The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has spoken, and they’re not messing around. The official, non-negotiable, safety-net temperature for all chicken is 165°F (74°C) measured in the thickest part of the meat. Don’t even think about eyeballing it—your eyes are liars.
Why 165°F? That’s the temperature where salmonella and campylobacter drop dead faster than a bad joke at a comedy club. Think of it as the chicken’s “I’m safe to hug” temperature.
