Five Ways To Cook Chicken At The Perfect Temperature

The perfect internal temperature is dependent on more than the cooking time and temperature. There are many ways to cook chicken correctly.

Heat your meat. Allow meat to come to room temperature before you cook it. A whole bird can take up to an hour while individual cuts of meat should be left alone for 20 minutes. Tempering is important for even cooking. If the meat's center is at room temperature, rather than in the fridge, when you are ready to cook it will take less time to get to the right internal temperature Chicken Internal Temp.

Be sure to heat your oven thoroughly before placing the bird in it. It may take longer for the chicken to cook if the oven is not fully preheated. The chicken might also cook unevenly, and may be undercooked in certain areas.

Verify that your oven has been calibrated. Turn on the oven and make sure that the temperature reading on the thermometer matches the temperature reading on the oven dial. You might need to have your oven serviced, or adjust your cooking time accordingly.

Find out the cooking times for various cuts of chicken. Refer to the USDA guidelines for a good estimate.

A meat thermometer is a quick-read device that will instantly tell you if your chicken has reached 165oF.