Why Chicken?
Our Bodies Love Chicken
It’s a high-quality, complete protein.
It builds muscle and strengthens bones.
It supports weight loss and flexes with various diets (Keto, Paleo, Mediterranean, etc.)
It delivers vital, under-consumed nutrients, such as magnesium, potassium, choline, vitamin B12 and iron.
Our Brains Love Chicken
Chicken contains tryptophan, an amino acid linked with increasing levels of serotonin - the “fell good” neurochemical.
It contains vitamin B12 and choline, which together, may promote brain development in children, help the nervous system function properly and aid cognitive performance in older adults.
Our Planet Loves Chicken
Chicken is more sustainable than ever before because of technology.
It takes 75% fewer natural resources to produce today than it did before.
It requires 58% less water and 72% less farmland than it did 54 years ago.
More Reasons to Love Chicken
Chicken is a meal that’s a people-pleaser for all ages.
It’s more affordable than other types of poultry, beef or pork.
It’s one of the most accessible sources of protein.
It plays an important role in nutrition through the stages of life.
Safety & Handling Tips
CLEAN it.
Wash hands, kitchen work surfaces, cutting boards and utensils thoroughly with soap and hot water immediately after they have been in contact with raw meat or poultry, including frozen and fresh products. Hands should be washed before handling food and between handling different food items.
Wash cutting boards between preparing different cuts of raw meat or poultry.
SEPARATE it.
Avoid cross-contaminating other foods. Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs from other foods in your grocery shopping cart, grocery bags, your kitchen and in your refrigerator.
Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry and seafood.
Do not rinse raw poultry in your sink – it will not remove bacteria. In fact, it can spread raw juices around your sink, onto your countertops or onto ready-to-eat foods. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry can only be killed when cooked to a safe internal temperature.
COOK it.
Cook poultry thoroughly. Poultry products, including ground poultry, should always be cooked to at least 165 °F internal temperature as measured with a food thermometer; leftovers should be refrigerated no more than two hours after cooking.
The color of cooked poultry is not a sure sign of its safety. Only by using a food thermometer can one accurately determine that poultry has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F throughout the product. Be particularly careful with foods prepared for infants, older adults and persons with impaired immune systems.
If served undercooked poultry in a restaurant, send it back to the kitchen for further cooking.
CHILL it.
Make poultry products the last items you select at the store. Once home, the products must be refrigerated or frozen promptly.
After cooking, refrigerate any uneaten poultry within two hours. Leftovers will remain safe to eat for two to three days.
Refrigerators should be set to maintain a temperature of 40 °F or below.
Thaw frozen poultry in the refrigerator — not on the countertop — or in cold water.
When barbecuing poultry outdoors, keep refrigerated until ready to cook. Do not place cooked poultry on the same plate used to transport raw chicken to the grill.
Always marinate poultry in the refrigerator, up to two days. Marinade in which raw poultry has been soaking should never be used on cooked poultry, unless it is boiled first.