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Guide
For chicken, the UK Food Standards Agency advises a core temperature of 70°C for two minutes, or an equivalent time-and-temperature combination. Check the thickest part without touching bone.
Insert a clean probe into the centre of the thickest section. The FSA lists 70°C for two minutes, 75°C for 30 seconds and other equivalent combinations; holding time matters as well as the displayed number.
Probe from the side into the thickest part so the sensing tip reaches the centre. Take another reading in the coolest-looking section and avoid the tray, bone and empty cavity.
Measure the thickest flesh beside, not against, the bone. Check more than one piece when cooking a batch because size and oven position can change the finishing time.
Move the chicken away from direct flame before probing and check several pieces. Thin portions can be tested from the side; clean the stem after it touches undercooked meat.
Ambient temperature is the air temperature around the food inside an oven, barbecue or smoker. It helps track the cooker, but it does not replace a core reading inside the chicken.
Do not reuse the chicken target automatically for steak, burgers, sausages, duck or lamb. Follow current official guidance for the food and cooking method, then place the probe in its thermal centre.
Common questions
The FSA gives 70°C for two minutes or an equivalent combination such as 75°C for 30 seconds. Measure the centre of the thickest part.
Some devices can display ambient air temperature, but response and accuracy depend on the stated operating range. A food probe is not a substitute for a calibrated room thermometer.
It is the temperature around the food in the cooker, not the food's internal temperature. Wireless probes may use a separate sensor near the exposed end.
Only if its manual permits liquids and the measuring range covers the water temperature. Keep non-waterproof displays, joints and cables out of the liquid.
No. Kitchen thermometers are not designed or validated as clinical devices; use a medical thermometer according to its instructions.
There is no single consumer accuracy figure for every device. For food businesses, use equipment suitable for the process and check it according to the maker's instructions and your food-safety system.
Keep exploring
Thermapen ONE is our top all-round pick for fast spot checks. ThermoPro TP19H is the simpler alternative, while DOT and MEATER Pro suit cooks who need continuous monitoring.
Pick a folding digital thermometer for rapid checks or a leave-in digital probe for alarms during a roast. Accuracy and sensing-tip placement matter more than extra presets.
An instant-read thermometer suits quick checks; a leave-in or wireless probe is better for tracking a roast without repeatedly opening the oven.