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    Home » Food News

    Published: May 29, 2022 · Modified: Jun 21, 2022 by Angela · This post may contain affiliate links · 38 Comments

    Should You Wash Raw Chicken Before Cooking It?

    To wash or not to wash?

    There seems to be a neverending food debate about whether or not to wash or rinse your raw chicken before cooking it.  I often wondered if it was a regional practice. Or was it how you were brought up and taught from those you learned to cook from.  I did a lot of reading and asking around. It didn't seem to fit into one box or another on answering why some people wash and some do not.

    I will tell you now, I am on team NO WASH!  I will share the reasons why you should not wash your chicken before cooking it.  For example, it can do more harm and spread more bacteria, like salmonella. Safe food handling has been important to me most of my life.  When I recertified my certificate in 2000, chicken safety was the #1 thing used as an example of what to focus on during the classes and the testing process.

    There is a good reason for that, the safe handling of chicken and your surroundings when cooking chicken is very important.  Every cooking show on the Food Network includes a bit of hand washing as the cooks do their meal prep.  But have you ever seen them rinse off their chicken? Maybe I missed an episode but I have never seen them do this. And have you ever seen Gordon Ramsey on Master Chef scream - "IT'S RAW" - and throw a plate full of undercooked chicken in the trash?  There is no mystery how serious food handling and cooking can be.

    Should You Wash Raw Chicken

    Should You Wash Raw Chicken .....

    Why You Should NOT Wash Your Chicken

    Bacteria Spreads and Can Contaminate Other Things

    There is really only one reason to NOT wash your chicken - FOOD SAFETY!

    Washing your chicken spreads possible bacteria. It can contaminate other areas in your kitchen that you may not realize and be cautious about.  Washing chicken also gives you a false sense of cleanliness. You may think your chicken is safer and not worry about washing hands and surfaces as thoroughly. You may also think that cooking it to the right temperature is not as worrisome as well. All of this is a food safety nightmare.

    Chances of Getting Salmonella from Chicken

    Think about it. When splashing water hits the raw chicken it will likely splatter any possible germs onto other surfaces. For example, salmonella is now not just on the chicken, but is in your sink, splashed up on the counter, onto a random utensil, and on the faucet handle.   A few minutes later, your child comes in to rinse off an apple to eat for a snack.  They grab the faucet handle, turn on the water, rinse the apple, turn off the water, and rotate the apple back to that same hand that touched the salmonella splashed faucet and start eating the apple. ICK!!!!

    The chances of getting salmonella from raw or undercooked chicken increase when proper food handling is not followed. Wondering if all raw chicken has salmonella? According to the CDC, as many as 1 in 25 packages of chicken at the grocery store can have salmonella.  That means 4% of all chicken has salmonella.  Even the CDC says to NOT wash chicken in this recent ARTICLE 

    Not convinced yet because this is always what you have done and Grandma still does it this way?  But still not convinced because you think raw chicken that is not rinsed would be unclean and can be more dangerous to eat.  Keep on reading. Because safe food handling and cooking to the right temperature is all you need to worry about.  Washing chicken is not the correct practice.

    What You Should Do to Prevent Food Poisoning

    • Keep raw chicken in disposable bags in your grocery cart.  Pack in separate grocery bags that are not shared with fruits and vegetables.

    Keep raw chicken wrapped in disposable bags

    • Always wash your hands with a lot of soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after handling the chicken. Make sure you get under any jewelry and your fingernails.
    • You can also use disposable gloves when handling raw chicken.  I advise still washing your hands after removing the gloves. You cannot be 100% sure that you didn't still contaminate your hands during the glove removal process.  My husband always uses gloves when he touches any sort of raw meat. Here are some gloves that work great.

    • NEVER put cooked chicken or other food onto a surface that touched the raw chicken. If you grill chicken and bring the raw chicken outside on a platter to transfer to the grill, get a new serving platter to transfer the cooked chicken before serving.
    • Use a separate cutting board, knives, and utensils for raw chicken. Do not share with any other foods, even those you plan to cook as well. I always have many cutting boards to choose from and keep them separate when I am prepping food. I recommend this cutting board pack to keep your food safe.

    What Temperature Do You Cook Chicken To?

    • Chicken is ALWAYS COOKED TO AT LEAST 165° internal temperature.  Never anything less. There is no such thing as medium-rare chicken.
    • DO NOT GUESS or just cut and peak.  For one, you can be wrong and eat chicken that is not safe. And for the love of juicy meat, you cut that chicken there go all the juices. NO!!!!
    • I love this quick read meat thermometer for no matter what way I cook my chicken it works great.  It is great when grilling, baking, or frying any meats. The digital readout has a backlight which makes it easy to read for everyone.  It is also magnetic so ready to grab quickly when the time comes.

