Should You Wash Raw Chicken?

Raw chicken may carry bacteria such as Campylobacter and Salmonella on its surface. These are living cells attached to the surface, not dirt that dissolves in water. Faucet pressure does not kill them; it dislodges them and carries them in splashes to nearby surfaces. The sink, faucet handle, counter edges, dish towels, and nearby dishes can all become contaminated. In other words, washing chicken spreads contamination from its surface throughout the kitchen and transfers it to places you cannot see.

Heat is the reliable way to kill bacteria. The safe internal temperature for poultry is 74°C / 165°F, measured at the thickest part, without letting the thermometer tip touch bone. Pieces such as thighs with more connective tissue may have a better texture at 75–80°C / 165–175°F, but the safety threshold remains 74°C / 165°F. Oven temperature or cooking time alone is not a measure of doneness: two thighs cooked in the same oven for the same time may reach different internal temperatures if they differ in thickness, and one may remain below the threshold.

Pink color near the bone does not necessarily mean chicken is raw. Even after chicken reaches 74°C / 165°F, pigment from the bone marrow may leach into the meat with heat and leave it pink. The reverse is also true: a breast that is completely white may still be below the required temperature. Color is not a doneness test; a thermometer is. If you do not have a thermometer, cutting into the thickest part and checking whether the juices run clear is the next-best method, but it is not definitive.

Rubbing chicken with lemon, vinegar, salt, or flour may change its smell and surface texture, but does not reduce bacteria to a level considered safe. The acids in vinegar and lemon may slow some surface microorganisms, but do not kill all of them and do not penetrate the meat; marinating adds flavor, it does not sterilize. Instead, as soon as you remove chicken from its package, pat it dry with a paper towel and throw the towel away, use a separate cutting board, and wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds. A dry surface also browns better; wet chicken steams in the pan.

If you need to remove feathers or blood residue, do not turn on the faucet. Fill a bowl with water, clean the chicken inside the bowl, pour out the water without splashing, and wash the sink with hot, soapy water—the droplets created by running water are avoided with this method. Thaw frozen chicken in a covered container on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator so drips do not touch food below. Do not use the marinade that held raw chicken as a sauce unless you boil it for at least 1 minute.