Safe Internal Temperature for Chicken (and Other Meats): 165°F and the Full Chart

This guide is for home cooks who want to know when chicken, turkey and other meats are done without overcooking them.

Color and juices can fool you. A food thermometer is the only reliable way to know chicken is safely cooked, and the number to look for is the same for every cut. Here’s that number, the full federal chart for other meats, and how to use a thermometer so the reading means something.

The quick answer

FoodSafety.gov says to cook chicken, turkey and other poultry to 165°F (74°C). That covers whole birds, breasts, legs, thighs, wings, ground poultry, giblets, poultry sausage and stuffing cooked inside the bird.¹ The CDC repeats the same number: use a food thermometer to make sure chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F.⁴

There’s no rest time required for poultry on the federal chart. Once the thickest part reads 165°F, it’s safe.¹

Why it matters

The CDC says about 1 in 25 packages of chicken at the grocery store contain Salmonella, and that about 1 million Americans get sick from eating contaminated poultry each year.⁴ Cooking to 165°F is what makes that chicken safe to eat.

The safe minimum temperature chart

From FoodSafety.gov:¹

Don’t go by color

The CDC says you can’t tell if food is safely cooked by checking its color and texture, except for seafood; the only way is a food thermometer.² That cuts both ways: clear juices don’t prove chicken is done, and color alone doesn’t prove it isn’t. Our advice: whatever the meat looks like, trust the thermometer reading.

How to use a food thermometer

FoodSafety.gov says to place the thermometer in the thickest part of the food, without touching bone, fat or gristle.³

Our advice by cut:

• Whole chicken or turkey: check three spots: the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing, and the thickest part of the breast. All three should read 165°F.
• Breasts: insert the probe from the side into the center of the thickest end.
• Thighs and drumsticks: go into the meatiest part, close to but not touching the bone.
• Ground chicken patties: insert through the side into the middle.
• Several pieces at once: check the biggest one, then spot-check a couple of others, since sizes vary.

Wash the thermometer’s probe with hot, soapy water between uses, especially if you check raw-ish meat early and then again later.

Which thermometer to use

FoodSafety.gov says to always use a food thermometer to check meat, rather than relying on cooking times.¹ Which kind is up to you. Our advice on the common types:

• Instant-read digital: the most versatile. It gives a reading in a few seconds, so you can check several spots and several pieces. It doesn’t stay in the oven.
• Oven-safe probe with a cable: the probe stays in the thickest part of a roast or whole bird while it cooks, and the display sits outside the oven. Good for turkey, since you don’t have to keep opening the door.
• Pop-up timers that come in some turkeys: treat them as a hint, and confirm with a real thermometer in the thigh, wing and breast.

To check that a thermometer reads correctly, stir it into a glass packed with ice and a little water. After about 30 seconds it should read 32°F. If it’s off and it has a calibration nut or button, adjust it; if not, remember the difference or replace it.

Handling raw chicken

• Don’t wash it. The CDC says raw chicken is ready to cook and doesn’t need to be washed first.⁴ It cites a USDA study in which 1 in 7 people who cleaned their sink after washing chicken still had germs in the sink.⁴
• Store it low. The CDC says to keep raw chicken on the bottom shelf of the fridge, in a sealed container or wrapped securely.⁴
• Use it quickly. Raw chicken or turkey keeps 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator; whole birds keep 1 year in the freezer and pieces 9 months.⁵
• Thaw safely. The CDC lists three safe ways to thaw: in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave, and says never to thaw food on the counter.²
• Keep it separate. Use separate cutting boards and plates for raw meat and for ready-to-eat foods, and wash your hands for at least 20 seconds after handling raw chicken.³

After cooking

FoodSafety.gov says to keep hot food at 140°F (60°C) or above until you serve it.³ The CDC says to refrigerate or freeze leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if it’s above 90°F.⁴ Cooked chicken leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge.⁵ When you reheat them, bring them back to 165°F.¹

Frequently asked questions

Is 160°F safe for chicken? The federal chart lists 165°F for all poultry.¹ Our advice: pull the chicken when the thickest part reads 165°F, not before.

What temperature is chicken done in Celsius? 74°C.¹

Do chicken thighs need a higher temperature? The safe minimum is the same 165°F for every cut.¹ Our advice: many cooks take thighs and drumsticks higher for a more tender texture, which is a matter of taste, not safety.

What about turkey? Same as chicken: 165°F, including the stuffing if it’s cooked inside the bird.¹

Checklist

• Poultry, any cut: 165°F (74°C).
• Ground meat: 160°F.
• Whole cuts of beef and pork: 145°F plus a 3-minute rest.
• Thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone.
• Don’t wash raw chicken; do wash your hands.
• Leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours, reheated to 165°F.

Cooking a holiday bird? See how long to thaw a turkey and how long leftovers are good for.