Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsTimingAmount of ChickenSelf-TreatmentWhen to Seek Medical CareOptimal Cook Temperature
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Timing
Amount of Chicken
Self-Treatment
When to Seek Medical Care
Optimal Cook Temperature
Cooked chicken is safe to eat. However, raw chicken may contain bacteria that can lead to foodborne illness (food poisoning). About 1 million people in the United States get sick from contaminated poultry each year.
Chicken is a popular source of protein, and people in the United States eat chicken more often than turkey, beef, or pork. To ensure that your chicken is safe to eat, heat it until it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. High cooking temperatures kill bacteria and prevent food poisoning.
Symptoms From Eating Raw Chicken
Consuming raw chicken may cause food poisoning if the chicken is contaminated with certain bacteria. Common symptoms of food poisoning include abdominal cramping,diarrhea, andvomiting.
Mild Symptoms
Mild cases of food poisoning can be managed at home. If you become dehydrated or your symptoms do not improve, call a healthcare provider.
Mild symptoms of food poisoning may include:
The following three bacteria can result from eating contaminated chicken:
Severe Symptoms
Most people who experience food poisoning recover on their own without medical treatment. However, if you develop severe symptoms, you may require hospitalization.
Severe symptoms and complications of food poisoning include:
A Word From Verywell
—KUMKUM PATEL, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
When Will You Start to Feel Sick?
Food poisoning can occur within hours or days of eating contaminated food. The time frame depends on the specific bacteria.
BacteriaWhen Symptoms StartHow Long Symptoms LastCampylobacter2 to 5 days after eating1 weekSalmonella6 hours to 6 days4 to 7 daysClostridium perfringens8 to 12 hoursLess than 24 hoursDoes the Amount of Chicken Matter?Accidentally consuming a small amount of raw, contaminated chicken or the juices from raw chicken can cause food poisoning.Self-Treatment With Food PoisoningIf you believe you have consumed raw chicken, waiting and seeing if you develop symptoms is best. Experts do not recommend making yourself vomit because this could cause damage to your gut.If you develop symptoms, focus on staying as hydrated as possible. Drink water, diluted fruit juice, clear broth, sports drinks, ororal rehydration solutionslike Pedialyte.If you are unable to keep fluids down, call a healthcare provider.Plan to stay home and rest while experiencing symptoms. Due to diarrhea or vomiting, you will likely need to stay near a bathroom. Consider taking an over-the-counter (OTC) medication, such asImodium (loperamide)orPepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate), which may help treat nausea and diarrhea.Once your symptoms resolve and you feel better, there is no need to seek medical treatment. However, be sure to drink fluids to replace the fluids you lost. See a healthcare provider if your symptoms last more than a few days.When to See a Healthcare ProviderMany cases of food poisoning resolve on their own without medical treatment. See a healthcare provider if your symptoms do not improve after a few days. People who are at high risk of severe illness from food poisoning include older adults over 65 years old, pregnant people, people with weakened immune systems, children, and infants.Seek medical treatment if you develop any of the following symptoms:Bloody diarrheaDizzinessHigh feverInability to keep fluids downLittle or no urinationSymptoms lasting longer than three daysWeaknessWhen you seek treatment, a healthcare provider may recommendantibiotics, antidiarrheal medications, intravenous (IV) fluids, or other options.Optimal Chicken Cook TemperatureCook chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.This high temperature kills bacteria and significantly lowers the risk of food poisoning. Other tips to lower your risk of food poisoning from chicken include:Wash your hands before and after handling raw chicken.Store raw chicken in a plastic bag to keep the juices from leaking.Use a designated cutting board to cut raw chicken.Place leftover cooked chicken in the refrigerator or freezer within one hour.Keep your refrigerator set at or below 40 degrees and the freezer at or below 0 degrees.SummaryChicken is a healthy choice of protein popular in the United States. Cooked chicken is safe for most people. Raw chicken is unsafe to consume because it may contain certain bacteria, includingCampylobacter,Salmonella, andClostridium perfringens. These bacteria may lead to foodborne illness or food poisoning.Common symptoms of food poisoning from raw chicken include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, and fever. To kill harmful bacteria, cook chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Does the Amount of Chicken Matter?
Accidentally consuming a small amount of raw, contaminated chicken or the juices from raw chicken can cause food poisoning.
Self-Treatment With Food Poisoning
If you believe you have consumed raw chicken, waiting and seeing if you develop symptoms is best. Experts do not recommend making yourself vomit because this could cause damage to your gut.
If you develop symptoms, focus on staying as hydrated as possible. Drink water, diluted fruit juice, clear broth, sports drinks, ororal rehydration solutionslike Pedialyte.If you are unable to keep fluids down, call a healthcare provider.
Plan to stay home and rest while experiencing symptoms. Due to diarrhea or vomiting, you will likely need to stay near a bathroom. Consider taking an over-the-counter (OTC) medication, such asImodium (loperamide)orPepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate), which may help treat nausea and diarrhea.
Once your symptoms resolve and you feel better, there is no need to seek medical treatment. However, be sure to drink fluids to replace the fluids you lost. See a healthcare provider if your symptoms last more than a few days.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Many cases of food poisoning resolve on their own without medical treatment. See a healthcare provider if your symptoms do not improve after a few days. People who are at high risk of severe illness from food poisoning include older adults over 65 years old, pregnant people, people with weakened immune systems, children, and infants.
Seek medical treatment if you develop any of the following symptoms:
When you seek treatment, a healthcare provider may recommendantibiotics, antidiarrheal medications, intravenous (IV) fluids, or other options.
Optimal Chicken Cook Temperature
Cook chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.This high temperature kills bacteria and significantly lowers the risk of food poisoning. Other tips to lower your risk of food poisoning from chicken include:
Summary
Chicken is a healthy choice of protein popular in the United States. Cooked chicken is safe for most people. Raw chicken is unsafe to consume because it may contain certain bacteria, includingCampylobacter,Salmonella, andClostridium perfringens. These bacteria may lead to foodborne illness or food poisoning.
Common symptoms of food poisoning from raw chicken include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, and fever. To kill harmful bacteria, cook chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chicken and food poisoning.
Deepanjali S, Jharna M, Chanaveerappa B, Sarumathi D, Gopichand P, Anupriya K.An outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis food poisoning following consumption of chicken shawarma: A brief epidemiological investigation.F1000Res. 2021;10:851. doi:10.12688/f1000research.54410.4
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Meat, poultry & seafood (food safety for moms-to-be).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About campylobacter infection.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Salmonella infection.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About C. perfringens food poisoning.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of food poisoning.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for food poisoning.
Poison Control.Food poisoning: Symptoms, treatment, and causes.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Are you storing food safely?
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