It seems we're all in the habit of washing our chicken before cooking. What do you think of the latest USDA recommendation? - - - - -
Question: Are you supposed to rinse raw chicken before cooking it?
Answer: No — in fact, it's not a good idea at all.
The United States Department of Agriculture advises against the practice of rinsing poultry or meat before cooking it. The problem is that when you rinse raw chicken, you’re allowing the bacteria that is present on the surface of the poultry to spread to everything else that’s nearby — including sink and counter surfaces, kitchen utensils and any other foods that might be within spattering range of the rinsing water.
And as the USDA also points out, any bacteria present on the chicken’s surface will be destroyed if you cook the poultry properly and thoroughly.