How to Bake a Chicken

Co-authored by JoAnna Minneci

Last Updated: January 31, 2023

Baked chicken is an easy dish to prepare for veteran home cooks and beginners alike. Preparation time is minimal, and if you follow these simple directions for how to bake a chicken, you'll be enjoying a hearty entrée in about an hour. There are several different ways that you can bake a chicken, each with a different cooking time. Here are just a few.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (3-4 pounds), cut into parts (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Other seasonings to taste (optional)
Open baking dish or roasting pan

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Baking a Chicken Whole

1
Preheat the oven to 450° F (230° C). If you are using a convection oven, 425° (218° C) is acceptable.
2
Rinse the chicken thoroughly with cold water. Make sure to rinse the cavity, removing any gizzards or internal organs that may have come with packaging. Pat dry after washed.

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3
Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and rub over skin. 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) of olive oil (or butter) should be enough for a 3 pound bird.
4
Season the outside of the chicken with salt and pepper. If other fresh or dried herbs or spices are desired, include them in this step.
5
Place a lemon or two, cut in half, in the cavity of the chicken (optional). The lemon will provide flavor, moisture, and aroma.
6
Place the chicken on a baking dish or roasting pan. Line the bottom of the roasting pan with enough aluminum foil to cover evenly for an easier cleanup.
7
Tie the legs of the chicken together tightly with cotton string. Tying the legs together will help them cook faster. (Typically, breast meat finishes cooking before leg and thigh meat, leaving the white meat dry once the dark meat is fully cooked.)
8
Roast the chicken for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 400°. Continue cooking for 40 more minutes, or until the internal temperature of the bird has reached 175° to 180° F.
9
Once the chicken is cooked, remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil for 15 minutes. This will allow the juices to settle. Cutting immediately after removing from oven will cause the juices to run out, giving you a less moist chicken.
10
Enjoy!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Baking Individual Chicken Pieces

1
Preheat your oven to 400° F. If you are using a conventional electric or gas oven, then preheat it to 400° Fahrenheit (205° Celsius). If you are using a convection oven, then preheat your oven to 375° Fahrenheit (190° Celsius).
2
Prepare the chicken while your oven preheats. If you are using a whole chicken, cut it into pieces (legs, thighs, breasts), rinse the parts and pat them dry with a paper towel. If you are using pre-cut chicken parts, just rinse and pat dry.
3
Pour approximately 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) of extra virgin olive oil into the bottom of the baking dish or roasting pan.
- If you want to save time on cleanup, line the bottom of the roasting pan with enough aluminum foil to cover evenly. When the chicken is done cooking, cleaning is as easy as throwing the aluminum foil away.
4
Add the chicken parts to the baking dish or roasting pan. Toss to coat evenly with the olive oil.
5
Place any aromatics, herbs, or vegetables into the roasting pan (optional). Baked chicken can be taken to new heights with lemon, onion, carrot, garlic, thyme, rosemary, cayenne pepper, and so much more. Browse cookbooks or the internet for combinations that spark your fancy.
6
Sprinkle the chicken pieces lightly with salt, pepper and/or other seasonings to taste.
7
Bake. Place the baking dish or roasting pan into the preheated oven, uncovered, and bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat by 50 degrees and bake for approximately another 30 minutes.
8
Check for doneness about 5 minutes before the scheduled cooking time is elapsed. Poke a fork into the chicken pieces. If the juices run clear, then the chicken is done. If not, return the chicken to the oven and check again in 5 minutes.
- It's always best to test your chicken with a thermometer. Make sure that the meat is 165 °F (74 °C) before you serve it.
9
Allow the chicken to rest. Give the chicken 5 minutes after you remove it from the oven. This allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat, making the baked chicken moist and tender rather than dry.
10
Enjoy!

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Baking a Butterflied Chicken

1
Butterfly your bird. Butterflied chicken is when you remove the backbone and splay the chicken out flat on your pan. Butterflied chicken takes far less time to cook than traditional baked chicken. Because of the uniformity of the bird, many also believe butterflied chickens to be juicier.
2
Preheat the oven to 450° F (230° C). If you are using a convection oven, 425° (218° C) is acceptable.
3
Rinse the chicken thoroughly with cold water. Make sure to rinse the cavity, removing any gizzards or internal organs that may have come with packaging. Pat dry after washed.
4
Start cutting the chicken. Place the chicken breast-side down.
1. Using kitchen shears, cut along one side of backbone, going the length of the chicken.
2. Cut along the other side of the backbone, going the length of the chicken again. Remove backbone.
3. Like a book, open the chicken and locate the keel bone in the center of the bird. It will feel like cartilage and be shaped like a long tooth.
4. Slice across the membrane that holds the keel bone, place two fingers underneath the bone, and pop it out.
5. Turn the chicken over and spread it out like a butterfly, with the legs pulled toward you.
5
Place the chicken on a baking dish or roasting pan. Cover with aluminum foil if desired to cut down on cleanup afterward.
6
Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and rub over skin. 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) of olive oil (or butter) should be enough for a 3 pound bird.
7
Season the outside of the chicken with salt and pepper. If other fresh or dried herbs or spices are desired, include them in this step.
8
Roast the chicken for 45 minutes 450°. Alternately, cook until the internal temperature of the bird has reached 175° to 180° F.
9
Once the chicken is cooked, remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil for 10 to 15 minutes. This will allow the juices to settle. Cutting immediately after removing from oven will cause the juices to run out, giving you a less moist chicken.
10
Enjoy!

Community Q&A

Question

How long should I bake if the chicken is 6 lbs?

Community Answer

For a big chicken such as this, about two and a half hours covered.
Question

How long, and at what temperature, should I cook chicken in a covered roasting pan?

Community Answer

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), and cook the whole (thawed) chicken for 10-15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and roast for 20 minutes per pound. Do not add the extra 15 minutes to the cooking time as with the regular method.

Warnings

Wipe down all kitchen surfaces well with an antibacterial cleaner and disposable paper towel.

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Never use a cloth towel to pat the chicken dry.

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Be sure to use safe handling practices when working with chicken to prevent salmonella poisoning.

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Always use disposable paper towels.

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Use a separate cutting board and knife for the chicken and other food you may be preparing, such as vegetables.

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