chicken 🐓 in the sink or in a bowl

If you’re talking about preparing chicken for cooking, it’s essential to handle it properly to avoid contamination and foodborne illness. I’m guessing you might be asking whether you should wash chicken in the sink or place it in a bowl for cooking. Here’s some important advice:

Important Note:

It’s not recommended to wash raw chicken in the sink. Washing chicken can spread bacteria, like salmonella or campylobacter, into your sink and onto surfaces, potentially contaminating other foods or kitchen items. Instead, you should handle the chicken carefully and cook it to the proper temperature to kill any harmful bacteria.

Now, if you’re asking for a full chicken recipe, I can definitely help you with that! Below is a simple baked chicken recipe. You can use chicken thighs, breasts, or a whole chicken based on what you have.

Baked Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or breasts, or even a whole chicken)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika)

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or rosemary if you prefer)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Lemon wedges (optional, for serving)

• Fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

Directions:

1. Preheat the Oven
   Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. Prepare the Chicken
   Remove the chicken from the packaging. Pat it dry with paper towels. This helps to get crispy skin while baking. Do NOT wash the chicken in the sink, as it could spread harmful bacteria.

3. Season the Chicken
   In a small bowl, mix the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil. Rub the seasoning mixture evenly over the chicken to coat all sides.

4. Prepare the Baking Sheet
   Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup. Place a wire rack on top of the baking sheet (this helps the chicken cook evenly and get crispy).

5. Arrange the Chicken
   Place the seasoned chicken thighs on the wire rack or directly on the baking sheet if you’re not using a rack. If you’re cooking a whole chicken, make sure it’s breast-side up.

6. Bake the Chicken
   Bake for 35-45 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces. If you’re cooking a whole chicken, it may take 1 to 1.5 hours (about 20 minutes per pound). You can check doneness using a meat thermometer—chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the meat.

7. Rest the Chicken
   Once the chicken is done, let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This helps the juices redistribute.

8. Serve
   Serve the chicken with lemon wedges for an extra burst of flavor, and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. You can pair it with roasted vegetables, rice, or mashed potatoes!

Notes:

• If using chicken breasts, they may cook faster than thighs, so check them at around 25-30 minutes.

• For extra crispy skin: Broil the chicken for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, but keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.