How can you tell if a chicken is cooked?

There are a number of ways to determine if chicken is thoroughly cooked and ready to eat.

• For whole chickens, a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, but not near bone or fat, should register 180 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit before removing from the oven.
• For stuffed whole chicken, insert the thermometer into the center of the body cavity. When the stuffing registers 160 degrees Fahrenheit, the chicken should be done. (Note: Chicken should only be stuffed just before roasting. Never stuff a chicken ahead of time.)
• For roasted whole chicken breasts, the meat thermometer should register 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
• To test bone-in chicken pieces, insert a fork in the chicken. It should go in with ease and the juices should run clear. However, the meat and juices nearest the bones might still be a little pink even though the chicken is cooked thoroughly.
• Boneless chicken pieces are done when the centers are no longer pink; you can determine this by simply cutting into the chicken with a knife.