Using the recommended time and temperature guidelines will ensure that the meat is cooked to the minimum safe internal temperature, which is critical in preventing food-borne illness that can be caused by undercooked poultry. Using an accurate meat thermometer is the best way to ensure the proper doneness of poultry.
Use the following chart as a cooking time and temperature guide for various types of poultry that are oven baked or roasted, stewed, grilled, or are inserted into an oven bag prior to cooking. See the articles, "Chicken - Checking Doneness" and "Turkey Doneness" for additional information on determining the proper doneness of these types of meat.
POULTRY Cooking Times and Temperatures | ||||
Oven Baked or Roasted Poultry | ||||
| Type of Poultry | Oven Temperature | Weight | Approximate Cooking Time | |
| Unstuffed | Stuffed | |||
| Chicken | 350°F | 2 1/2 - 3 lbs. | 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours | 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours |
| Chicken | 350°F | 3 - 4 lbs. | 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours |
1 3/4 - 2 hours |
| Chicken | 350°F | 4 - 6 lbs. | 1 3/4 - 2 hours | 2 - 2 1/4 hours |
| Cornish hen | 350°F | 1 - 2 lbs. | 1 - 1 1/4 hours | 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours |
| Capon | 325°F | 5 - 6 lbs. | 1 3/4 - 2 hours | 2 1/2 - 3 hours |
| Capon | 325°F | 6 - 8 lbs. | 2 1/4 - 3 1/2 hours | 3 - 4 hours |
| Turkey (whole) | 325°F | 8 - 12 lbs. | 2 3/4 - 3 hours | 3 - 3 1/2 hours |
| Turkey (whole) | 325°F | 12 - 14 lbs. | 3 - 3 3/4 hours | 3 1/2 - 4 hours |
| Turkey (whole) | 325°F | 14 - 18 lbs. | 3 3/4 - 4 1/4 hours |
4 - 4 1/4 hours |
| Turkey (whole) | 325°F | 18 - 20 lbs. | 4 1/4 - 4 1/2 hours | 4 1/4 - 4 3/4 hours |
| Turkey (whole) | 325°F | 20 - 24 lbs. | 4 1/2 - 5 hours | 4 3/4 - 5 1/2 hours |
| Turkey breast (half) | 325°F | 2 - 3 lbs. | 50 - 60 minutes |
 |
| Turkey breast (whole) | 325°F | 4 - 6 lbs. | 1 1/2 - 2 1/4 hours | |
| Turkey breast (whole) | 325°F | 6 - 8 lbs. | 2 1/4 - 3 1/4 hours | |
| Turkey drumsticks | 325°F | 3/4 - 1 lb. | 2 - 2 1/4 hours | |
| Turkey thighs | 325°F | 3/4 - 1 lb. | 1 3/4 - 2 hours | |
| Turkey wings | 325°F | 6 - 8 oz. | 1 3/4 - 2 1/4 hours | |
| Goose | 350°F | 10 - 12 lbs. | 2 3/4 - 3 1/4 hours | 3 - 3 1/2 hours |
| Duck | 350°F | 4 - 5 lbs. | 2 - 2 1/2 hours | 2 1/2 - 2 3/4 hours |
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Note: Start with meat at refrigerator temperature. Remove the meat from the oven when the meat thermometer reads 175°- 180°F; the temperature will continue to rise as the meat stands. | ||||
Stewed Poultry | ||||
| Type of Poultry | Weight | Approximate Cooking Time | ||
| Unstuffed | Stuffed | |||
| Whole chicken, broiler fryer | 3 - 4 lbs. | 1 - 1 1/4 hours | 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 hours | |
| Whole chicken, roaster | 5 - 7 lbs. | 1 3/4 - 2 hours | 2 - 2 1/2 hours | |
| Whole Cornish hens | 18 - 24 oz. | 35 - 40 minutes | 50 - 70 minutes | |
| Breast half, chicken (bone-in) | 6 - 8 oz. | 35 - 45 minutes | | |
| Breast half, chicken (boneless) | 4 oz. | 25 - 30 minutes | ||
| Leg or thigh, chicken | 8 or 4 oz. | 40 - 50 minutes | ||
| Drumstick, chicken | 4 oz. | 40 - 50 minutes | ||
| Wing or wingette/drumette, chicken | 2 - 3 oz. | 35 - 45 minutes | ||
Grilled Poultry | ||||
| Type of Poultry | Weight | Approximate Cooking Time (internal temperature 180°F) | ||
| Unstuffed | Stuffed | |||
| Whole chicken, broiler fryer (indirect heat) | 3 - 4 lbs. | 60 - 70 minutes | 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 hours | |
| Whole chicken, roaster (indirect heat) | 5 - 7 lbs. | 18 - 25 minutes per lb. | 23 - 55 minutes per lb. | |
| Whole cornish hens (indirect heat) | 18 - 24 oz. | 45 - 55 minutes | 1 - 1 1/2 hours | |
