What temperature should a meat probe read when cooking chicken?
Depends on the cut of chicken and how dry you like it. Some government agencies say cook it until dry and tasteless, but I prefer to cook a little less. Guidelines say 180 degrees for whole poultry, 170 for breasts, and 165 for ground poultry. I usually cook breasts to about 160-165, depending on size (larger to a lower temperature), then take out of the oven, cover with foil, and let residual heat bring them up to temp. If you cook to 170, then take out of the oven or other heat, you end up with 180 or 185 degree dry chicken. The larger the piece, the lower the temp you cook to, because it will still continue to cook after you take it out of the oven. A large chicken can easily climb 10 or 15 degrees even after you take it out of the oven and even if not covered. For whole chicken, use a digital thermometer with a remote probe and you can monitor the internal temp from the outside of the oven. I would pull when the thigh is 170 or the breast is 170, then cover with foil and remove fro
