Handy Chicken Tips you May not Have Known

History & Definitionsdefrosts, it can be kept in the refrigerator an additional
The chicken is a descendant of the Southeast Asianday or two before cooking. During this time, if chicken
red jungle fowl first domesticated in India around 2000defrosted in the refrigerator is not used, it can safely
B.C. Most of the birds raised for meat in Americabe refrozen without cooking first.
today are from the Cornish (a British breed) and theChicken may be defrosted in cold water in its airtight
White Rock (a breed developed in New England).packaging or in a leak proof bag. Submerge the bird or
Broiler-fryers, roasters, stewing/baking hens, caponscut-up parts in cold water, changing the water every
and Rock Cornish hens are all chickens. The following30 minutes to be sure it stays cold. A whole (3 to
are definitions for these:4-pound) broiler fryer or package of parts should
• Broiler-fryer a young, tender chicken aboutdefrost in 2 to 3 hours. A 1-pound package of
7 weeks old which weighs 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds whenboneless breasts will defrost in an hour or less.
eviscerated. Cook by any method.Chicken defrosted in the microwave should be cooked
• Rock Cornish Game Hen - a smallimmediately after thawing because some areas of the
broiler-fryer weighing between 1 and 2 pounds. Usuallyfood may become warm and begin to cook during
stuffed and roasted whole.microwaving. Holding partially cooked food is not
• Roaster - an older chicken about 3 to 5recommended because any bacteria present wouldn't
months old which weighs 5 to 7 pounds. It yields morehave been destroyed. Foods defrosted in the
meat per pound than a broiler-fryer. Usually roastedmicrowave or by the cold water method should be
whole.cooked before refreezing.
• Capon - Male chickens about 16 weeks toDo not cook frozen chicken in the microwave or in a
8 months old which are surgically unsexed. They weighslow cooker. However, chicken can be cooked from
about 4 to 7 pounds and have generous quantities ofthe frozen state in the oven or on the stove. The
tender, light meat. Usually roasted.cooking time may be about 50% longer.
• Stewing/Baking Hen - a mature laying henStuffed Chicken
10 months to 1 1/2 years old. Since the meat is lessThe Hotline does not recommend buying retail-stuffed
tender than young chickens, it's best used in moistfresh whole chicken because of the highly perishable
cooking such as stewing.nature of a previously stuffed item. Consumers should
• Cock or rooster - a mature male chickennot pre-stuff whole chicken to cook at a later time.
with coarse skin and tough, dark meat. Requires long,Chicken can be stuffed immediately before cooking.
moist cooking.Some USDA-inspected frozen stuffed whole poultry
Chicken InspectionMUST be cooked from the frozen state to ensure a
All chickens found in retail stores are either inspectedsafely cooked product. Follow preparation directions on
by USDA or by state systems which have standardsthe label.
equivalent to the Federal government. Each chickenMarinating
and its internal organs are inspected for signs ofChicken may be marinated in the refrigerator up to 2
disease. The "Inspected for wholesomeness by thedays. Boil used marinade before brushing on cooked
U.S. Department of Agriculture" seal insures thechicken. Discard any uncooked leftover marinade.
chicken is free from visible signs of disease.Safe Cooking
Chicken GradingFSIS recommends cooking whole chicken to a safe
Inspection is mandatory but grading is voluntary.minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as
Chickens are graded according to USDA Agriculturalmeasured using a food thermometer. Check the
Marketing Service regulations and standards forinternal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh
meatiness, appearance and freedom from defects.and wing and the thickest part of the breast. For
Grade A chickens have plump, meaty bodies andreasons of personal preference, consumers may
clean skin, free of bruises, broken bones, feathers, cutschoose to cook poultry to higher temperatures.
and discoloration.For approximate cooking times to use in meal planning,
Fresh or Frozensee the following chart compiled from various
The term fresh on a poultry label refers to any rawresources.
