Jamaicans wash chicken to remove bacteria and remove unwanted matter but doing so can actually spread bacteria so people in the USA and professional chefs in the USA do not wash chicken.
Chefs do not wash chicken as doing so can cause cross contamination.
All professional kitchens and chefs would be and are prohibited from washing chicken due to the potential to spread salmonella.
You should never wash chicken as you don't need to wash chicken and it can cause cross contamination.
You should not wash chicken as it can spread bacteria and cause cross contamination within the sink and kitchen surfaces.
Poultry or chicken should not be washed before cooking as it increases the risk of possible cross contamination in the kitchen that can lead to foodborne illnesses.
If you happen to wash the poultry or chicken then some bacteria can spread to surfaces of the kitchen through splashing of the water.
Dry chicken is overcooked and is a very common mistake when cooking chicken.
Chicken cannot be cooked rare or medium rare like red meat can because chicken can contain salmonella which is a bacteria that can be deadly or lead to severe stomach issues.
So chicken must be cooked fully to ensure the salmonella bacteria is killed off.
When chicken juices run clear it means the chicken is fully cooked and if the chicken juices still have some blood or pink color to it then the chicken is not fully done.
When you eat under cooked chicken it can lead to food poisoning due to bacteria and contamination.
Cooking the chicken fully kills off any potential bacteria and contamination that can make you sick so you should never eat raw or under cooked chicken.
Chicken should always be fully cooked before eating it or serving it.
Chicken should be cooked until the internal temperature reaches at least 165 F and the chicken juices run clear.
But as long as all parts of the chicken have reached a minimum internal temperature of 165 F, it is safe to eat.
Even fully cooked poultry can sometimes show a pinkish tinge in the meat and juices.
For fully cooked chicken, if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear, then the chicken is fully cooked.
If the juices of the chicken are red or have a pinkish color, your chicken may need to be cooked a bit longer.
To check if the chicken is fully cooked cut a small cut into the thickest part of the poultry, and if it still appears pink or any blood is present, then the chicken is most likely raw.
And the same sort of idea applies with any fluids and if the juice of the chicken is still pink-tinged, then you should toss it back in the pan.
To Bake Chicken Breast at 400°F: This will take between 22 and 26 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
You can cook chicken breasts at 350°F for closer to 25-30 minutes (although I prefer the higher heat above).