Here's The Secret For Perfectly Moist Chicken
The table is set, the candles are lit, the wine is poured. You sit down to a beautiful chicken dinner, biting into meat that's so dry, your dinner guests guzzle half the wine on their first bite. What happened? You listened to Martha Stewart and Rachael Ray when they taught you how to time the cook on your chicken. Where did you go wrong? According to Food Network, achieving perfectly-cooked, and moist, chicken is all about the temperature. The chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the chicken hits that temperature, you're golden. Pull the chicken, and let it rest. It's done.
Not only will cooking chicken to a temperature of 165 degrees help ensure tender, moist chicken, but it can also protect you from getting sick. Cooking chicken properly helps avoid salmonella poisoning. Trust us, you do not want salmonella poisoning. It can result in symptoms such as stomach cramps, diarrhea, and fever. With that lovely image in your mind, let's move on and talk about how you can always cook your chicken to the proper temperature.
How to make sure a chicken's temperature is right
Different meats require different temperatures to ensure their safety. According to FoodSafety.gov, pork and beef need to reach a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, while all poultry, leftovers and casseroles, need to be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. It can be tricky to use a meat thermometer for the first time, though. If you hit a bone, don't insert it into the thickest part of the meat, or get too close to the frying pan, you can get a false reading. So, let's discuss the no-fail ways to use a meat thermometer.
According to The Manual, in order to get a proper temperature read, you want to insert your thermometer at least an inch and a half into the meat. If you're cooking something thin, you can start from the side of the meat, instead of the top. Using an analog thermometer? Give it at least 15 seconds to settle on the temperature. If your thermometer is digital, hold tight until the numbers stay the same (around six seconds). That's it! Enjoy your next chicken dinner.