Mom Gets Criticized for Not Washing Her Chicken, But Turns Out USDA Says She’s Right Not Doing It

Lehandra Staude (@lehandrabreanne) lampooned a bunch of TikTokers who came for her neck after she uploaded a cooking video showing her preparing a chicken without washing it in a follow-up clip where she states that, contrary to popular belief, washing chicken after taking it out of the package is a bad idea.

She begins her video by stating: "The amount of uproar in my comments about not washing my chicken is crazy to me. The fact of the matter is that it's 2023 and Google is free you guys you can literally Google and find out why you should not be washing your chicken anymore."

Lehandra went on, mocking the folks who got on her case about not washing chicken: "Oh but I've been doing it for 20 years and I'm fine. Are you fine? Are you? I'll be the first to admit that I actually can be a gross b*tch sometimes you guys okay?"

"But when it comes to my chicken safety, I am not. No but you guys are getting really f------ offended in my comments as if I'm inviting you over to my house to eat dinner and guess what? I'm not!"

"I'm not this is for me. Okay? I do some gross s--- sometimes, okay? Okay? Ask me when the last time I washed my sheets was? But guess what you're not sleeping in my bed either," she says as she continues to chop up food on her cutting board before laughing and sticking out her tongue and guffawing into the camera lens.

"But your Mama might be, I'm just kidding. Unfollow me. Honestly I just find it more entertaining than anything at this point because I'm like..."

She then cuts her camera to show the chicken that she tossed directly from the package into a pot, which is seasoned and sizzling.

"My chicken looks like this right now I just seasoned it and it's basically cooked but the bottom's a little crispy. So I'm just gonna add a little bit of chicken broth, just to like de-glaze it, broth tax," she says before taking a swig out of the chicken broth carton.

"This was a brand new jar and yes it's going back in my fridge, eww, gross b--- cook your chicken. I'm gonna throw some asparagus just right in, tomatoes right in, and I'm just gonna kinda let this steam, let it cook, season it a little bit more. Just an easy one pot recipe you guys," she says, dabbing seasoning into the pot.

"I put the lid on and I just let it cook until the potatoes are fork tender, and that's it you guys look how yummy this is? Here let me do this again. Look at that! It's just simple, easy, yummy, healthy way to make chicken again in just a different way that I made it last night," she says, blowing on some food she just picked up with a utensil.

She slurps the food up as she records and she's holding her child: "The chicken just broke right apart. All right you guys bone apple t---- wash your chicken don't wash your chicken make sure you wash your f----- a--- and stop being an a--hole, okay? On the internet?"

Lehandra grimaces into the camera again before ultimately tossing her fork onto the plate and the video ends.

According to the USDA, washing raw chicken after it comes out of the package is generally a bad idea, as handling the raw meat before cooking it gives it a chance to spread throughout your kitchen.

The full statement from the government agency reads: "Washing poultry before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination. Some consumers think they are removing bacteria and making their meat or poultry safe through washing. However, some of the bacteria are so tightly attached that you could not remove them no matter how many times you washed."

The USDA continued: "But there are other types of bacteria that can be easily washed off and splashed on the surfaces of your kitchen. Failure to clean these contaminated areas can lead to foodborne illness. Cooking (baking, broiling, boiling, and grilling) to the right temperature kills the bacteria, so washing food is not necessary. Using a food thermometer is the only sure way of knowing if your food has reached a high enough temperature to destroy foodborne bacteria."

There were other commenters who responded to Lehandra's post who echoed these sentiments, with numerous folks who pointed out that kitchens don't typically wash chicken before cooking it, and others commenting that cooking the poultry at high heats does more than enough to eradicate any of the germs/bacteria that may be on it.

"never heard of washing chicken. Worked in many resturants too."

"I am 42 and have NEVERRRRR washed my chicken. Washing chicken is CRAZYYYY"

"I’ve never washed my chicken, ever."

"You know what’s funny, restaurants don’t wash chicken and we all eat it"

"I thought cooking it kills the germs anyways lmao"