Breast
Chicken
Important — cook fully through
Chicken and turkey must never be served rare or pink. Cook to a minimum internal temperature of 74 °C / 165 °F to kill salmonella and campylobacter. Check the thickest part — not touching bone.
Chicken breast has a narrow margin for error. The breast muscle carries almost no intramuscular fat to mask overcooking, and the USDA safe minimum of 74 °C (165 °F) sits very close to the temperature at which the meat starts to dry out. Pulling at exactly 74 °C with a brief rest gets you the juiciest legal-safe chicken — but technique matters more here than for any other cut.
How to measure
The probe goes into the thickest part of the breast, parallel to the cutting board so you're reading the centre of the meat, not the surface. For a whole bone-in breast, slide the probe in toward the keel bone but stop short of touching it. Bone reads warmer than the meat around it, so a probe in contact with bone will overstate doneness.
Cooking methods
Pan-sear
Pat dry, season heavily. Medium-high heat, oil in the pan, 4–5 minutes skin-down for a skin-on breast (3 minutes if skinless). Flip, drop heat to medium, finish to 73 °C (163 °F) — about 4–6 more minutes for a 2.5 cm breast. Carryover takes it to the safe 74 °C.
Roast
Oven at 220 °C (425 °F), breast brushed with oil or butter. A 200 g bone-in breast hits 74 °C in 25–30 minutes; a boneless breast in about 18. Higher heat for shorter time keeps the surface dry enough to brown without overcooking the interior.
Sous-vide
60 °C (140 °F) for 1.5–4 hours, then a quick sear in a hot pan for colour. Pasteurisation at 60 °C is held long enough to be food-safe (USDA's time-temperature tables back this), and the breast stays remarkably tender — well below the 74 °C instant-kill threshold but equivalent in actual food-safety terms.
Common mistakes
- Cooking unevenly thick breasts whole. Modern chicken breasts often have a thick lobe and a thin tail. Either pound to even thickness or fold the thin end under so they finish at the same time.
- Skipping the brine. 30 minutes in a 5% salt solution adds about 10% retained moisture — chicken pulled at safe temperature stays juicy instead of stringy.
- Trusting the time, not the probe. Breast size varies wildly. A 150 g and a 280 g breast can look the same on the plate but need very different cook times.
- Cutting immediately. Even a 3-minute rest matters. Slice straight from heat and you'll lose enough juice to make the meat noticeably drier.
Frequently asked questions
Is 74 °C / 165 °F really necessary?
That's the instant-kill temperature in USDA guidance. Salmonella is actually destroyed at lower temperatures if held longer — 60 °C (140 °F) for 30 minutes is equivalent. Sous-vide cooks use this. For conventional cooking the simple rule is to hit 74 °C briefly.
Can chicken breast be slightly pink and still safe?
Colour isn't a reliable indicator. Chicken cooked to 74 °C can still look faintly pink near bone (a chemical reaction with myoglobin), and overcooked chicken can stay grey. The only reliable test is internal temperature.
Why does my chicken breast always come out dry?
Almost always because it's pulled too late. The window from juicy to dry is narrow — about 3 °C. Use a probe and pull at 73 °C; carryover takes it to 74 °C.
Bone-in or boneless — which is better?
Bone-in retains more moisture and develops more flavour during roasting but takes about 50% longer. Boneless is faster and easier to portion evenly. For weeknight cooking, boneless. For a Sunday roast or stock, bone-in.
Can I cook chicken breast from frozen?
Yes, but only with longer, lower-heat methods. Roasting from frozen at 175 °C (350 °F) for 50% longer than fresh usually works. Don't grill or pan-sear from frozen — the outside burns before the inside reaches safe temperature.