In laser-assisted machining (LAM), laser beam is used to locally increase the temperature of a workpiece and thus to enhance the machinability. In order to set the temperature of the material removal area of a workpiece at an optimal value, process parameters, such as laser power, feed rate, and rotational velocity, have to be carefully controlled. In this work, the effects of laser power and feed rate on the temperature distribution of a silicon nitride rotating at a constant velocity were experimentally investigated. Using a pyrometer, temperatures at various locations of the silicon nitride were measured both in circumferential and axial directions. The measured temperatures were fitted to a quadratic equation to approximate the temperature at the cutting location. The machining results showed that cutting force and tool wear were decreased when the temperature at the cutting location was increased.