    There are 17,000+ positive reviews on Amazon for this instant-read thermometer, a must-buy!!  

    The Short Order Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you. This helps with the costs of running the blog. Thank you! 

    Do you wash chicken before marinating?

    The answer here is the same as I shared above. For the safest food-handling of raw chicken, never rinse or wash it. Doing so simply spreads the chicken bacteria to other surfaces like your sink, counter, or even on your skin should it splash.

    The Best Way to Marinate Chicken

    To marinate raw chicken, place it in a deep-rimmed dish. This will ensure none of the marinade or raw chicken juices splash or escape. You want to contain all the liquid. Add your favorite marinade or one of my homemade recipes.  For an easy recipe with bold flavors like garlic and citrus, try Lemon Pepper Marinade.

    In case your chicken is not defrosted yet, try to marinate frozen chicken. It is not ideal but it can be done if you follow those steps. It does take a day or so still and is not a quick way to have dinner tonight so keep that in mind.

    PIN FOR SAFEKEEPING & SHARING!

    Should You Wash Raw Chicken

    Should You Wash Raw Chicken PIN

    Chicken Recipes to Enjoy

    Now that you know the basics of food safety when handling raw chicken, now to move on to enjoying it in some wonderful recipes. Here are some great chicken recipes that you and your family will love:

    How to Make Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Wings (Keto & Low-Carb)

    Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Breasts

    Ultimate Broccoli Alfredo Chicken Roll-Ups

    Crispy Parmesan Chicken Cutlets

    How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth

    « Can You Marinate Frozen Chicken?
    Is ButcherBox Worth It? (honest review) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lora Rovegna says

      February 10, 2020 at 7:50 am

      It's amazing how much of a debate there is about this. I washed chicken when I was younger but stopped many years ago. I will never forget an Iron Chef saying not to wash it first because cooking the chicken does the job.

      Reply
      • Angela says

        February 10, 2020 at 5:26 pm

        Great, glad you came over from the 'dark side' - haha!

        Reply
    2. Christina Siwik says

      February 10, 2020 at 8:03 am

      I agree with you. I do not wash my raw chicken. I also disinfect all utensils and surfaces when I am done preparing it.

      Reply
    3. Sydney Delong says

      February 10, 2020 at 9:04 am

      Thanks for the info! Nothing grosses me out more than an undercooked chicken!

      Reply
    4. Holly says

      February 10, 2020 at 10:25 am

      I'm with you no wash chicken...but habit makes me bathe my Turkey! Thank you for the tips!

      Reply
    5. Lee Anne says

      February 10, 2020 at 10:26 am

      I am on the "no wash" team!

      Reply
    6. Lucinda says

      February 10, 2020 at 10:44 am

      My husband always rinses chicken, probably because that's how his parents do it. It's nice to know that this is one step I can continue to skip!

      Reply
    7. Tricia Snow says

      February 10, 2020 at 10:49 am

      I have always felt like I could be spreading germs by washing chicken. But you do what you are told when it comes to this. Great tips!

      Reply
    8. Lisa Manderino says

      February 10, 2020 at 11:37 am

      I am on team no wash as well! I didn't know it was a debate though so I am glad I am doing it right!

      Reply
    9. Emily says

      February 10, 2020 at 11:37 am

      I am also a believer in NOT washing chicken!

      Reply
    10. Debbie says

      February 10, 2020 at 1:38 pm

      Hmm sounds like I need to stop washing and get out the thermometer! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Angela says

        February 10, 2020 at 5:25 pm

        Yes, yes it does!

        Reply
    11. Noelle says

      February 10, 2020 at 2:03 pm

      I loved your tip about putting chicken in its own bag. I hate picking up meat at the grocery store and having it leak on my hands and have nothing to wipe my hands on! So gross. We tend to have more trouble with our beef leaking for some reason though.

      Reply
      • Angela says

        February 10, 2020 at 5:24 pm

        Yes, always bag it. For a long time, I always put extra bags from the produce area into my car to then use at the meat section. About 4-5 years ago I think I noticed bags in our meat section, plus paper towels. The paper towels may dry the juices but they sure will not disinfect your hands.

        Reply
    12. Cindy says

      February 10, 2020 at 2:20 pm

      I am glad to know the answer, I have heard both sides of that argument as well. The chicken dishes you showed look amazing.

      Reply
      • Angela says

        February 10, 2020 at 5:23 pm

        Glad I can help and I hope you try out some of my chicken recipes!

