Why Does Chicken Make You Sick? 7 Food Safety Mistakes to Avoid

Chicken is one of the most commonly eaten proteins in the world, but it also requires careful handling in the kitchen. A mistake that seems small, such as using the same cutting board for raw chicken and vegetables, can create a serious food safety problem.

The important thing to understand is that chicken does not make you sick simply because it is chicken. The risk usually comes from harmful bacteria being present on raw poultry and then surviving improper cooking or spreading to other foods through cross-contamination.

In professional kitchens, chicken safety is not based on guesswork. It depends on controlling time, temperature, hygiene, storage and handling from the moment the raw chicken arrives until the finished dish reaches the customer.

I’ve worked in professional kitchens where food safety is treated as seriously as flavour and presentation. A great dish is never successful if it isn’t safe to eat.

So, why does chicken make you sick? Let’s look at the most common mistakes and what you can do to prevent them.

Undercooking Chicken

One of the most important chicken safety mistakes is relying on appearance instead of temperature.

Chicken can look cooked on the outside while still being unsafe in the centre. Colour, texture and cooking time can vary depending on the size and shape of the piece, the cooking method and the equipment being used.

The safest approach is to check the internal temperature with a food thermometer. According to current USDA guidance, poultry should reach 165°F (73.9°C) measured in the thickest part of the meat.

In a professional kitchen, temperature control is part of the cooking process, not an optional final check. The thermometer gives you information that your eyes simply cannot provide.

Chef RBS tip: When checking a thick piece of chicken, place the thermometer into the thickest section and avoid touching bone, because you want to measure the temperature of the meat itself.

Cooking chicken safely doesn’t mean overcooking it. It means reaching the correct internal temperature and then handling the cooked food properly.

Cross Contamination From Raw Chicken

Raw chicken can carry harmful bacteria, so the biggest danger is not always the chicken itself. It is what those bacteria can reach while you are preparing it.

Imagine cutting raw chicken on a board and then using the same board to slice tomatoes, salad vegetables or cooked food without cleaning and sanitising it properly. Bacteria can transfer from the raw chicken to foods that may never be cooked again.

This is called cross-contamination, and it is one of the most important food safety risks in both home and professional kitchens.

Keep raw poultry separate from ready-to-eat foods. Use separate equipment where practical, wash your hands after handling raw chicken, and properly clean and sanitise surfaces and utensils that have contacted raw poultry.

Chef RBS tip: In a professional kitchen, don’t rely on memory. Organise your workspace so raw and ready-to-eat foods have clearly separated preparation areas, equipment or workflow whenever possible.

Food safety becomes much easier when the kitchen is designed to prevent mistakes rather than depending entirely on people remembering every step.

Washing Raw Chicken

Washing raw chicken may feel like a normal cleaning step, but it can actually increase the risk of spreading bacteria around your kitchen.

When raw poultry is rinsed under running water, droplets and splashes can spread bacteria onto the sink, countertops, utensils and nearby foods. USDA specifically advises against washing raw chicken before cooking.

Cooking is what makes the chicken safe, not washing it. Proper cooking destroys harmful bacteria when the chicken reaches the recommended internal temperature.

Chef RBS tip: If your chicken comes with visible moisture or packaging juices, handle it carefully and avoid splashing. Keep the preparation area controlled and clean any surfaces that come into contact with raw poultry.

This is one of those food safety habits where doing less is actually safer. You don’t need to wash raw chicken before cooking it.

Thawing Chicken the Wrong Way

How you thaw chicken can be just as important as how you cook it.

Leaving raw chicken on the kitchen counter for several hours allows the outside of the meat to spend too much time at temperatures where bacteria can multiply quickly, even while the centre is still frozen.

Safer methods include thawing chicken in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave when you plan to cook it immediately. USDA recommends these methods rather than leaving poultry to thaw at room temperature.

If you thaw chicken in cold water, keep it in a leak-proof package and change the water regularly. If you use the microwave, cook the chicken immediately because some areas may begin warming during the process.

Chef RBS tip: In a professional kitchen, planning is one of the easiest food safety controls. Move frozen chicken into refrigerated storage early enough for it to thaw safely before preparation.

Good food safety often starts before the cooking process even begins.

Storing Raw Chicken Incorrectly

Raw chicken needs to be stored carefully because leaking juices can contaminate other foods in the refrigerator.

Keep raw poultry sealed in a leak-proof container or package and place it where it cannot drip onto ready-to-eat foods. Keeping raw chicken separated from foods such as fruit, vegetables and cooked meals reduces the chance of cross-contamination.

Refrigerator temperature also matters. Your refrigerator should be kept at 40°F (4.4°C) or below to slow the growth of harmful bacteria.

Don’t leave raw chicken sitting on a counter while you prepare other ingredients. Take out only what you need and return the remaining chicken to refrigerated storage promptly.

Chef RBS tip: In a professional kitchen, refrigerator organisation is a food safety control. Store raw poultry below ready-to-eat foods so that accidental drips cannot contaminate food underneath.

A clean refrigerator is good. A correctly organised refrigerator is even better.

Leaving Cooked Chicken at the Wrong Temperature

Cooking chicken safely is only half of the food safety process. Once chicken is cooked, the way you hold, cool and store it also matters.

Cooked chicken should not be left sitting at room temperature for extended periods. Harmful bacteria can multiply when food remains in unsafe temperature ranges for too long.

If you are not serving cooked chicken immediately, move it into appropriate hot holding or refrigerate it promptly. When cooling larger quantities, divide the food into smaller, shallow portions so it can cool more efficiently.