poultry product that has never been below 26 °F.Approximate Chicken Cooking Times
Raw poultry held at 0 °F or below must beType of Chicken Weight Roasting
labeled frozen or previously frozen. No specific labeling350 °F Simmering Grilling
is required on raw poultry stored at temperaturesWhole broiler fryer+ 3 to 4 lbs. 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hrs. 60 to
between 0-25 °F.75 min. 60 to 75 min*
Dating of Chicken ProductsWhole roasting hen+ 5 to 7 lbs. 2 to 2 1/4 hrs. 1 3/4 to
Product dating is not required by Federal regulations,2 hrs. 18-25 min/lb*
but many stores and processors voluntarily dateWhole capon+ 4 to 8 lbs. 2 to 3 hrs Not suitable 15-20
packages of chicken or chicken products. If a calendarmin/lb*
date is shown, immediately adjacent to the date thereWhole Cornish hens+ 18-24 oz. 50 to 60 min. 35 to 40
must be a phrase explaining the meaning of that datemin. 45 to 55 min*
such as sell by or use before.Breast halves, bone-in 6 to 8 oz. 30 to 40 min. 35 to
The use-by date is for quality assurance; after the45 min. 10 - 15 min/side
date, peak quality begins to lessen but the productBreast half, boneless 4 ounces 20 to 30 min. 25 to 30
may still be used. It's always best to buy a productmin. 6 to 8 min/side
before the date expires. If a use-by date expires whileLegs or thighs 8 or 4 oz. 40 to 50 min. 40 to 50 min. 10
the chicken is frozen, the food can still be used.- 15 min/side
Hormones & AntibioticsDrumsticks 4 ounces 35 to 45 min. 40 to 50 min. 8 to
No hormones are used in the raising of chickens.12 min/side
Antibiotics may be given to prevent disease andWings or wingettes 2 to 3 oz. 30 to 40 min. 35 to 45
increase feed efficiency. A "withdrawal" period ismin. 8 to 12 min/side
required from the time antibiotics are administered+ Unstuffed. If stuffed, add 15 to 30 minutes additional
before the bird can be slaughtered. This ensures thattime.
no residues are present in the bird's system. FSIS* Indirect method using drip pan.
randomly samples poultry at slaughter and tests forMicrowave Directions:
residues. Data from this monitoring program have• Microwave on medium-high (70 percent
shown a very low percentage of residue violations.power): whole chicken, 9 to 10 minutes per pound;
Additivesbone-in parts and Cornish hens, 8 to 9 minutes per
Additives are not allowed on fresh chicken. If chicken ispound; boneless breasts halves, 6 to 8 minutes per
processed, however, additives such as MSG, salt, orpound.
sodium erythorbate may be added but must be listed• When microwaving parts, arrange in dish or
on the label.on rack so thick parts are toward the outside of dish
Foodborne Organisms Associated with Chickenand thin or bony parts are in the center.
As on any perishable meat, fish or poultry, bacteria can• Place whole chicken in an oven cooking bag
be found on raw or undercooked chicken. Theyor in a covered pot.
multiply rapidly at temperatures between 40 °F• For boneless breast halves, place in a dish
and 140 °F (out of refrigeration and beforewith 1/4 cup water; cover with plastic wrap.
thorough cooking occurs). Freezing doesn't kill bacteria• Allow 10 minutes standing time for bone-in
but they are destroyed by thorough cooking.chicken; 5 minutes for boneless breast.
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has a• The USDA recommends cooking whole
zero tolerance for bacteria in cooked and ready-to-eatpoultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165
products such as chicken franks or lunch meat that°F as measured using a food thermometer.
can be eaten without further cooking.Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of
Most foodborne illness outbreaks are a result ofthe thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
contamination from food handlers. Sanitary foodWhen cooking pieces, the breast, drumsticks, thighs,
handling and proper cooking and refrigeration shouldand wings should be cooked until they reach a safe
prevent foodborne illnesses.minimum internal temperature of 165 °F. For
Bacteria must be consumed on food to cause illness.reasons of personal preference, consumers may
They cannot enter the body through a skin cut.choose to cook poultry to higher temperatures.
However, raw poultry must be handled carefully toPartial Cooking
prevent cross-contamination. This can occur if rawNever brown or partially cook chicken to refrigerate
poultry or its juices contact cooked food or foods thatand finish cooking later because any bacteria present
will be eaten raw such as salad. An example of this iswouldn't have been destroyed. It is safe to partially
chopping tomatoes on an unwashed cutting board justpre-cook or microwave chicken immediately before
after cutting raw chicken on it.transferring it to the hot grill to finish cooking.
Following are some bacteria associated with chicken:Color of Skin
• Salmonella Enteritidis may be found in theChicken skin color varies from cream-colored to
intestinal tracts of livestock, poultry, dogs, cats andyellow. Skin color is a result of the type of feed eaten
other warm-blooded animals. This strain is only one ofby the chicken, not a measure of nutritional value,
about 2,000 kinds of Salmonella bacteria; it is oftenflavor, tenderness or fat content. Color preferences
associated with poultry and shell eggs.vary in different sections of the country, so growers
• Staphylococcus aureus can be carried onuse the type of feed which produces the desired
human hands, in nasal passages, or in throats. Thecolor.
bacteria are found in foods made by hand andDark Bones
improperly refrigerated, such as chicken salad.Darkening around bones occurs primarily in young
• Campylobacter jejuni is one of the mostbroiler-fryers. Since their bones have not calcified
common causes of diarrheal illness in humans.completely, pigment from the bone marrow can seep
Preventing cross- contamination and using properthrough the porous bones. Freezing can also contribute
cooking methods reduces infection by this bacterium.to this seepage. When the chicken is cooked, the
• Listeria monocytogenes was recognized aspigment turns dark. It's perfectly safe to eat chicken
causing human foodborne illness in 1981. It is destroyedmeat that turns dark during cooking.
by cooking, but a cooked product can bePink Meat
contaminated by poor personal hygiene. ObserveThe color of cooked chicken is not a sign of its safety.
