Chook Me! - Left chicken in crockpot for 2 hours and forgot to plug it in...is it still ok to cook and eat?

Left chicken in crockpot for 2 hours and forgot to plug it in...is it still ok to cook and eat?

I was making some chicken for a crockpot recipe. Recipe said to brown both sides of the chicken then place all the pieces in the crockpot and cook on low for 5-6 hours. I left the house for 2 hours, came home and realized I forgot to plug the damn thing in. Is it ok to cook still or should I toss it? The chicken is cooked about halfway through.

Public Comments

ya its fine, one time my mom left it out all day and it was fine. answer mine? http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100109144747AA77oIQ
no. I personally would not take the chance. Food poisioning is horrendous. After 40 minutes the amount of ecoli and other harmful bacteria have doubled and then tripled.
you'll be fine now you'll have to cook it on medium or high because of the time lost LOL just make sure the internal temp is 170*F if you don't have a thermometer, then it should be really hot, and no pink should appear when you cut away the leg bone.
Be careful when cooking poultry, because bacteria can grow very rapidly. I have been a cook for 18 years and we have an old saying that "when in doubt, throw it out". When meats are left in the "temperature danger zone" (which is 40 degrees to 145 degrees) for long periods of time the more chance you have of bacteria growing, which can lead to food bourne illness. If the chicken was already thawed at the time it was placed in the crockpot, then I would pitch it. But if it was frozen it might be safe. But do you really want to take that chance?
Mmmm...you're right on the cusp of okay/not okay. The general rule for food being left out is about 2 hours. After that, it can start to go bad, get bacteria, and whatnot. Given that, it's sort of how comfortable are YOU with the two hour window. If it was just for me, I'd probably risk it. If it was for a party or something, I wouldn't want to risk it.
When in doubt, throw it out. I would not keep it.
It should be fine. I wouldn't worry about it.
ITS FINE!