Should you wash raw chicken before cooking it?
No, and this is one of the rare food debates with a unanimous official answer. The CDC and USDA both say do not rinse raw poultry. Washing removes essentially no bacteria from the meat, but it does aerosolize them: studies found droplets carrying Campylobacter and Salmonella landing up to three feet from the sink, on counters, sponges, and clean dishes.
The thing that actually kills the bacteria is heat. Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, measured with a thermometer in the thickest part, and every pathogen of concern is dead. No rinse required, no vinegar soak, no lemon scrub.
If a recipe or a grandparent insists, pat the chicken dry with paper towels instead. You get better browning and zero countertop crime scene.
No. Rinsing chicken sprays bacteria up to three feet around your sink and kills nothing. Cooking to 165°F does all the sanitizing. The CDC and USDA have begged people to stop.
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https://frequentlyaskedquestions.us/q/should-you-wash-chicken/Everybody Asks. (2026, July 28). Should you wash raw chicken before cooking it? https://frequentlyaskedquestions.us/q/should-you-wash-chicken/“Should you wash raw chicken before cooking it?” Everybody Asks, 28 July 2026, https://frequentlyaskedquestions.us/q/should-you-wash-chicken/.“Should you wash raw chicken before cooking it?” Everybody Asks. Last modified July 28, 2026. https://frequentlyaskedquestions.us/q/should-you-wash-chicken/.This page summarizes the primary sources listed above. For academic or encyclopedic work, cite those primary sources directly wherever possible.