Food Network Star Antonia Lofaso's Spicy Take On The Chicken Washing Debate

I think that by now most folks are wise to the fact that washing raw chicken is a mistake, but apparently, Food Network star Antonia Lofaso didn't get the memo. The chef answered contentious cooking questions in a TikTok video, espousing strong opinions about ruining pasta by adding oil to the boiling water and never using pre-minced garlic, or "jarlic" as she refers to it. Surprisingly, she also copped to occasionally rinsing chicken before cooking it. Despite prevailing wisdom dictating that the practice is flawed, there may be a method to her madness — in some cases. 

Lofaso isn't about washing every piece of raw poultry that crosses her path. She specifically states that when packaged chicken has been marinating in its own juices, she will give it a rinse, then pat it dry before preparing it. While she doesn't clarify why exactly, it could be because chicken that has languished in "chicken water" can sometimes taste a little off. Lofaso could also just be ensuring she gets rid of any other unwanted funk clinging to the bird.

However, she does acknowledge that washing poultry doesn't make it any safer to consume. This doesn't simply equate to a waste of time — it can actually do more harm than good. While I'm sure a seasoned chef like Lofaso is cautious when controversially rinsing chicken on occasion and does a good job sanitizing the sink and its environs afterward, home cooks may still want to steer clear of putting the meat under the kitchen faucet.

Unless you are washing chicken with Clorox, as Antonia Lofaso puts it in her TikTok (and please don't do that, she specifies), giving it a rinse won't remove any harmful bacteria from the exterior of the meat. It can, however, spread existing bacteria to other surfaces in your kitchen. The USDA studied the effects of washing chicken before cooking and discovered that 60% of folks who engaged in the practice transferred some of that bacteria to their sink. Any food, utensils, or surfaces, such as cutting boards, that are nearby could likewise become contaminated without you realizing it.

Any time chicken is on the menu, it's crucial from a food safety mindset to thoroughly wash and sanitize any surfaces that may have been cross-contaminated with errant juices from the meat. As for the poultry itself, it just needs to be cooked all the way through. When chicken has been heated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, any potentially harmful contaminants, like salmonella bacteria, are eliminated. The exact reason Lofaso rinses chicken isn't explicit, but what is clear is that the rest of us would do well to avoid the practice and simply give the poultry enough time to cook.