How to properly handle raw chicken

Salmonella and campylobacter – these are just two types of food poisoning you can get from chicken that is improperly handled or undercooked. September is National Food Safety Month, and Roberta Anding, registered dietitian and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine, says that properly handling raw chicken in preparation for your meal starts at the grocery store.  

“Packages of raw chicken are moist, and there are juices in there. You have to assume that anytime you handle raw chicken, it’s contaminated,” said Anding. 

When you get raw chicken from the grocery store, Anding suggests putting it in a plastic bag and keeping it separate from other groceries in your cart. When transporting the chicken from your car to your home, be aware of the length of time the chicken is left in your car.  

Preparing raw chicken  

To prepare to cook raw chicken, first wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. 

“I wash the top of my hands, the bottom of my hands, I take off watches and rings,” said Anding. “You also want to clean the counter before and after preparing the chicken.”  

Raw chicken does not need to be washed before preparation. It is best to separate chicken from other meats and vegetables to avoid cross-contamination. At the end of your food preparation, rewash your hands.  

“You need to consider that you could have some of the juices from the raw chicken still on your hands when you make your side dishes, and that can lead to food poisoning,” said Anding.   

Cooking raw chicken  

Anding says that it is imperative to make sure the chicken is cooked enough to eat by using a meat thermometer. 

“You have to cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees at the thickest part of the meat. Nobody wants food poisoning,” she said.  

Those who are immunosuppressed cannot handle any bacterial contamination, which could be detrimental to their health.  

After you eat 

If you have cooked leftover chicken, make sure to place it in a container in the refrigerator. Anding says that you have about three days before you need to consider this food unsafe to eat. The raw chicken you didn’t eat goes into a plastic bag or container in the freezer. 

“If you put the raw chicken in the refrigerator, you’ve also got a maximum of three days before cooking or freezing. Bacteria on the chicken is going to continue to grow,” said Anding.