using a food thermometer, but not everyone may own one. That\u2019s why if you are concerned, you should check the color of your chicken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the easiest method, as some people may not want to contaminate their chicken by seeing if the juices run clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You might also not want to mess with the flavor. The shrink check, however, is best done when you\u2019re doing a barbecue, and feeling the chicken only works if you\u2019re confident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Dangers Of Eating Bad Chicken<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nChicken is one of the most popular dishes, but it must also be prepared correctly. If you don\u2019t prepare your chicken or leave it at room temperature, you could be in danger of getting food poisoning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is because chicken can be contaminated with harmful bacteria such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Clostridium perfringens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, that\u2019s why you should never eat raw chicken or allow anything to get contaminated by the juices of a raw chicken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here is what may happen if you eat bad chicken: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Campylobacter Bacteria<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nCampylobacter is a bacteria that can cause a Campylobacter infection, which can affect up to 1.5 million in the U.S. every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Symptoms of this infection include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, and diarrhea. Usually, your symptoms will start a few days after eating this meat, and it can last up to a week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can even get these infections if the bacteria spreads to foods that have been prepared near raw chicken, which is why you should use different chopping boards depending on what you make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Salmonella<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSalmonella, one of the most well-known effects of food poisoning, is the cause of 1.35 million infections in the U.S. each year and has resulted in roughly 26,500 hospital stays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Symptoms of Salmonella include headaches, vomiting, nausea, stomach cramps, fever, and diarrhea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes, it can take anywhere between six hours and six days after you eat chicken infected with this bacteria, and your symptoms could last for up to a week on average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clostridium Perfringens<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nClostridium perfringens are what you are most likely to experience if you let your chicken rest at room temperature for too long and then eat it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, it can also be found in raw chicken. Usually, the symptoms of an infection of this bacteria are diarrhea and cramps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They usually appear within 8 to 12 hours after eating bad chicken and last for a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While food poisoning doesn\u2019t always affect those in the long term, there are situations where it may result in severe dehydration or a hospital stay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is why it\u2019s essential that you prepare food to the best of your abilities and ensure that it\u2019s safe to eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s also why cross-contamination is so important to avoid and why you should ensure your chicken is kept away from other types of food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nNow that we have talked about how long you can leave cooked chicken sitting out, you should have no issues ensuring it is safe to eat in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s best to store it in the fridge after cooling your cooked chicken, as it shouldn\u2019t be left out for longer than two hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, if the temperature is higher, you may notice that it needs to be left out for a shorter period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We hope this article has helped you understand how to handle chicken safely. If you\u2019d like more info about chicken or other food facts and inspiration, please check out some of our other articles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nCan You Leave Chicken Out For 30 minutes?<\/strong><\/strong> There\u2019s no reason why you can\u2019t leave chicken out for 30 minutes. You can leave it for up to two hours or an hour if your room temperature is above 90\u00b0F.<\/p> <\/div>
How Long Should Chicken Cool Before Refrigerating?<\/strong><\/strong> Your chicken should be left to cool for 2 hours at most before you store it in your fridge. If you put it in the fridge too soon, you could accidentally contaminate the other food you have in the fridge.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n