How Long to Bake Chicken

Are you one of those fast food junkies who have to go on a guilt trip each time they have to eat fried foods? Well, maybe it is time to switch to a healthier and tastier option of cooking chicken and that is by baking it. Baking chicken in oven whether whole or in pieces helps to bring forth the delectable taste and the pleasing aroma of the chicken recipes. You can bake a whole chicken or bake individual pieces like chicken breasts, thighs and wings. However, improperly cooked chicken might also be a carrier of food poisoning bacteria like salmonella and campylobacter, not to forget that they will be dry, tough, and stringy. Here is a look at the ways and time of baking the chicken in the oven.

How Long To Bake Whole Chicken
Cooking a whole chicken is a great way to impress your guests at the next dinner. Before baking the whole chicken, you need to marinade it and let it bake for around 1½-2 hours in the oven set at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. For a basic whole baked chicken, season the inside of the chicken by rubbing it with salt and pepper and rub the outside with olive oil along with salt and pepper to season. Some other great alternatives are the use of herbs like thyme, sage and rosemary. Now cook the chicken for one and a half hours or until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit for thighs. Then, take it out of the oven, remove the cover and bake it again for twenty to thirty minutes and check with a meat thermometer. Ideally a 3-5 lb. broiler needs 1¼-1½ hours for baking while 6-8 lb. roaster needs to be cooked for 1½-2½ hours. Leave the skin on while you bake the chicken to retain the flavors and the moisture.

How Long to Bake Boneless Chicken
Boneless chicken cooks much faster than the bone in chicken cuts. Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. Ideally a boneless chicken thigh of around 3 oz. each needs to be cooked for around 20-30 minutes or till the internal temperature is 160 degree Fahrenheit. You need to turn around each side for after six to eight minutes. Similarly, a boneless chicken breast weighing around 4 oz. each should be baked at around 20-30 minutes or till the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Brining the boneless chicken before baking it helps the chicken to retain it's flavor while being tender and moist after baking.

How Long to Bake Bone In Chicken Pieces
Bone in chicken pieces need a longer cooking time. Well, chicken breasts, bone-in needs to be cooked at 350-375 °F. for 30-40 minutes with the browning done for 10-15 minutes on each side. It should reach an internal temperature of 170 °F for every 6-8 oz. of breasts. Chicken legs or chicken drumsticks can be cooked for 35-45 minutes at 350-375 degree Fahrenheit. Keep rotating the sides at regular intervals of 8-12 minutes per side and check for an internal temperature of 170 °F after baking. Similarly, cook your bone in chicken thighs for 40 to 50 minutes at 350-375 °F rotating in intervals of 10 to 15 minutes per side.

Although knowing this can help you in baking your chicken pieces or a whole chicken to perfection, you still need to check if the chicken is fully cooked. Piercing the meat and examining the juices is a common method of checking if the chicken is cooked. While in a fully cooked chicken, the juices run clear, undercooked juices will be pink or discolored. Another way to check if the chicken is baked properly is by using meat thermometers. Pierce the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone, and leave the thermometer in place at least thirty seconds for an accurate internal temperature reading. So, while thigh meat should reach an internal temperature of 180 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit, breast meat should reach at least 170 °F.