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I love to make chicken stuffed with pesto. I cut the chicken breast in half, and then fill them with pesto and make a roll of it.

I first bake the chicken in a frying pan to give them a nice color, and then put them in the oven to cook until it's done.

However here comes my problem, I want the chicken to be totally done, because I am very afraid to eat raw chicken. However, I now cook them too long to be sure it is not raw anymore. I cook them for at least 20 minutes on 175 degrees Celsius.

I was wondering, can anybody tell me how long I should cook them in the oven on which temperature to be sure it is not raw anymore, but not cook them overdone?

2 Answers 2

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There is no definitive time or temperature that would 100% guarantee your chicken was done without it having a 99% chance of being over cooked and dry.

It's quite hard to use a meat thermometer with stuffed chicken breasts but if your meat/filling has got up to 74°C in the center and there is no pink in the meat you'll be fine.

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    What is hard about using a meat thermometer with stuffed chicken breasts? I have stuck it both in the middle (the filling) and the meat itself without problems.
    – rumtscho
    May 3, 2012 at 10:42
  • I've just always worried about it not being in the thickest bit or not being in deep enough with small cuts of meat; so I'm never as confident as I would be with a joint. In an underdone chicken breast maybe the only bit not up to temp would be right in the centre and about 2mm thick the whole breast would be done other than that. I also worry I'm going to squash all my filling out if I push one side too hard... I'm a worrier!
    – vwiggins
    May 4, 2012 at 15:45
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It depends on the thickness of the cut as well. I usually go at least 20 min for white meat, a little less for dark, at 350 degrees F. Usually that is enough time to see if it is done all the way. You can also apply a little pressure on the meat and see if the juices are coming out pink. One way to cook it in the over to help with dryness is to just cover it up in the same pan you seared the chichen in and bake it, or some foil. My chicken always comes out moist that way.

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