Consumers

Safe Handling

Handling Chicken Safely

Chicken is easy to prepare and extremely safe to eat. Problems most often occur from improper storage or preparation, however these are easy to avoid if you follow the simple guidelines below.

• Purchasing Chicken

  • At the supermarket, check the package for the USDA seal.  Survey the package for any tears or holes and check the “sell by” date which indicates the last day the chicken can be sold or the “use by” date indicating the latest date the product should be used or frozen.
  • Inspect the chicken’s appearance.  It should be creamy white to deep yellow, depending on the chicken’s diet.  Smelly chicken could mean it’s spoiled.
  • Not sure how much chicken to buy for your family?  Here’s a good rule of thumb.  One 2 to 3 lb. broiler-fryer will yield 3 to 5 servings when cut up.  One roaster (3 to 6 lbs) should yield 4 to 8 normal servings.

• Handling Chicken

  • When you do your shopping, buy your perishables last.  Chicken items should be taken home immediately from the grocery.
  • When you get home, refrigerate your chicken immediately.  Don’t leave it on the countertop or allow it to reach room temperature.  Fresh chicken can be refrigerated in its original packaging in the coldest part of the fridge.  If you have a meat drawer, that’s perfect!
  • When possible, thaw your chicken in the refrigerator, never on the countertop.  A whole chicken (about four pounds) takes approximately 24 hours to thaw in the refrigerator.  Cut-up parts take about 3 to 9 hours (depending on size).
  • If you’re in a hurry to thaw chicken, place it in cold water either in its original wrapping or in a sealed plastic bag.  Change the water every 30 minutes.  It should take a whole chicken about two hours to completely thaw.  Alternately, you can use the microwave; just be sure you check your manufacturer’s recommendations for suggested time as ovens vary.
  • Always wash your hands, countertops, cutting boards, knives and utensils with hot soapy water before you touch any other raw or cooked foods. This is the primary source of contamination.

• Cooking Chicken

  • If you’re planning to cook outdoors, keep your chicken in the refrigerator until you’re ready to grill.
  • If you’ve used a marinade on your raw chicken, don’t use it to coat or baste the chicken while cooking. Sauces and marinades used on raw products should never touch cooked products.
  • The same is true for plates. Once you put your chicken on the grill, use a new plate for the cooked chicken.  And never place skewers, spatulas or tongs on a plate that held raw chicken.  Cross contamination can easily result.
  • Chicken should always be cooked thoroughly.  Following are recommended internal temperatures to ensure your chicken is fully cooked.
    • Chicken, whole -- 180° F
    • Poultry breasts, roast -- 170° F
    • Poultry thighs, wings -- 180° F
    • Stuffing (cooked alone or in bird) -- 165° F

  Poultry Temperature Guide

  Following is a handy guide that should help you prepare a perfectly cooked chicken. Poultry is properly cooked when the juices run clear and the middle is white.

  Approximate Cooking Times

  Type of Chicken	Weight	Roasting	Grilling 350°F
  Whole Broiler Fryer+	3-4 lbs.	75-90 min.	60 to 75 min.*
  Whole Roasting Hen+	5-7 lbs.	2 - 2 1/4 hrs.	18-25 min./lb.*
  Whole Capon+	4-8 lbs.	2-3 hrs.	15-20 min./lb.*
  Whole Cornish Hens+	4-8 lbs.	2-3 hrs.	15-20 min./lb.*
  Breast Halves, Bone-In	6-8 oz.	30-40 min.	10-15 min./side
  Breast Half, Boneless	4 oz.	20-30 min.	6-8 min./side
  Legs or Thighs	8 or 4 oz.	40-50 min.	10-15 min./side
  Drumsticks	4 oz.	35-45 min.	8-12 min./side
  Wings or Wingettes	2-3 oz.	30-40min.	8-12 min./side

  + Unstuffed. If stuffed, add 15 to 30 minutes to the cooking time.
  * Indirect method using drip pan.

  For additional information on safely cooking chicken, visit the National Chicken Council.

   

• Cooked Chicken

  • If you’re transporting cooked chicken, make sure you put it in an insulated container or ice chest until you’re ready to eat. You want to keep the temperature below 40°F or above 140°F.
  • If the chicken was stuffed, remove the stuffing and store it in a separate container when refrigerating leftovers.
  • Never leave cooked chicken at room temperature for more than two hours. If not eaten immediately, cooked chicken should be kept either hot or refrigerated. Also, it’s a good idea not to eat chicken at a picnic if it has been setting in the summer heat after an hour.  It may seem tempting, but resist the urge.
  • If you’re reheating leftovers, cover the container to retain moisture and ensure that the chicken is heated all the way through.

• Storing Chicken

  Following are recommended timeframes for storing chicken safely in your home.

  Item	In the Fridge (40°F)	In the Freezer (0°F)
  Raw Chicken Parts	1 to 2 days	9 months
  Raw Chicken Giblets/Ground Chicken	1 to 2 days	3 to 4 months
  Raw Whole Chicken	1 to 2 days	1 year
  Cooked Chicken Parts (Not in Broth or Gravy)	3 to 4 days	4 months
  Cooked Whole Chicken	3 to 4 days	4 months
  Cooked Ground Chicken	1 to 2 days	3 months

  For additional information on serving and storing chicken safely, visit the National Chicken Council.