# Safe to East Chicken Stuffing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 27, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-east-chicken-stuffing/504372 "2009-07-27T01:37:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hobscrk777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a6a055/32.png) [@hobscrk777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobscrk777)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-east-chicken-stuffing/504372/1 "2009-07-27T01:37:05Z")
I’m roasting a small (~4 lbs), whole chicken tonight. I stuffed the cavity with minced garlic and sliced summer squash. Will it be safe to eat these vegetables after the chicken is cooked (about an hour at 375 F)? If not, would it be safe to eat them after sauteeing them to cook off an raw chicken residue? I suppose I could toss the vegetables, but my thinking is that they will have picked up some great flavor in the chicken. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-east-chicken-stuffing/504372/2 "2009-07-27T01:41:06Z")
If it’s safe to eat the chicken, it’s safe to eat the stuffing. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-east-chicken-stuffing/504372/3 "2009-07-27T01:41:47Z")
Yes, correct. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-east-chicken-stuffing/504372/4 "2009-07-27T01:43:21Z")
The stuffing is safe to eat if it reaches the safe minimum temperature for cooked chicken, 165 degrees or so. Maybe not happen if cooked in the bird…sauteeing it in a pan to be sure seems reasonable to me. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-east-chicken-stuffing/504372/5 "2009-07-27T01:50:13Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > The stuffing is safe to eat if it reaches the safe minimum temperature for cooked chicken, 165 degrees or so. Maybe not happen if cooked in the bird…sauteeing it in a pan to be sure seems reasonable to me. Got caught by the edit window, I meant to say it may or may not reach a safe temperature if cooked inside the bird, depending on time, temp, stuffing density and starting temp, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-east-chicken-stuffing/504372/6 "2009-07-27T01:55:47Z")
It’s probably perfectly safe, but sauteeing them would guarantee it if you’re nervous. ---
**Author:** ![hobscrk777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a6a055/32.png) [@hobscrk777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobscrk777)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-east-chicken-stuffing/504372/7 "2009-07-27T02:02:18Z")
Hey, thanks for the quick replies you all! It’s all good to know. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-east-chicken-stuffing/504372/8 "2009-07-27T03:25:48Z")
My chicken stuffing is only safe to west. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-east-chicken-stuffing/504372/9 "2009-07-27T03:40:12Z")
From the description you’ve given, the meal you are cooking will be quite unsafe to eat. Garlic and summer squash are known to create toxic chemicals when mixed together, and the chicken and stuffing will both be contaminated. You must send the meal to me for proper disposal. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-to-east-chicken-stuffing/504372/10 "2009-07-27T04:45:10Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > From the description you’ve given, the meal you are cooking will be quite unsafe to eat. Garlic and summer squash are known to create toxic chemicals when mixed together, and the chicken and stuffing will both be contaminated. You must send the meal to me for proper disposal. He’s joking.😛