Chicken that is black inside is a result of pigment that comes from the bone marrow in the chicken bones that seeps through the porous bones when chicken is cooked and when cooked the pigment turns dark or black.
Overcooking your chicken breast is the reason your chicken always comes out dry.
Chicken breast that always comes out dry and tough is a result of overcooking the chicken breast which leads to tough, try and sawdust like meat with hardly any flavor.
You want to cook the chicken until the juices run clear and the internal temperature of the chicken breasts or other chicken reaches at least 165 F but you don't want to overcook the chicken breasts or other chicken or it comes out tough and dry.
Dry chicken is overcooked and is a very common mistake when cooking chicken.
Chicken cannot be cooked rare or medium rare like red meat can because chicken can contain salmonella which is a bacteria that can be deadly or lead to severe stomach issues.
So chicken must be cooked fully to ensure the salmonella bacteria is killed off.
When chicken juices run clear it means the chicken is fully cooked and if the chicken juices still have some blood or pink color to it then the chicken is not fully done.
When you eat under cooked chicken it can lead to food poisoning due to bacteria and contamination.
Cooking the chicken fully kills off any potential bacteria and contamination that can make you sick so you should never eat raw or under cooked chicken.
Chicken should always be fully cooked before eating it or serving it.
Chicken should be cooked until the internal temperature reaches at least 165 F and the chicken juices run clear.
But as long as all parts of the chicken have reached a minimum internal temperature of 165 F, it is safe to eat.
Even fully cooked poultry can sometimes show a pinkish tinge in the meat and juices.
For fully cooked chicken, if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear, then the chicken is fully cooked.
If the juices of the chicken are red or have a pinkish color, your chicken may need to be cooked a bit longer.
To check if the chicken is fully cooked cut a small cut into the thickest part of the poultry, and if it still appears pink or any blood is present, then the chicken is most likely raw.
And the same sort of idea applies with any fluids and if the juice of the chicken is still pink-tinged, then you should toss it back in the pan.
To Bake Chicken Breast at 400°F: This will take between 22 and 26 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
You can cook chicken breasts at 350°F for closer to 25-30 minutes (although I prefer the higher heat above).