Chicken Facts

• - Wash hands with warm soapy water for 20 seconds before and after handling chicken.

• - Use a separate cutting board for raw chicken.

• - Never place cooked food or fresh produce on a plate, cutting board, or other surface that previously held raw chicken.

• - Wash cutting boards, utensils, dishes, and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing chicken and before you prepare the next item.

• - Use a food thermometer to make sure chicken is cooked to a safe internal temp.

• - Refrigerate or freeze leftover chicken within 2 hours (or within 1 hour if the temperature outside is higher than 90°F).

• **If you decide to freeze the chicken we send you, see below.**

• - Don’t thaw meat on your kitchen counter. Bacteria thrive at room temperature.

• - Don’t rinse chicken under running water. This can splash bacteria around your kitchen, leading to cross-contamination.

HOW TO THAW CHICKEN? THE 4 METHODS

1. Use the microwave, this is the fastest method, but remember: Chicken must be cooked immediately after you thaw it using a microwave. That’s because microwaves heat poultry to a temperature between 40 and 140ºF (4.4 and 60ºC), which bacteria thrive in. Only cooking the chicken to proper temperatures will kill the potentially dangerous bacteria.

2. Use cold water, this should take two to three hours. To use this method: Place the chicken in a leakproof plastic bag. This will stop the water from damaging the meat tissue as well as any bacteria from infecting the food. Fill a large bowl or your kitchen sink with cold water. Submerge the bagged chicken. Change out the water every 30 minutes

3. Use a refrigerator, this method requires the most preparation, but it’s the most highly recommended. Chicken typically takes a full day to thaw, so plan your meals in advance. Once thawed, the poultry can remain in the refrigerator for a day or two before cooking.

4. Don’t thaw at all! According to the USDA, it’s perfectly safe to cook chicken without thawing it in the oven or on the stove. The drawback? It will take a little longer — usually, by about 50 percent.