what temp does chicken need to be at

February 14, 2026

Chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the meat to be safe to eat, for any cut (breast, thighs, wings, whole bird, ground chicken).

Quick Scoop

Minimum safe internal temp for all chicken: 165°F / 74°C.

Check it in the thickest part of the piece, not touching bone, with a food thermometer.

Let it rest a few minutes after cooking; the temp can rise slightly from carryover heat.

Dark meat (thighs, drumsticks) is still safe at 165°F, but many cooks go to 170–180°F (77–82°C) for better tenderness and flavor.

Color can mislead you: chicken can still look a bit pink and be safe if it’s at 165°F.

Simple Step-By-Step Check

Cook your chicken using your preferred method (oven, stove, grill, air fryer).
Near the end, insert an instant‑read thermometer into the thickest part , avoiding bone and the pan.

If it reads 165°F / 74°C or higher , it’s safe.
For thighs/drums, you can keep cooking to around 175°F–180°F / 79–82°C if you want softer, “fall‑apart” meat.

Let it rest a few minutes, then serve.

Quick HTML Table (safe temps)

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Chicken cut</th>
      <th>Safe internal temp</th>
      <th>Best eating range</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Breast</td>
      <td>165°F / 74°C [web:1][web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>Pull at ~160–165°F, let rest [web:1]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Thighs / drumsticks</td>
      <td>165°F / 74°C (safe) [web:1][web:3][web:5]</td>
      <td>Often cooked to 175–180°F / 79–82°C for tenderness [web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Whole chicken</td>
      <td>165°F / 74°C in both breast and thigh [web:1][web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>Can take thighs a bit higher for texture [web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Ground chicken</td>
      <td>165°F / 74°C [web:1][web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>No pink remaining if fully mixed, check center [web:1]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Little Story-Style Example

You roast a whole chicken for a weeknight dinner. After about an hour, you probe the breast and see 163°F, and the thigh reads 171°F. You give it 5 more minutes, the breast hits 166°F and the thigh 178°F, then you rest it 10 minutes before carving. The chicken is juicy, the dark meat is fall‑apart tender, and you’re comfortably within the food‑safe zone.

TL;DR: Aim for 165°F / 74°C in the thickest part for safe chicken, and consider a bit hotter on dark meat if you like it extra tender.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.