what temp does chicken need to cook to
This is less so if the chicken is washed or the veins cleaned. The key is temperature, not color. If you have a meat thermometer, aim for 165-170Â°F (74-77Â°C), keeping in mind that meat will continue cooking for 5-10Â°F (3-6Â°C) once it's pulled and allowed to rest for 5 minutes.