Chicken temperature and leftover safety
The temperatures and storage times to use when you cook chicken for dinner and save the rest for tomorrow.
Cook poultry to 165°F (74°C)
Check the thickest part of the chicken, not the pan juices and not a spot touching bone. A breast and a thigh in the same pan can finish at different times. Pull each piece when it reaches 165°F (74°C), or confirm the coolest piece has reached that temperature before you serve the pan.
Color is not a test. Chicken can look done and still be under temperature, especially near the center of a thick breast.
Cool it, then refrigerate it
Do not leave cooked chicken on the counter to 'finish cooling' for the rest of the evening. Refrigerate it within two hours of cooking, or within one hour if the kitchen is very warm. Spread it in a shallow container so it chills faster.
Use refrigerated cooked chicken within three to four days. Freeze it if you will not eat it in that window.
Reheat until it is hot all the way through
Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C). Add a splash of broth or water to soups and saucy skillets so they do not dry out. If a leftover smells sour or the texture is slimy, throw it out. Do not taste it to decide.