| Whole turkey (indirect heat) | 8 - 12 lbs. | 2 - 3 hours | | |
| Whole turkey (indirect heat) | 12 - 16 lbs. | 3 - 4 hours | ||
| Whole duckling (indirect heat) | 4 1/2 lbs. | 2 1/2 hours | ||
| Whole goose (indirect heat) | 8 - 12 lbs. | 18 - 20 minutes per lb. | ||
| Whole capon (indirect heat) | 4 - 8 lbs. | 15 - 20 minutes per lb. | ||
| Breast half, chicken (bone-in) | 6 - 8 oz. | 10 - 15 minutes per side | ||
| Breast half, chicken (boneless) | 4 oz. | 8 - 10 minutes per side | ||
| Breast half, chicken (boneless) | 6 - 8 oz. | 10 - 15 minutes per side | ||
| Leg or thigh, chicken | 8 or 4 oz. | 10 - 15 minutes per side | ||
| Drumstick, chicken | 4 oz. | 8 - 12 minutes per side | ||
| Drumstick, chicken | 8 - 16 oz. | 10 - 15 minutes per side | ||
| Wing or wingette/drumette, chicken | 2 - 3 oz. | 8 - 12 minutes per side | ||
| Note: When grilling with Indirect Heat generally the coals (or burners on a gas grill) are heated to a high heat. When grilling with Direct Heat the coals (or burners on a gas grill) are heated to a medium heat. Use these heat settings unless you have a recipe that states something different. See how to test the grill temperature. | ||||
Poultry Cooked at 350°F in an Oven Bag | ||||
| Type of Poultry | Total Weight | Approximate Cooking Time | ||
| Regular-Size Oven Bag 10" x 16" |
Large-Size Oven Bag 14" x 20" |
Turkey-Size Oven Bag 19" x 23 1/2" | ||
| Whole turkey (unstuffed) | 8 - 12 lbs. | |
1 1/2 - 2 hours | |
| Whole turkey (unstuffed) | 12 - 16 lbs. | |
2 - 2 1/2 hours | |
| Whole turkey (unstuffed) | 16 - 20 lbs. | 2 1/2 - 3 hours | ||
| Whole turkey (unstuffed) | 20 - 24 lbs. | 3 - 3 1/2 hours | ||
| Whole turkey (stuffed) | 8 - 12 lbs. | 2 - 2 1/2 hours | | |
| Whole turkey (stuffed) | 12 - 16 lbs. | |
2 1/2 - 3 hours | |
| Whole turkey (stuffed) | 16 - 20 lbs. | 3 - 3 1/2 hours | ||
| Whole turkey (stuffed) | 20 - 24 lbs. | 3 1/2 - 4 hours | ||
| Turkey breast (bone-in) | 4 - 8 lbs. | 1 1/4 - 2 hours | | |
| Turkey breast (bone-in) | 10 - 12 lbs. | |
2 1/4 - 2 3/4 hours | |
| Turkey breast (boneless) | 2 1/2 - 3 lbs. | 1 1/4-1 3/4 hours | | |
| Turkey breast (boneless) | 5 lbs. | |
2-2 1/4 hours | |
| Turkey breast (boneless) | 8 - 12 lbs. | |
3 - 3 1/2 hours | |
| Turkey drumsticks | 1 1/2 - 2 lbs. | 1 1/2-1 3/4 hours | | |
| Turkey drumsticks | 2 - 3 lbs. | |
1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours | |
| Chicken pieces | 2 - 2 1/4 lbs. | 45 - 50 minutes | | |
| Chicken pieces | 2 3/4 - 3 lbs. | |
45 - 50 minutes | |
| Chicken thighs | 1/2 - 1 1/2 lbs. | 35 - 40 minutes | | |
| Chicken thighs | 1 1/2 - 2 1/4 lbs. | |
35 - 40 minutes | |
| Chicken drumsticks |
1 - 1 1/2 lbs. | 35 - 40 minutes | | |
| Chicken drumsticks | 2 - 2 1/2 lbs. | |
35 - 40 minutes | |
| Chicken breast half (bone-in) | 1 1/2 - 2 lbs. | 40 - 45 minutes | | |
| Chicken breast half (bone-in) | 2 - 2 1/2 lbs. | |
40 - 45 minutes | |
| Chicken breast half (boneless) | 3/4 - 1 lbs. | 25 - 30 minutes | | |
| Chicken breast half (boneless) | 1 - 1 1/2 lbs. | |
25 - 30 minutes | |
| Whole chicken | 3 1/2 - 4 lbs. | 1 - 1 1/4 hours | | |
| Whole chicken | 5 - 7 lbs. | |
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours | |
| Cornish hens | 1 1/2 - 3 1/2 lbs. | 40 - 45 minutes | | |
| Cornish hens | 4 - 7 lbs. | |
55 - 60 minutes | |
| Oven Bag Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add 1 tablespoon flour to the oven bag and distribute evenly on the inside of the bag prior to inserting the poultry. Brush the poultry with vegetable oil or butter. Remove the poultry from the oven when the meat thermometer reaches 180°F. If using a turkey-size oven bag for poultry smaller than 12 lbs., gather the oven bag loosely around the meat allowing room for heat circulation; then close the bag with a nylon tie, and cut away any excess oven bag. | ||||
