Here’s the thing I learned while staring at that thermometer like it owed me money: cooking chicken safely is incredibly easy, but the anxiety makes it feel impossible. The USDA gave us 165°F as a one-size-fits-all solution because the average person doesn’t want to do math with a timer. And that’s fine.
But if you want your chicken to taste like something you’d actually pay for at a restaurant, invest in that thermometer and learn the 155°F rule. You’ll impress yourself. You’ll impress your friends. And you’ll never have to order pizza out of fear again.
Unless, of course, you really just want pizza. Which is always a valid choice. No judgment here.
