You may think it’s very easy to cook chicken breast until you end up with undercooked meat. It’s very fleshy and most times boneless, so, it shouldn’t be hard work, right?
Cooking chicken breast isn’t hard work but these cooking errors happen. And for some dishes, cooking it again to get the chicken soft will ruin the entire dish. So, if you end up with undercooked chicken, should you eat it, cook it again or throw it away?
If you want to know the side effects of eating undercooked chicken breast, its symptoms, how to cook chicken breast, and how to tell if they are properly cooked, then read on.
Can you eat undercooked chicken breast?
Eating undercooked chicken breast is not safe. Raw and undercooked chicken contains bacteria such as campylobacter bacteria, E. coil salmonella, listeria monocytogenes, and Clostridium perfringens.
These bacteria can cause food-borne illnesses or food poisoning. Although some cuisines feature raw chicken breast, it is not healthy.
The Centers for Disease Control states that over one million cases of food poisoning are recorded yearly. It only takes one or two bites of chicken for exposure, and symptoms may manifest between 12 to 24 hours of consumption.
Some of the symptoms of food poisoning include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach pain or abdominal cramps
- Fever
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea
- Bloody stool
- Headache
- Dizziness
How can you make sure your chicken breast is cooked properly?
There are many ways you can confirm that your chicken breast is properly cooked. Some of them include:
1. Check the temperature of the chicken
If you doubt the level of doneness of your chicken, use the meat read thermometer. Insert it into a thick part of the chicken breast and read the temperature.
The US Department of Agriculture states that all chicken breasts be cooked to 165°F. No harmful bacteria can thrive in this temperature.
Be sure you don’t push the thermometer in too far, so you don’t take the temperature of your cooking source by mistake.
2. Check the size
Chicken breasts and other poultry shrink when they are cooked. If the chicken breast does not look smaller in the oven, pan, or fryer, then, it is most likely still undercooked.
3. Check the color
Raw chicken breast has a peach or pink color. When it is cooked, this color changes to white. If you find a cooked chicken breast that looks pink or peachy, be careful as it may still be undercooked and contain bacteria.
Also, the color of the juice from the chicken breast can tell you if it’s cooked or not. If the juice runs clear, you’re good to go. But if it appears red or bloody, it is probably still undercooked.
4. Check the texture
Undercooked chicken breast has a jiggly, dense, rubbery, and even shiny feel to it. Properly or well-cooked chicken should feel firm but not too strong.
Best ideas on what to do with chicken breast
- Air fryer chicken breasts
- Use chicken breast for chicken & pasta bacon
- Breaded chicken Milanese
- Chicken pasta bake
- Chicken, sweet potato, and pea curry
- Parmesan-crusted chicken ready in 30 minutes
- Baked chicken breasts
- Keto breaded chicken cutlets
- Spinach and mushroom stuffed chicken breasts
- Bake frozen chicken breasts directly from the freezer (coat them in breadcrumbs)
- Bacon-wrapped chicken breasts
- Marinated chicken breasts
- Chicken Marsala
- Grilled chicken breasts with spinach pesto
- Chicken breasts with couscous
- Instant pot-pulled chicken
FAQs
How can you fix undercooked chicken breast?
The best way to fix undercooked chicken breast is to cook it further in an oiled roasting pan. Cook it at high heat till it reaches a safe eating temperature.
Is chicken breast good for weight loss?
Yes, it is. Chicken breast is one of the best lean meat options you can add to your weight loss diet.
Can you get sick from eating overcooked chicken breast?
No, you can’t. But the taste of your chicken will suffer a bit, and it might be a bit dry.
Is salmonella from chicken airborne?
No, it is not. You can only get salmonella infection when you come in contact with the bacteria itself by ingesting it.
Conclusion
Undercooked chicken breast has been associated with several bacterium infections. Some of the symptoms include vomiting, nausea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Therefore, you should not eat it.
Chicken breast is a very nutritious chicken cut. Get the best of the nutrients by making a healthy meal. Whichever way you’re making chicken breasts, ensure you cook the meat well.
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Thank you for reading this article.