Ina Garten's advice to 'undercook your chicken' sparks fierce debate over whether or not it is safe

Ina Garten wants everyone to trust the process - after sharing that the controversial secret to succulent chicken is undercooking it.

The celebrity chef, 76, ignited the debate this week after showing off her unconventional chicken tips to her fans on Instagram.

Whilst many people dry out their chicken accidentally in an effort to cook it thoroughly and avoid getting salmonella, Ina is advising people to let their poultry 'rest' after pulling it out of the oven.

'First, I slightly undercook it,' The Barefoot Contessa tells viewers. 'If you overcook chicken, it gets very dry.'

Ina Garten wants everyone to trust the process - after sharing that the controversial secret to succulent chicken is undercooking it 

Whilst many people dry out their chicken accidentally in an effort not to get salmonella, Ina is advising people to let their poultry 'rest' after pulling it out of the oven

Ina takes her chicken out early, so it is still slightly pink in the middle, covering the meat with aluminum foil and letting them rest for about 10 minutes.

'You won't believe what a difference it makes,' she insists.

But viewers were left bitterly divided over her advice.

'Undercook and chicken don't go in the same sentence for me. I'll eat my chicken dry any day over that,' one user declared. 

'Ina, I be with you when ya right! But undercooking chicken?? There are other ways to make juicy chicken, girl!' another scandalized chicken lover commented. 

'These comments don't pass the vibe check. Slightly undercooked doesn't mean still raw and clucking. Ina is SUPER careful about food temperatures. She knows what she's taking about,' argued another.

Meat that is resting should be covered loosely with aluminum foil so the temperature of the meat does not decrease too quickly resulting in less juice being redistributed or less Carryover Cooking than anticipated.

While it may seem like Ina is recommending a wild technique, it's actually called carryover cooking, which is recommended by many chefs.

Ina takes her chicken out early, so they are still slightly pink in the middle, covering them with aluminum foil and letting them rest for about 10 minutes

The USDA recommends cooking whole poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165F as measured using a food thermometer (stock image)

Viewers were divided over her advice, leaving comments on her video disputing her advice

Carryover cooking happens when you cook your food until almost the right temperature, removing it from direct heat and allowing it to rest under tinfoil.

According to Recipe Tips, the length of rest time depends on how hot the meat has been cooked at.

'Meat that is resting should be covered loosely with aluminum foil so the temperature of the meat does not decrease too quickly resulting in less juice being redistributed or less Carryover Cooking than anticipated,' the website noted.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends cooking whole poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165F as measured using a food thermometer. 

When cooking pieces, breasts, drumsticks, thighs, and wings should be cooked until they reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165F.