Chicken thigh internal temperature.
A chicken thigh is safe at 165 F in the innermost meat by the joint, not touching bone. Most cooks take it higher, to 175 to 185 F, because dark meat firms up and the fat and connective tissue render. For pulled chicken, 190 to 205 F, probe tender. Those higher numbers are texture, not safety. 165 F is the floor, and nothing changes that.
165 F (73.9 C)
Breasts, whole bird, legs, thighs, wings, ground poultry, giblets and stuffing. For a whole bird, check the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. This is a food safety floor, not a preference. Where any other number on this page is lower, this one governs.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, page updated 2025-04-14, read 2026-09-02.
What this covers at the counter
| Cut | Methods | Finish | Notes | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bone-in, skin-on thigh | smoke, grill | Your doneness, 165 F USDA floor | 165 F minimum; 175 to 185 F is the texture preference. | Thigh |
| Boneless, skinless thigh | grill, smoke | Your doneness, 165 F USDA floor | Cooks fast; still forgiving. | Thigh |
| Whole leg (thigh plus drumstick) | smoke, grill | Your doneness, 165 F USDA floor | Probe the innermost thigh, not touching bone (FSIS). | Thigh |
| Drumsticks | smoke, grill | Your doneness, 165 F USDA floor | Probe alongside the bone, not touching it. FSIS planning: 8 to 12 minutes per side grilled. | Drumstick |
Safe comes first. Tender comes later.
190 to 205 F, probe tender
Dark meat destined for shredding is taken well past 165 F, commonly 190 to 205 F, so the connective tissue renders and the meat pulls. Breast meat is never taken there; it dries.
Probe tender: A thermometer probe or skewer slides into the thickest part with almost no resistance, like into soft butter.
Pit 275 to 325 F. thighs 1.5 to 2 hours at 275 F. Approximate. Rest: 5 to 10 minutes.
Preference, with the minimum printed beside it
chicken dark meat preference
Thighs, drumsticks and whole legs. Culinary preference, barbecue convention.
| Doneness | Internal temp | Vs. USDA 165 F |
|---|---|---|
| Safe minimum (all chicken) | 165 F | At or above the minimum. |
| Dark meat, rendered and tender | 175 to 185 F | At or above the minimum. |
| Pulled or shredded | 190 to 205 F | At or above the minimum. |
Carryover: A whole bird rises several degrees during a 10 minute rest; the rest is for juiciness, USDA requires none.
Where the thermometer goes
Into the innermost thigh meat near the joint, not touching bone. A probe resting on the bone reads high and fools you into pulling early. Boneless thighs are thin, so go in through the side.
- Time:
- 1.5 to 2 hours at 275 F smoked; FSIS planning 10 to 15 minutes per side grilled. Approximate. For pulled chicken, take dark meat to 190 to 205 F, probe tender (craft).
- Rest:
- 5 minutes.
- Slice:
- Served whole or pulled.
- The danger zone. Bacteria grow fastest between 40 F and 140 F, doubling in as little as 20 minutes. Never leave food out of refrigeration more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when the air is above 90 F. Hold hot food at or above 140 F and cold food at or below 40 F.
- Where the probe goes. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the food, not touching bone, fat or gristle. For thin foods insert through the side. Check large or irregular pieces in several places. For a whole bird check the innermost thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
- Colour is not doneness. Appearance and colour are not reliable indicators of safety or doneness. A burger can be brown and unsafe or pink and safe. Pork at 145 F can be pink. Smoked chicken can stay pink at the bone at 165 F.
- The 3 minute rest is part of the 145 F rule. For whole-muscle beef, pork, lamb, goat and veal the safety rule is 145 F AND a rest of at least 3 minutes before carving or eating. The rest is not optional and it is not the same thing as the long barbecue rest.
- 01Pulling at 165 F when you wanted rendered dark meat; it is safe but chewy at the joint.
- 02Skin down in a low smoker without a hot finish.
Cook it, then log it
The chicken temperature page covers every cut. The thigh cut guide has the woods, the mistakes and the recipes. Also: chicken breast internal temp.