Need quick answers please

[riggsb13]

I rarely cook, and tonight I was making a Chili chicken casserole, but now I'm a little nervous after having had food poisoning last year thanks to some Pizza Hut chicken wings.

When I opened the chicken, which had a sell by date of today, was bought last week but frozen right when I got home, and defrosted for roughly 4 hours today, I didn't notice any funny smell, color, or texture. However, after boiling it, I noticed a funny smell as I got to tearing it into bits for the casserole. I don't recall this smell, but I only do this maybe twice a year. Also I quit smoking 3 months ago after 23 years of it....so I actually HAVE a sense of smell now. I'm hoping that's all it is. Oh and after getting nervous I went and smelled the package and don't notice anything.

Is this smell normal for boiled chicken? It's not "bad", but it's not pleasant. Am I being paranoid and this is safe to eat? I can't get hold of anyone that actually cooks and I went ahead and tossed everything in the oven to finish. 20 minutes left.

Thanks for the help

 

[jennyema]

I think if it didn't smell when you opened it, that is probably fine. And I'm very food safety conscious.

But if it makes you nervous, then toss it. I've had food poisoning. Nothing to monkey with!

 

[Steve Kroll]

Just my opinion, but I always listen to my nose.

 

[riggsb13]

Well thanks for the replies. I went ahead and chalked it up to a newly found sense of smell and some paranoia. Hope I was right.

 

[Claire]

My sense of smell went way, way off just after menopause, and it still goes off occasionally. I ask my husband to second my opinion. I knew it was off the morning after Thanksgiving about 5 years ago when I was stewing the carcass for soup. I thought, in spite of my care, it had gone bad. My husband came down and enthusiastically told me it smelled wonderful

A month or two later I was sauteeing negi maki after going through all the trouble to slice the beef thin, marinading it, rolling them, etc. It smelled "off" to me, but, by then, heck, everything did (not the way you want to lose weight, trust me). Husband came into the room and .... My .... what are you doing? I immediately rescued and rinsed the few (there were dozens of them) I'd already put in a pan of rancid grease!

If you live with someone, ask for a second opinion. If all fails, forget it! Toss it.

 

[jabbur]

IMO boiled chicken doesn't smell good. To me it always has a bit of a sour smell when boiled but that doesn't mean it's bad. However, if you are unsure of it, toss it and start again with other chicken and this time bake it.

 

[Oldvine]

I agree with jabbur. Boiled chicken just does not smell very good. Was it a whole chicken? If so, maybe there was some left over "stuff" in the cavity.

 

[riggsb13]

No, it was boneless and skinless chicken breasts. I think it was fine. I feel fine after a generous helping, and it's now in the fridge for tomorrow's lunch. I appreciate all the help you guys. I'm quite sure now that it was simply that I never could smell it before is all as it was just a "slightly sour smell". I've been noticing scents a lot the past month actually. Smoking from 12yrs to 35yrs old apparently made me miss out on a lot with my nose.

I really need to learn my way around a kitchen so I don't question myself.

Thanks again for the replies and I'm sure I'll see you all around as I want to learn to cook and will likely have many, many questions.

 

[Claire]

For what it is worth, IMO boneless, skinless chicken breasts should be very lightly poached rather than "boiled", and that might be the problem. Actually, I find that true of all chicken. There is a "scum" that sometimes forms when you boil chicken, and it stinks. It isn't bad, it just stinks. Slower cooking seems to help. Next time slowly bring the chicken to the point where it is just starting to break a boil, then immediately turn it down. Keep it just at below a very light simmer. The chicken will be more tender, it doesn't take long for the boneless-skinless you're talking about (so less time for the smells to accumulate)(really, they don't even take a half hour, if you slice before, much less). And, yes, I'm sure the "new" nose you now have will take time to adjust!

 

[salt and pepper]

If I were you, I would never eat chichen again! Such a scary thing. Yuck!

 

[salt and pepper]

Sorry could not help it.

 

[Skittle68]

For what it is worth, IMO boneless, skinless chicken breasts should be very lightly poached rather than "boiled", and that might be the problem. Actually, I find that true of all chicken. There is a "scum" that sometimes forms when you boil chicken, and it stinks. It isn't bad, it just stinks. Slower cooking seems to help. Next time slowly bring the chicken to the point where it is just starting to break a boil, then immediately turn it down. Keep it just at below a very light simmer. The chicken will be more tender, it doesn't take long for the boneless-skinless you're talking about (so less time for the smells to accumulate)(really, they don't even take a half hour, if you slice before, much less). And, yes, I'm sure the "new" nose you now have will take time to adjust!

+1

If its just below boiling, it is probably less than 200° which is what you would want. If you temp the water, you could even have it exactly at 165° if you wanted. I wanted to comment before, but the only chicken I've ever boiled was a carcass for soup. I have done it sous vide however, where the water was 150° and the chicken was in a vacuum sealed bag.

 

[buckytom]

Just my opinion, but I always listen to my nose.

you must be a fan of pablo picasso.

and +1 more on the possibility of boiled chicken occasionally having a funky smell without being bad. but that's usually with the skin or fat still on.