Nutrition and daily life

Poultry — food card: chicken, turkey and duck

Chicken soup, chicken plov, chygyrtma, roast turkey — poultry offers light, quick-to-cook and easily digested protein. During treatment many people find it easier than other meats. This card explains the value of poultry, how to choose and store it, and why cooking it fully matters so much.

Last updated: 7 October 2026~4 min read

**Figure 1.**Chicken soup, roast chicken and turkey — a source of light protein.

01Short answer

Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck, quail) provides high-quality protein, vitamins B3 and B6 and selenium; skinless breast is low in fat. Raw poultry often carries salmonella and campylobacter, so the rules are strict: keep raw poultry in a closed container on the bottom shelf, do not wash it, use a separate board, thaw it in the fridge and cook it to 74 °C in the thickest part. Chicken soup, boiled or roast chicken and rice porridge with chicken are easy to manage on difficult days. Undercooked duck, pink chicken and cold poultry deli products are not recommended during neutropenia.

02Simple explanation

Poultry gives complete protein and is usually leaner than red meat, especially skinless breast.

White meat (breast) is lean; dark meat (thighs, wings) is slightly fattier but contains more iron and zinc. Duck and goose are fattier still.

Raw poultry often carries salmonella and campylobacter — the most common causes of food poisoning.

These bacteria are killed by cooking fully. Washing raw chicken does not kill them; it spreads them around.

Poultry cooks quickly, becomes tender and, as soup, provides both protein and fluid — a comfortable choice with nausea or poor appetite.

03Scientific explanation

Temperature: according to FoodSafety.gov and FSIS, all poultry — whole birds, pieces and mince — should reach 74 °C (165 °F) in the thickest part. The UK Food Standards Agency also requires no pink meat and clear juices.

Do not wash: according to the CDC, raw chicken does not need washing: splashing water can spread germs up to about 50 cm — onto the sink, dishes and ready-to-eat food.

Campylobacter: according to the WHO, campylobacter is one of the leading causes of bacterial diarrhea worldwide, and undercooked poultry is its main source. In people with weak immunity the infection can be more severe.

Frozen poultry: FSIS advises thawing poultry in the fridge, in cold water (changing it every 30 minutes) or in the microwave, never at room temperature. Meat thawed in water or a microwave should be cooked straight away.

04What happens in the body?

What does poultry provide?

100 g of cooked skinless chicken breast gives about 30 g of protein. Poultry is also a source of niacin (B3), B6, selenium and phosphorus. Skin and dark meat add energy.

On a dark navy background, sliced white juicy cooked chicken breast on a plate, soft amber light rising towards a translucent outline of a muscle. — **Figure 2.**Skinless chicken breast is a lean, simple source of protein.

How to choose

Choose poultry kept chilled, with a use-by date, no unpleasant smell and intact packaging. Avoid poultry sold unrefrigerated at open markets. Pick it up last when shopping and get it home quickly.

Storage and thawing

Keep raw poultry in a closed container on the bottom shelf of the fridge and cook it within 1–2 days. Thaw frozen poultry in the fridge. Do not refreeze raw poultry once thawed.

Do not wash raw chicken

Washing does not kill germs; it splashes them onto the sink, dishes and salad. If there is residue on the surface, pat it with kitchen paper, throw the paper away and wash your hands.

On a dark navy background, a sink with raw chicken under running water and small glowing red droplets splashing onto the counter, plates and a salad. — **Figure 3.**Washing raw chicken spreads germs around the kitchen.

Cooking fully

The thickest part of the thigh and breast should reach 74 °C. Without a thermometer, cut and check: the meat is white, not pink, and the juices run clear. The area next to the bone cooks last.

For difficult days

Chicken soup, rice porridge with chicken, boiled chicken with mash and chicken meatballs are soft and easy to digest. Fried chicken with skin and hot spices can make nausea worse.

05Poultry: four steps

Store separately, thaw in the fridge, cook to 74 °C, serve hot.

1Bottom shelf, coveredJuices cannot drip on food.

2Thaw in the fridgeNever at room temperature.

374 °CIn the thickest part, near the bone.

4Serve hotSoups and hot dishes.

Light proteinFor muscle and recovery.

Protection from salmonellaFull cooking kills germs.

Easy to manageSoup gives protein and fluid.

06Poultry dishes during neutropenia (simplified)

Dish	Riskier	Safer
Chicken kebab, grill	Pink inside, large chunks	Small pieces, 74 °C, clear juices
Duck breast	Restaurant-style, pink	Fully cooked
Chicken soup, plov	—	Well simmered — a good choice
Chygyrtma (chicken with eggs)	Undercooked egg	Egg and chicken fully cooked
Ready chicken salad, roll	Cold deli food	Freshly cooked at home, quickly chilled
Leftover chicken	More than 2 hours at room temperature	1–2 days in the fridge, reheated until steaming

* The table is general information. After a transplant the rules may be stricter — follow your team.

07Key terms

White meat: Poultry breast; low in fat.
Dark meat: Thighs and wings; slightly fattier.
Salmonella: A bacterium spread through poultry and eggs.
Campylobacter: A bacterium from undercooked poultry.
Cross-contamination: Germs passing from raw meat to other food.
Internal temperature: The heat in the thickest part.
Niacin: Vitamin B3, involved in energy metabolism.
Deli products: Ready-made cold sliced meats and dishes.

08Key points

Poultry provides light, complete protein.
Skinless breast is the leanest part.
Keep raw poultry covered on the bottom shelf.
Do not wash raw chicken.
Thaw in the fridge.
74 °C in the thickest part, no pink.
Chicken soup helps on difficult days.
Reheat cold poultry deli products.

09Frequently asked questions

Does chicken soup really help?

Soup does not cure anything, but it gives fluid, salt, protein and warmth, stimulates appetite and is easy to manage. To make it more filling, add chicken pieces, rice or noodles.

Is a home-reared (village) chicken safer?

Village chickens can carry salmonella too. Whatever chicken you buy, the rules are the same: store it separately and cook it fully.

Can I eat chicken skin?

Yes, it adds energy, but it is fatty and can feel heavy with nausea. If you are losing weight, skin can be useful; if your cholesterol is high, eat less.

Can I order chicken kebab in a restaurant?

Be careful during neutropenia: it is hard to be sure it is fully cooked. A hot home-cooked dish is more reliable.

Does white colour mean chicken is cooked?

Often, but not always. A thermometer is the most accurate way. Check the area near the bone as well.

Is turkey healthier than chicken?

Both provide similar protein. Turkey breast is also very lean. Choose by taste; the cooking rules are the same.

10Questions for your doctor

Take these questions to your appointment. The ones you save are collected on the “My questions” page and stay on this device only.

Does chicken soup really help?
Is a home-reared (village) chicken safer?
Can I eat chicken skin?
Can I order chicken kebab in a restaurant?
Does white colour mean chicken is cooked?
Is turkey healthier than chicken?

My questions

12Sources

CDC. Chicken and Food Poisoning
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Poultry: safe handling and preparation
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. The Big Thaw — Safe Defrosting Methods
FoodSafety.gov (U.S. HHS). Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature
Food Standards Agency (UK). Cooking your food
NHS. Meat in your diet
World Health Organization (WHO). Campylobacter — fact sheet
World Health Organization (WHO). Salmonella (non-typhoidal) — fact sheet
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Salmonella
CDC. Safer Food Choices for People With Weakened Immune Systems
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Diet Guidelines for Immunosuppressed Patients
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health — The Nutrition Source. Protein

Medical disclaimerThis information is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice.

Last updated: 7 October 2026← Back to the list

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