Temperature guide
Chicken thigh temperature: bone-in and boneless
The USDA home-cooking minimum for chicken thigh is 165°F (74°C). A higher cooking endpoint for texture is a preference, not a different safety rule.
U.S. home food-safety guidance.Check the source and scope
What to do
- On a bone-in thigh, insert from the fleshy side toward the thickest center without touching bone. Recheck from another angle if the tip meets bone.
- For a flattened boneless thigh, slide the probe in from the edge so its sensing area stays within meat.
- Check the largest and smallest pieces separately when thickness varies.
Conditions and limits
- A reading at the joint or against the roasting tray can mislead.
- Dark meat may be cooked longer for preferred tenderness; do not label a preferred endpoint the USDA minimum.
Source and scope
Primary reference: USDA FSIS Food Thermometers. Equipment-specific steps and quality suggestions are practical guidance; check the appliance or product instructions for your model. How this site uses sources.