Checking Undercooked Chicken: What To Look For

Eating raw or undercooked chicken can lead to several types of food poisoning, so it's important to know how to check if your chicken is cooked properly. The best way to check is to use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F, which is hot enough to kill off harmful bacteria. If you don't have a thermometer, you can check that the meat is white (or very light pink) all the way through and that the juices run clear, with no pink or bloody hues. Undercooked chicken will also feel rubbery and slimy, whereas cooked chicken will be firm and fibrous.

Check the colour: the meat should be white, very light pink, or light tan

Checking the colour of the chicken is a good way to determine if it is undercooked. Raw or undercooked chicken is not safe to eat under any circumstances—it is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter, which can cause food poisoning.

To check the colour, make a small cut into the thickest part of the meat. A fully cooked piece of chicken will appear white, very light pink, or light tan on the inside. If there are large pink areas, the chicken is undercooked and needs more time on the heat. Note that even if the chicken has some pinkish hue, it may still be cooked. Always confirm with a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking.

You can also check the juices that collect in the pan or dish. Clear or white juices indicate cooked chicken, while a pink liquid means the chicken is undercooked. If you don't see any juices, make a small incision and observe the colour of the juices that run out.

Check the juices: they should be clear or whitish

Checking the juices is a good way to tell if your chicken is undercooked. You can either check the drippings or juice collected in the pan or dish that your chicken is cooking in, or make a small incision at the thickest part of the meat and see what colour juice runs out. Clear or whitish juices indicate that your chicken is cooked, while reddish-pink or pink juices mean your chicken is undercooked and needs more time. An undercooked chicken will also appear shiny when slimy.

It is important to check that your chicken is fully cooked, as raw or undercooked chicken can contain harmful bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter, which can cause food poisoning, nausea, stomach pains, and/or diarrhoea. The best way to ensure your chicken is cooked is to use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 165°F (74°C).

If you are unsure whether your chicken is undercooked, it is always safer to return it to the heat source (grill, oven, air fryer, etc.) and cook it for longer. You can also cut around any rawer areas, but this can still be risky as there can be contamination from adjacent undercooked segments of the meat.

Touch the meat: it should feel fibrous and stringy, not slimy or rubbery

Checking if your chicken is undercooked is crucial, as consuming raw or undercooked chicken can cause food poisoning due to harmful bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter. A useful indicator of whether your chicken is undercooked is its texture—it should feel fibrous and stringy, not slimy or rubbery.

Raw chicken is characterised by a slimy and rubbery texture, which is a clear sign that it is not ready to be eaten. By using your sense of touch, you can easily determine if your chicken has these undesirable qualities. Simply run your fingers over the surface of the meat to assess its texture. If the chicken feels slimy, it is certainly undercooked.

However, it is important to note that sometimes a visual inspection is sufficient to identify a slimy surface. An undercooked chicken may exhibit a shiny appearance, which is indicative of its slimy texture. In such cases, touching the meat may not be necessary.

To test for rubberiness, you can use a fork to poke a few holes in the chicken. If you encounter resistance or struggle to penetrate the meat, it suggests that the chicken is undercooked and has a rubbery texture. Remember to exercise caution when performing this texture test.

While assessing the texture of chicken is a valuable tool, combining it with other methods can provide a more comprehensive evaluation of doneness. Checking the colour, juices, shrinkage, and internal temperature of the meat can help ensure that your chicken is cooked thoroughly and safely.

Poke holes: reddish-pink juices indicate undercooked chicken

While the safest way to check if your chicken is cooked is to use a meat thermometer, there are other ways to check if your chicken is undercooked. One way is to poke holes in the chicken and observe the juices. Reddish-pink juices indicate undercooked chicken.

Undercooked chicken is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria such as salmonella, campylobacter, and clostridium perfringens. Consuming undercooked chicken can cause food poisoning, nausea, stomach pains, and diarrhea. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your chicken is cooked properly.

It is worth noting that even fully cooked chicken can sometimes exhibit a pinkish tinge in the meat and juices. This is especially true for young chickens, whose bones and skin are more permeable, allowing pigment from the bone marrow to color the surrounding tissue and bones. Additionally, hemoglobin in the muscles can react with air during cooking, resulting in a pinkish color even after cooking.

To ensure your chicken is cooked properly, use a meat thermometer and insert it into the thickest part of the meat. The ideal internal temperature for chicken is 165°F, which indicates that any harmful bacteria have been killed. Bone-in chicken parts and giblets are recommended to be cooked to a higher internal temperature of 175°F for a better texture.

If you observe reddish-pink juices when poking holes in your chicken, it is an indication that your chicken is undercooked and needs to be cooked further. Return it to your heat source and continue cooking until the juices run clear and the meat is no longer pink, ensuring it reaches the recommended internal temperature for safe consumption.

Check the temperature: the internal temperature should be 165°F

Checking the internal temperature of your chicken is a surefire way to ensure it is cooked and safe to eat. The recommended internal temperature for cooked chicken is 165°F (74°C).

Using a quality cooking thermometer, insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat. If the internal temperature reads 165°F, your chicken is cooked and safe to eat.

If the internal temperature is below 165°F, your chicken is undercooked and may harbour harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, which can cause food poisoning. Return the chicken to the heat source and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

It is important to note that bone-in chicken parts and giblets are best cooked to a higher internal temperature of 175°F for optimal food safety and texture.

While checking the internal temperature is a reliable method, other factors indicate the doneness of chicken. These include the colour, texture, and juices of the meat, which should be white, fibrous, and clear, respectively.

Frequently asked questions