Poulet Paranoia: What about Salmonella?

A properly roasted chicken is still a little pink (although not at all raw or translucent) on the inner part of the leg. Most of us overcook poultry out of fear of salmonella. This fear is well founded, since many of our chickens have been contaminated by careless handling, but our caution is often misplaced. Salmonella bacteria live on the surface and in the cavity of contaminated poultry, not within the meat. So as long as the surface of a chicken is well browned and the inside cavity has reached 145°F[62°C] (or even 140° [60°C]), there’s little risk of infection. I have been criticized for cooking poultry to 140°F[60°C] between the leg and breast (the last part of any bird where the heat penetrates) and then letting the bird rest, which brings the temperature up to 145°F[62°C]. Salmonella is killed at 140°F[60°C], but the Food and Drug Administration says that poultry should be cooked to 170°F[76°C]. The choice is yours.