The answer to this may surprise you but you should not wash your chicken before cooking it. Although some chefs and other professionals recommend you give it a good scrub before you cook, it is not a necessary step unless you plan to eat your chicken raw. The main reason some experts claim it is best to clean your chicken breasts is to get rid of salmonella and other bacteria. However, as long as the temperature of the meat is at least 165 degrees F, whatever was on there will be gone.