What temp does chicken need to be

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When roasting a whole chicken, baking thighs in the oven, or making the crispiest, juiciest fried chicken for Sunday supper, you want to make sure you cook the chicken thoroughly to safeguard guests against foodborne illnesses. Chicken is safe to eat and ready for the dinner table when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

How to Take the Internal Temperature of Chicken

• Whole bird: According to the USDA, you want take the temperature of a whole bird by inserting the thermometer into the innermost part of the thigh and wing, and the thickest part of the breast. Avoid bones. If the temperature reads 165°F, then the chicken is ready.
• Breasts: Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and rest the probe in the center. Sometimes you get the best reading if you go in from the side.
• Wings, thighs, tips, legs: Follow a similar process to temping any of the pieces mentioned above; stay away from the bone and aim for the thickest part.

If you don’t have a thermometer, an easy visual clue is that all the juices that come from the chicken should run clear and not be pink.

What Is the Safe Cooking Temperature of Ground Chicken?

Whole cuts of beef, lamb, pork, or veal can be cooked to 145°F, while their ground counterparts must be cooked to 160°F.

More Chicken Cooking Tips from The Kitchn

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My Chicken Temperature Chart has the best temps for chicken no matter what you’re cooking, from chicken breast, thighs, and drumsticks, up to the whole bird! If you struggle with how long to cook chicken for the perfect results every time, or need a reminder, this chart of chicken internal temps is just what you need.

• What Temp to Bake Chicken
• What Temp to Grill Chicken
• Cooking Chicken in a Pan
• Sous Vide Chicken Temperatures
• Free Printable Chart
• Best Chicken Recipes
• 📌 Pin it for later!
• 📋 Recipe

What Temp to Bake Chicken

Whether you’re roasting a whole chicken or baking chicken wings, this baked chicken temperature chart has the approximate cooking times you need for the perfect internal temperature.

Chicken should always read between 165°F and 175°F on a meat thermometer. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken is done cooking in the oven.

Bone-in chicken will always take slightly longer to cook than boneless. The times in the chart reflect boneless and bone-in chicken. Frozen chicken should be thawed beforehand.

What Temp to Grill Chicken

Cooking chicken on the grill is a great way to bring out amazing flavors in the meat. Whether you’re grilling a whole chicken or making chicken wings on the grill, this chart will show you what temp to grill chicken.

Chicken should always read between 165°F and 175°F on a meat thermometer. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken is done cooking on the grill.

Temperatures are for a charcoal or gas grill using thawed chicken. I recommend marinating chicken for 30 minutes to 2-3 hours before grilling it for the juiciest results.

Cooking Chicken in a Pan

If you’re cooking your chicken in a pan, follow this chicken temperature chart to find the best heat for cooking whichever cut you’re using.

Chicken should always read between 165°F and 175°F on a meat thermometer. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure doneness when cooking chicken in a pan.

Sous Vide Chicken Temperatures

For cooking chicken sous vide, follow these sous vide chicken temperatures. When cooking sous vide, you don’t have to worry about over-cooking or under-cooking your food.

As long as you set the sous vide temperature correctly and cook for the right amount of time, your chicken will be perfectly cooked. Still, it’s a good idea to check the internal temperature of chicken using a meat thermometer.

Free Printable Chart

Click here for a free printable version of this chart: Chicken Temperature Chart

Best Chicken Recipes

If chicken dinner is a household favorite for you, you need to try my best chicken recipes! Here are a few of my favorites:

• Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
• One Pot Chicken Orzo Recipe
• Chick-fil-A Chicken Noodle Soup
• Lemon Butter Chicken Tenders
• Chick-fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup

📌 Pin it for later!

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Did you try one of my chicken recipes? Did this chart help you? Let me know in the comments below!

📋 Recipe

Temps for Chicken – Perfectly Grilled Chicken

Follow my guide on grilling chicken breasts for the perfect grilled chicken every time!

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 9 mins

Marinating Time 2 hrs

Total Time 2 hrs 19 mins

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 2 chicken breasts

Calories 534 kcal

• 2 large chicken breasts boneless, skinless, and pounded thin

Grilled Chicken Marinade

• ½ cup dill pickle juice strained
• ½ cup whole milk

Grilled Chicken Seasoning

• 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil for grilling the chicken breasts

• Add chicken breast to a zip-lock bag. Keep the bag open so the air can escape. Tenderize the chicken by pounding it thin with the flat end of a meat mallet.

  2 large chicken breasts

  

• Combine whole milk and strained dill pickle juice in a measuring cup or bowl. Pour the marinade into the chicken breast bag and seal it. Massage the marinade into the chicken breast, then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.

  ½ cup dill pickle juice, ½ cup whole milk

  

• After marinating, allow your chicken breasts to come to room temperature by letting them rest for 30 minutes before grilling them. In the meantime, mix together powdered sugar, fine sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and lemon zest in a bowl. Refrigerate the spice mix until it’s time to use it.

  2 Tablespoons powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon paprika, 1 Tablespoon lemon zest

  

• Use a paper towel to pat down both sides of the chicken breasts so they are dry.

  

• Once dry all over, sprinkle the spice rub onto the chicken and rub it into the meat on both sides of each breast.

  

• Add olive oil to a grill pan. Allow it to heat over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then add a single chicken breast. If using an outdoor grill, you can grill both chicken breasts at the same time. Cook 1 minute, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 4 minutes.

  3 Tablespoons olive oil

  

• Flip the chicken using tongs and cook an additional 4 minutes on the other side. Once finished cooking, remove and repeat with the other chicken breast. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F as read by a meat thermometer.

  

• Allow cooked chicken to rest for 10 minutes on a plate covered with foil. When ready to serve, slice with a sharp knife against the grain of the chicken, and enjoy!

  

• Grill chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F as read by a meat thermometer.
• Follow my chicken temperature chart to cook more than just chicken breasts on the grill, including thighs!

Calories: 534kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 50gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 151mgSodium: 1758mgPotassium: 941mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 294IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 89mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Grilled Chicken Breast, grilling chicken breasts, how to grill chicken breast

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