We Need To Know: Do You Wash Chicken Before Cooking It?

An investigation.

For a lot of us, chicken is a fundamental ingredient in our diets.

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But it's recently come to my attention that people are completely divided in the way they prepare it.

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And each respective side thinks they're right.

Apparently, people either wash chicken before cooking it OR completely bypass the washing step.

@pjs84651 / Via Twitter: @pjs84651

And FYI, I've looked at numerous polls and found that the results above are highly variable, i.e., there is no clear majority!

Personally, I've NEVER washed raw chicken in my life and I'm baffled that this is a practice.

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But according to Twitter, there are a ton of people who think washing chicken before cooking it is a MUST. 🤔

@THATJIGGYxMF / Via Twitter: @THATJIGGYxMF

@MissShaniqua_ / Via Twitter: @MissShaniqua_

A lot of home cooks are appalled by the idea of unwashed chicken:

@Silencerr / Via Twitter: @Silencerr

...and worried about the possible salmonella that might fester in their raw chicken:

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On the other hand, many other people just DGAF:

RosieVacciB / Via Twitter: @RosieVacciB

@__ski24 / Via Twitter: @__ski24

And think it's a waste of time:

@TrilliamClinton / Via Twitter: @TrilliamClinton

...or, like me, are just discovering that this is a thing that people do:

@TobascoFlames / Via Twitter: @TobascoFlames

To add to my confusion, I did a little more digging and found that the FDA definitively recommends that you do NOT wash your chicken before cooking it, as this "may increase the risk of contaminating other foods and surfaces." But a ton of people still do it:

@DrMayneFDAFood / Via Twitter: @DrMayneFDAFood

But obviously, people still have their reasons for keeping up with the practice.