

Allowing thigh meat and the like to reach somewhere between 175° and 190° will give you more tender meat because the connective tissues have longer to break down. While it’s safe to eat dark meat cooked to 165°, you’ll get a bouncier bite. Fattier dark meat can stand a higher temperature than lean white meat. When working with dark meat (thighs, drumsticks, or whole legs), the temperature rules change a bit.

Past that, you run the risk of eating dry chicken. No matter what’s on your menu, the USDA states that the internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165° for food safety. It’s important to consider what type of meat you’re cooking: Is it bone-in? Boneless? A single chicken breast or a bunch of wings? Bone-in chicken will take longer to reach the desired internal temp smaller cuts will require less cooking time. Build the rest time into your cooking routine use it to make a sauce or salad dressing. In smaller cuts, like a chicken breast, the heat will increase by only about 5°, so remove them from the heat source when they reach 160°. According to Morocco, the temperature of a whole cooked chicken can increase 10° at rest, so it’s best to pull it from the heat source at 155°. This temperature will continue to rise after removing the chicken from the heat, ideally to a temperature of about 165°. Chicken temperature for white meatįor the best-tasting white meat, which includes breasts and wings, you generally want to cook the meat to an internal temperature of 160☏. So temp close to the bone, where the meat may take longer to reach the desired temperature, as well as near the edge,” making sure to get a reading from the thickest part of the meat. “Bone doesn't channel heat as efficiently as flesh,” Morocco says, “because it is porous and those insulating air pockets inhibit heat transfer. Take the temperature in multiple spots to gauge doneness. When using an instant-read thermometer, don’t rely on a reading taken from just one part of the chicken. “Using a meat thermometer will do more to make you a better cook than a $200 skillet ever could-any serious cook should get one before spending money on new cookware.” If that particular model is too pricey for you, he suggests looking into the ThermoPop from ThermoWorks. “The ThermoWorks Thermapen One is the absolute best,” says test kitchen director Chris Morocco. The fastest way to find confidence in the kitchen (especially regarding chicken temps) is to buy a meat thermometer. They’ll take the guesswork out of cooking chicken and help you steer you clear of harmful bacteria. Before you take on a whole bird or its parts, arm yourself with the tools and tips below. (What’s for dinner tonight? Fried chicken? Roast chicken? Baked chicken? One of your signature chicken casseroles?) No matter the plan, you want to be sure you’re cooking chicken dishes to a safe temperature-and that you won’t end up with a half-frozen chicken breast (or worse, salmonella). With all the talk of carryover cooking and knowing what temps work best for which cuts and whether or not the cooking method makes a difference, it can be a bit daunting.įirst off: No, the optimal temperature doesn’t change based on the cooking method-which is a good thing, considering the many ( many ) ways there are to prepare chicken. I know they’re expensive but I think they are totally worth it.We admit it: Determining the ideal chicken temperature can be…a challenge. Miles was the one who got me hooked on Thermoworks products when he started using them in his home brew setup. This is the only meat thermometer that I totally trust, and I love that the reading is instant (plus it doesn’t have to be re-callibrated).


I love my Thermapen, which I use every time I cook chicken so that I know when it hits 165 degrees exactly. I like to make a big batch at the beginning of the week so that I have it in my fridge and it is also more efficient for the propane usage. The secret to this recipe is in the temperature of the grill, and just turning the chicken once. This is a very versatile recipe for chicken breast, and be used for sandwiches, salads, pizza, tacos etc. Grilling chicken seems like it would be a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how often it comes out dry and flavorless! Often times I will grill chicken for neighborhood taco night and friends will ask how I get the chicken so juicy.
#Grilled chicken temp how to#
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