        Reply
    13. Lucy says

      February 10, 2020 at 2:48 pm

      Lol well.... I have chicken defrosting in my kitchen sink right now and this is the first time I EVER hear about this. Makes complete sense so is def a topic I will be looking into a bit more

      Reply
    14. heather J jandrue says

      February 10, 2020 at 5:02 pm

      I never thought to wash mine. I may pat it with a paper towel before putting seasoning on it, but that is it.

      Reply
    15. Candy says

      February 10, 2020 at 5:11 pm

      Wow! I never thought about this before. I guess we are team no-wash as well!

      Reply
    16. Jennifer says

      February 10, 2020 at 6:36 pm

      I prefer to pack meat separate for everything else when shopping.

      Reply
    17. Beth Shields says

      February 10, 2020 at 7:54 pm

      Great reminders for food safety. Appreciate it. Love the recipes. Thanks! I follow up on FB.

      Reply
    18. Lisa S says

      February 10, 2020 at 10:14 pm

      Thank you for this tip and bit of information. We do not wash our chicken either!

      Reply
    19. Brianna says

      February 11, 2020 at 5:36 am

      I never knew about the chance that bacteria could spread if you wash your chicken. I never do. Mostly because I’m lazy lol but I always wash my hands to avoid any cross contamination. Great post

      Reply
    20. Ramae Hamrin says

      February 11, 2020 at 10:04 am

      Excellent post! I have long been grossed out by raw chicken. I even went so far as to use the plastic bags to touch the package of chicken, so I never got any raw chicken germs on my bare hands. Many have given me sideways looks in the grocery store. I don't even have the stuff around anymore. I have a compromised immune system, so I won't take the chance. I do, however, have a meat thermometer like the one you had here that I use for fish. I also keep my kitchen stocked with those plastic gloves. And I'm seriously considering ordering those cutting boards. I LOVE the colors, and what a great idea to have one for meat and another for smelly stuff like onions. 😊

      Reply
      • Angela says

        February 11, 2020 at 6:52 pm

        I am glad you are careful and use similar products. Let me know if you like the cutting boards as much as we do. I have to admit I probably have way too many cutting boards but I do cook a lot!

        Reply
    21. judean says

      February 11, 2020 at 10:13 am

      Phew - I was team NO Rinse and was hoping this post wouldn't change my team! Glad we are on the same page!

      Reply
      • Angela says

        February 11, 2020 at 6:50 pm

        Glad it was the ending you were looking for -

        Reply
    22. Suzan says

      February 11, 2020 at 12:40 pm

      We grow our own chickens for meat so this worry is somewhat diminished. Great tips on safe handling!

      Reply
    23. Christina Furnival says

      February 11, 2020 at 2:24 pm

      I'm glad to know it can do more harm than good, because it simply grosses me out to wash it! Ha.

      Reply
    24. vanessa says

      February 11, 2020 at 3:17 pm

      This is too funny. I was just having a conversation with my mom about this.

      Reply
      • Angela says

        February 11, 2020 at 6:48 pm

        I love that - so were you Team Wash or Team No Wash?

        Reply
    25. Beatriz says

      February 11, 2020 at 10:35 pm

      Great fight over this indeed! My mom thought to wash and latinos wash but with Lemon and Salt. I am definitely in the no wash!

      Reply
    26. jen says

      February 13, 2020 at 9:38 am

      Thank god you are posting no nonsense smart articles. I need this in my life as i am kitchen inept.

      Reply
      • Angela says

        February 13, 2020 at 6:02 pm

        Ah Jen - you can do it! Glad I can help, you got this...

        Reply
    27. Lisa says

      February 13, 2020 at 10:20 pm

      I've always wondered about this and this article helped a lot!

      Reply
    28. T.M. Brown says

      February 23, 2020 at 3:04 pm

      These are GREAT tips for the beginning cook! It's a struggle, but I've been working hard to get the boys to recognize the need for food handling. It's not a foreign concept because we have to be wary of cross contamination due to food allergies ~ but the chicken thing? Sometimes they just don't get it.

      Reply
    29. Susan says

      February 24, 2020 at 5:26 am

      I'm glad you cleared this up. My grandparents always told me to wash everything first... but I could never see the point. Yea team "NO WASH"... 🙂

      Reply
    30. Kendra says

      March 18, 2020 at 7:48 am

      I used to wash my chicken before cooking when I was young, but not anymore. Great post!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Angela I’m Angela, a petite mom that loves to cook, eat and explore all things food. I have been cooking since I could pull up a stool to finally reach the counter. I still rely on my trusty stool every day. I am a former personal chef turned blogger that enjoys cooking with and for my family, traveling to try new cuisine, and constantly learning about food, drink, & how it touches all our lives.

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