"keep refrigerated" and "use-by" dates on labels.Only by using a food thermometer can one accurately
Rinsing or Soaking Chickendetermine that chicken has reached a safe minimum
It is not necessary to wash raw chicken. Any bacteriainternal temperature of 165 °F throughout. The
which might be present are destroyed by cooking.pink color in safely cooked chicken may be due to the
Liquid in Packagehemoglobin in tissues which can form a heat-stable
Many people think the pink liquid in packaged freshcolor. Smoking or grilling may also cause this reaction,
chicken is blood, but it is mostly water which waswhich occurs more in young birds.
absorbed by the chicken during the chilling process.Color of Giblets
Blood is removed from poultry during slaughter andGiblet color can vary, especially in the liver, from
only a small amount remains in the muscle tissue. Anmahogany to yellow. The type of feed, the chicken's
improperly bled chicken would have cherry red skinmetabolism and its breed can account for the variation
and is condemned at the plant.in color. If the liver is green, do not eat it. This is due to
How to Handle Chicken Safelybile retention. However, the chicken meat should be
• Fresh Chicken: Chicken is kept cold duringsafe to eat.
distribution to retail stores to prevent the growth ofFatty Deposits
bacteria and to increase its shelf life. Chicken shouldChickens may seem to have more fatty deposits or
feel cold to the touch when purchased. Select freshcontain a larger "fat pad" than in the past. This is
chicken just before checking out at the register. Putbecause broiler fryer chickens have been bred to
packages of chicken in disposable plastic bags (ifgrow very rapidly to supply the demand for more
available) to contain any leakage which couldchicken. Feed that is not converted into muscle tissue
cross-contaminate cooked foods or produce. Make(meat) is metabolized into fat. However, the fat is not
the grocery your last stop before going home."marbled" into the meat as is beef or other red meat,
At home, immediately place chicken in a refrigeratorand can be easily removed. Geneticists are
that maintains 40 °F, and use within 1 or 2 days, orresearching ways to eliminate the excess fat.
freeze at 0 °F. If kept frozen continuously, it will beTrisodium Phosphate
safe indefinitely.Food-grade trisodium phosphate (TSP) has been
Chicken may be frozen in its original packaging orapproved by FSIS for use in poultry slaughter as an
repackaged. If freezing longer than two months, overantimicrobial agent. When immersed in and/or sprayed
wrap the porous store plastic packages with airtightin a dilute solution on chickens, it can significantly reduce
heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap or freezer paper, or placebacteria levels. TSP is "generally recognized as safe"
the package inside a freezer bag. Use these materials(GRAS) by the FDA, and has been safely used for
or airtight freezer containers to repackage familyyears, particularly in processed cheese.
packs into smaller amounts or freeze the chicken fromIrradiation of Poultry
opened packages.In 1992, the USDA approved a rule to permit irradiation
Proper wrapping prevents "freezer burn," whichof raw, fresh or frozen packaged poultry to control
appears as grayish-brown leathery spots and iscertain common bacteria on raw poultry that can
caused by air reaching the surface of food. Cutcause illness when poultry is undercooked or
freezer-burned portions away either before or afterotherwise mishandled. Irradiation at 1.5 to 3.0 kilo Gray,
cooking the chicken. Heavily freezer-burned productsthe smallest, most practical "dose," would eliminate
may have to be discarded because they might be toomore than 99 percent of Salmonellae organisms on
dry or tasteless.the treated poultry.
• Ready-Prepared Chicken: When purchasingPackages of irradiated chicken are easily recognizable
fully cooked rotisserie or fast food chicken, be sure it isat the store because they must carry the international
hot at time of purchase. Use it within two hours or cutradura symbol along with the statement, "treated with
it into several pieces and refrigerate in shallow,irradiation" or "treated by irradiation."
covered containers. Eat within 3 to 4 days, either coldStorage Times
or reheated to 165 °F (hot and steaming). It is safeSince product dates aren't a guide for safe use of a
to freeze ready-prepared chicken. For best quality,product, how long can the consumer store the food
flavor and texture, use within 4 months.and still use it at top quality? Follow these tips:
Safe Defrosting• Purchase the product before the date
FSIS recommends three ways to defrost chicken: inexpires.
the refrigerator, in cold water and in the microwave.• Follow handling recommendations on
Never defrost chicken on the counter or in otherproduct.
locations. It's best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing• Keep chicken in its package until using.
in the refrigerator. Boneless chicken breasts will usually• Freeze chicken in its original packaging,
defrost overnight. Bone-in parts and whole chickensoverwrap or re-wrap it according to directions in the
may take 1 to 2 days or longer. Once the raw chickenabove section, "How to Handle Chicken Safely".