Preparing Chicken

Never leave chicken or any meat sitting out to thaw, place it in the refrigerator the night before to thaw slowly without putting the meat at risk for bacteria growth. Leaving chicken on the counter to thaw all day is putting your and your family at risk for many food borne illnesses that are caused by bacteria growth from the chicken.
Before you begin cooking your chicken wash your hands with soap before you even pick up the chicken or open the package. Many people like to use disposable gloves that are created specifically for food handling, this is a good idea when cooking chicken as you can throw them away after handling the chicken and you reduce your risk of cross contaminating other foods. It is always best to be overly cautious instead of not cautious enough when cooking chicken, there is really no such thing as too clean or to careful when it comes to chicken.