For professional kitchens, this is where time and temperature control becomes especially important. A properly cooked chicken dish can still become a food safety problem if it is handled or stored incorrectly afterward.

Chef RBS tip: Don’t prepare a large batch of cooked chicken and leave the entire container sitting on the counter waiting for service. Plan your production and holding process around when the food will actually be served.

Food safety doesn’t end when the thermometer reaches the correct cooking temperature. It continues through holding, cooling, storage and reheating.

Reheating Chicken Incorrectly

Reheating is another stage where chicken can become unsafe if it is handled carelessly.

When cooked chicken is stored, it should be cooled and refrigerated properly. When you are ready to serve it again, reheat it thoroughly rather than warming only the outside while the centre remains cold.

The method matters too. Large, dense portions can heat unevenly, so cutting large pieces into smaller portions can help achieve more even reheating.

In professional kitchens, reheating should be treated as a controlled process. You need to know when the food was cooked, how it was cooled, how it was stored and how it will be reheated.

Chef RBS tip: Don’t repeatedly cool and reheat the same batch of chicken. Plan portions according to service requirements and reheat only what you need.

Safe chicken is not just about reaching the right temperature once. It is about maintaining control throughout the entire food journey.

Using the Same Cutting Board for Raw and Cooked Chicken

One of the easiest food safety mistakes to make is using the same cutting board or utensils for raw chicken and cooked chicken without properly cleaning and sanitising them in between.

Raw chicken can leave bacteria on surfaces that may later come into contact with cooked food. If the cooked chicken is placed on the same contaminated plate or cutting board, bacteria can transfer back onto food that is no longer going through a cooking step.

This is called cross-contamination, and it can happen even when the chicken itself was cooked correctly.

In professional kitchens, separating raw and cooked food is a basic part of workflow design. Ideally, use dedicated equipment or clearly separated preparation areas for raw poultry and ready-to-eat foods.

Chef RBS tip: Never place cooked chicken back onto the plate that held the raw chicken unless the plate has been properly washed. The same rule applies to cutting boards, knives, tongs and other utensils.

Safe cooking can be undone by unsafe handling. That’s why food safety has to continue from preparation all the way to service.

Keeping Chicken in the Refrigerator Too Long

Refrigeration slows bacterial growth, but it does not make chicken safe indefinitely. Both raw and cooked chicken have limited storage lives in the refrigerator.

USDA guidance recommends keeping the refrigerator at 40°F (4.4°C) or below and following recommended storage times for raw and cooked poultry.

One common mistake is relying only on smell or appearance to decide whether refrigerated chicken is safe. Harmful bacteria are not always detectable through your senses.

This is why professional kitchens use date marking and inventory rotation. Food is labelled, organised and used according to a planned system rather than relying on memory.

Chef RBS tip: When storing chicken, label the container with the preparation or storage date. This simple habit makes it much easier to manage stock safely and reduces the chance of keeping food longer than intended.

Food safety is much easier when you have a system instead of relying on memory.

Chef RBS Kitchen Safety Checklist

Before serving chicken, I recommend checking these simple points:

✓ Cook: Use a food thermometer and verify that poultry reaches 165°F (73.9°C).

✓ Separate: Keep raw chicken away from ready-to-eat foods, clean equipment and preparation areas.

✓ Wash hands: Clean your hands properly after handling raw poultry.

✓ Don’t wash raw chicken: Avoid rinsing poultry because splashes can spread bacteria around the kitchen.

✓ Thaw safely: Thaw chicken in the refrigerator, cold water or the microwave when it will be cooked immediately.

✓ Refrigerate: Keep your refrigerator at 40°F (4.4°C) or below.

✓ Store correctly: Keep raw chicken sealed and positioned so its juices cannot drip onto other foods.

✓ Control time: Don’t leave cooked chicken sitting at room temperature for extended periods.

✓ Reheat carefully: Reheat stored chicken thoroughly and avoid repeatedly cooling and reheating the same batch.

✓ When in doubt, throw it out: If you don’t know how chicken was stored or handled, don’t take the risk.

These habits may sound simple, but consistent execution is what makes a professional kitchen safer.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Food Safety

What temperature should chicken reach when cooking?

Poultry should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (73.9°C). Use a food thermometer to check the thickest part of the meat.

Should you wash raw chicken before cooking?

No. Washing raw chicken can spread bacteria through splashes around the sink and surrounding surfaces. Cooking is what makes the chicken safe.

What is the safest way to thaw chicken?

Thaw chicken in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave if you will cook it immediately. Avoid thawing raw chicken on the kitchen counter.

Can cooked chicken make you sick?

Yes. Cooked chicken can become unsafe if it is left at unsafe temperatures, cooled incorrectly, stored improperly or contaminated after cooking.

Can you tell if chicken contains harmful bacteria by smell?

Not reliably. Harmful bacteria may be present without producing an obvious change in smell or appearance. That’s why proper cooking, storage and handling are essential.

What should you do if you are unsure whether chicken is safe?

If you are uncertain about how the chicken was stored or handled, the safest choice is to discard it rather than take a food safety risk.

Final Thoughts

Chicken food safety is not complicated, but it requires consistency.

The biggest risks usually come from a few basic mistakes: undercooking, cross-contamination, unsafe thawing, poor refrigeration, incorrect storage and careless handling after cooking.

As a chef, I believe food safety should be built into the cooking process rather than treated as a separate task. Control the temperature, control the time, keep raw and cooked foods separate, and maintain good hygiene.

A delicious chicken dish is only successful when it is also safe to eat.

The goal of professional food safety is not to make cooking complicated. It is to create simple systems that make the safe choice the easy choice.

Good food starts with good food safety.