Chicken Preparation

• Slaughtered chickens undergo a strict preparation process according to food safety laws. All blood must be removed from the poultry before it is allowed to be sold in stores. The bird is not allowed to leave the slaughterhouse without undergoing this process, and will never be found in stores still containing blood. The pink liquid leaking from cracked skin or pierced meat during the cooking process is not blood, but rather a pink-tinged water that remains in the chicken after the slaughter.

Internal Temperature

• Determining whether the 'juices run clear' is often an old adage for determining whether a chicken is cooked. However, this does not necessarily mean that the bird is cooked or uncooked. The best way to determine whether poultry is finished cooking is by checking the internal temperature. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, being careful not to touch internal bones, and ensure that it reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit before removing it from the oven.

Red Juices

• Red juices may still run from the chicken even if it is cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F. This is most common within leg meat, especially in the thighs. The juices will run clear if the legs are typically cooked to 170 degrees F, which also results in more tender meat. If the juice running from the cavity is pink, the chicken is typically undercooked. However, if the juice is red and clear combined, then the chicken is typically cooked through.

Food Safety

• Never consume chicken without taking an internal temperature reading, whether juices are running pink, red or clear from the bird. Ensure that the poultry has been properly slaughtered at a government-approved facility and that the bird is being cooked before its "best before" date. In addition, do not wash the bird before cooking, as this can potentially spread bacteria around the kitchen.