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 chicken. Using an accurate meat thermometer is the best way to ensure proper doneness when cooking chicken.
Use the following chart as a guide for whole chicken cooking times, as well as for parts of a chicken, such as the proper chicken breast cooking time. Cooking times are provided for oven-baked or roasted chicken, stewed chicken, grilled chicken, or chicken that is inserted into an oven bag prior to cooking. See the article "Chicken - Checking Doneness" for additional information on cooking times for chicken and for other methods used in determining the proper doneness of chicken meat.
CHICKEN Cooking Times and Temperatures | ||||
Oven Baked or Roasted Chicken | ||||
| Type of Whole Chicken | Oven Temperature | Weight | Approximate Cooking Time | |
| Unstuffed | Stuffed | |||
| Chicken (whole) | 350°F | 2 1/2 - 3 lbs. | 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours | 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours |
| Chicken (whole) | 350°F | 3 - 4 lbs. | 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours | 1 3/4 - 2 hours |
| Chicken (whole) | 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 |
| Note: Start with chicken at refrigerator temperature. Remove the chicken from the oven when the meat thermometer reads 175°- 180°F; the temperature will continue to rise as the chicken stands. | ||||
Stewed Chicken | ||||
| Type of Whole Chicken or Chicken Part | Weight | Approximate Cooking Time | ||
| Unstuffed | Stuffed | |||
| Whole broiler fryer | 3 - 4 lbs. | 1 - 1 1/4 hours | 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 hours | |
| Whole 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 (bone-in) | 6 - 8 oz. | 35 - 45 minutes |  | |
| Breast half (boneless) | 4 oz. | 25 - 30 minutes | ||
| Leg or thigh | 8 or 4 oz. | 40 - 50 minutes | ||
| Drumstick | 4 oz. | 40 - 50 minutes | ||
| Wing or wingette/drumette | 2 - 3 oz. | 35 - 45 minutes | ||
Grilled Chicken | ||||
| Type of Whole Chicken or Chicken Part | Weight | Approximate Cooking Time (internal temperature 180°F) | ||
| Unstuffed | Stuffed | |||
| Whole broiler fryer (indirect heat) | 3 - 4 lbs. | 60 - 70 minutes | 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 hours | |
| Whole 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 capon (indirect heat) | 4 - 8 lbs. | 15 - 20 minutes per lb. | | |
| Breast half (bone-in) | 6 - 8 oz. | 10 - 15 minutes per side | ||
| Breast half (boneless) | 4 oz. | 8- 10 minutes per side | ||
| Breast half (boneless) | 6 - 8 oz. | 10 - 15 minutes per side | ||
| Leg or thigh | 8 or 4 oz. | 10 - 15 minutes per side | ||
| Drumstick | 4 oz. | 8 - 12 minutes per side | ||
| Drumstick | 8 - 16 oz. | 10 - 15 minutes per side | ||
| Wing or wingette/drumette | 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. | ||||
Chicken Cooked at 350°F in an Oven Bag | ||||
| Type of Whole Chicken or Chicken Part |
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" | ||
| 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 chicken. Brush the chicken with vegetable oil or butter. Remove the chicken from the oven when the meat thermometer reaches 180°F. If it is necessary to use a turkey-size oven bag for a chicken, 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. | ||||
