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I'm making tikka masala tonight, and the chicken is marinating in a yogurt mixture. I've already made a sauce to eat it with, but I was wondering if there was a way to bring the marinade to a boil so that I could safely consume it too.

I heard that adding cornstarch to yogurt helps keep it from splitting, but would that be enough if it has to come to a rolling boil anyway?

eternal
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Good news! There is no reason to bring the marinade to a rolling boil as a simmer will siffice. Chicken and other items that have been in contact with raw chicken are considered safe at 165 degrees (See http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html). A simmer is generally about 180. If the sauce breaks however, you are correct that a cornstarch slurry should pull the marinade back together no problem. Happy cooking!

MZW
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  • The chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165. This can be done with simmering, but depending on the size of chicken chunks, it can need a very long time and very precise temperature control during that time. Also, yogurt can split at simmering temperatures too. So strategies for preventing the yogurt from splitting are important even though the sauce does not have to come to a boil by food safety standards. – rumtscho Jul 15 '15 at 06:24