Wash fresh produce under running water, but do not wash raw chicken before cooking. These are different kitchen tasks. For produce, follow the appropriate cleaning directions. For poultry, prevent raw juices from reaching other food and use a food thermometer to check cooking.
The FDA's produce guidance recommends washing fruits and vegetables under running water and not using soap or detergent. The USDA advises against washing raw poultry because it can spread contamination around the kitchen.
Decide which job comes first
Before opening a poultry package, think through the meal's preparation. If you are also making a salad or cutting fruit that will be eaten without cooking, arrange those tasks so they remain separate from raw meat handling.
Set out suitable boards, utensils, and containers in advance. You do not need an elaborate kitchen system, but you do need a clear place for each task. A sink full of ready-to-eat food is not a useful place to handle raw poultry.
Read the recipe before beginning. Identify when cooked ingredients will be combined with uncooked ones, so you do not accidentally reuse a utensil or surface without appropriate cleaning.
Give produce its own preparation
Wash your hands before handling the produce. Rinse it as FDA recommends, even when you plan to peel or cut it, because the preparation involves touching the outside and moving a knife through it.
Check packaging directions for produce labeled as prewashed or ready to eat. Follow the label rather than assuming every packaged item requires another wash. Keep washed items away from surfaces or utensils used for raw poultry.
Remove damaged areas and handle firm produce according to suitable cleaning guidance. Avoid turning the task into a homemade chemical treatment. Soap that works for hands or dishes is not a reason to apply it to food.
Skip the poultry rinse
A familiar household habit can feel reassuring without performing the job you intend. USDA's guidance explains that rinsing raw meat and poultry can move contamination to other food, utensils, and surfaces. The wash does not replace proper cooking.
Open and handle the package in a way that contains the juices. Move the chicken to the preparation or cooking container without carrying raw liquid across the work area. Have the disposal or storage arrangement ready before your hands are occupied.
Do not use the same board for raw chicken and an uncooked salad without cleaning it appropriately between jobs. Keep serving utensils and cooked-food containers separate from the equipment used for raw poultry.
Use cooking temperature, not washing, as the check
USDA states that chicken should reach 165°F, about 74°C, measured with a food thermometer. Follow appropriate thermometer placement instructions for the cut you are cooking. A rinsed appearance does not establish that the chicken is ready to eat.
Keep the thermometer accessible while cooking, rather than searching for it when the meal is ready to serve. Check that you understand its instructions and how to clean it after use.
Do not place cooked chicken back into a container that held it raw unless that container has been appropriately cleaned. Plan the serving dish before the cooking is finished so this step is not left to a rushed decision.
Clean the work area between tasks
FDA recommends cleaning boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops between raw meat preparation and preparing produce that will not be cooked. Wash hands after handling the raw poultry before touching ready-to-eat food or other household items.
Notice the less obvious objects you handled during preparation, such as a drawer pull or a seasoning container. Organizing the task beforehand reduces the number of things you need to touch with occupied hands.
If several people are preparing dinner, explain which equipment is in use for which task. A quick shared plan is easier than relying on everyone to infer what happened before they entered the kitchen.
Keep the two methods clear
For the next meal with produce and poultry, prepare separate work areas and serving containers, follow the produce directions, and leave raw chicken unrinsed. Check the chicken with a food thermometer. The useful routine matches the food: running water for produce, contained handling and proper cooking for poultry.
Keep a clean place for the washed produce while you finish the meal. Do not return it to a work area used for raw chicken.