This is the thickest part of the chicken, containing a lot of tendons, muscles, and blood vessels. Located deep and close to the bone, it takes longer to cook than other parts. If the juices run red when pricked, the meat isn't fully cooked. Conversely, clear juices indicate the chicken is done.

Home cooks of the past, through accumulated experience, checked this hardest-to-cook point to ensure the dish was safe and delicious.

From a food science perspective, pricking the chicken thigh is an accurate check. According to the US CDC, poultry should reach an internal temperature of at least 74-75°C (165-167°F), especially in thick parts like the thigh, to eliminate harmful bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter.

These bacteria can cause serious health problems like food poisoning. Pricking the thigh isn't just to check the color of the juices, but also a traditional way to estimate internal temperature, similar to how we measure food core temperature today.

Especially with a whole boiled chicken, ensuring the thigh is cooked through determines whether the entire dish meets the mark.

Illustrative photo: Bui Thuy

From the perspective of Eastern yin-yang and five-element culinary philosophy, this practice has further meaning. Chicken, a warming (yang) food, helps replenish qi and blood, nourishing weakened bodies, those recovering from illness, postpartum women, or individuals with a cold spleen and stomach. Undercooked chicken can cause stomach upset and poor digestion, especially in those with weaker constitutions, children, or the elderly. Pricking the thigh is also a step to "reduce cold - nourish yang," balancing energy in the dish, aligning with the health-preserving spirit of Eastern medicine.

Furthermore, in Vietnamese ancestral offering culture, a whole boiled chicken isn't just food, but a symbol of completeness and respect. A golden-skinned chicken, intact and evenly cooked, demonstrates care. Undercooked chicken with red juices isn't just a food safety concern, but seen as lacking sincerity in worship. Thus, checking the thigh becomes crucial for a delicious, properly prepared, and respectful offering.

Bui Thuy