The official answer, handed down by the USDA and every food safety nerd, is 165°F (about 74°C) at the thickest part of the meat. This temperature is the magic number that kills Salmonella and Campylobacter—the uninvited partygoers you do not want at your dinner. Think of it as the bouncer at the club door: no ID, no entry.
But here’s the twist: 165°F is a safety floor, not a flavor ceiling. A dry, rubbery breast at 170°F is a tragedy for your taste buds, even if it’s safe. The secret is to pull the chicken off the heat at around 160°F to 162°F, because it will keep climbing another 3 to 5 degrees during the rest. That extra minute of patience saves you from chewing on a shoe.
