Chicken Cooking Times

The correct chicken cooking times and the precise temperatures for cooking chicken are extremely important. The optimum flavor and tenderness of chicken can be consistently achieved when care is taken to follow the recommended time and temperature guidelines for cooking chicken. This will also 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
Type of Whole Chicken	Oven Temperature	Weight	Unstuffed	Stuffed
Chicken (whole) Chicken (whole) Chicken (whole)	350Â°F 350Â°F 350Â°F	2 1/2 - 3 lbs. 3 - 4 lbs. 4 - 6 lbs.	1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours 1 3/4 - 2 hours	1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours 1 3/4 - 24 hours 2 - 2 1/4hours
Cornish Hen	350Â°F	1 - 2 lbs.	1 - 1 1/4 hours	1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours
Capon Capon	325Â°F 325Â°F	5 - 6 lbs. 6 - 8 lbs.	1 3/4 - 2 hours 2 1/4 - 3 1/2 hours	2 1/2 - 3 hours 3 - 4 hours
Note: Start with chicken at refrigerator temperature. Remove the chicken from the oven when the meat thermometer reads 175Â°- 180Â°F; the temperature will continue to rise as the chicken stands.

Stewed Chicken
Type of Whole Chicken or Chicken Part	Weight	Approximate Cooking Time
Type of Whole Chicken or Chicken Part	Weight	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 180Â°F)
Type of Whole Chicken or Chicken Part	Weight	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) Breast half (boneless)	4 oz. 6 - 8 oz.	8- 10 minutes per side 10 - 15 minutes per side
Leg or thigh	8 or 4 oz.	10 - 15 minutes per side
Drumstick Drumstick	4 oz. 8 - 16 oz.	8 - 12 minutes per side 10 - 15 minutes per side
Wing or wingette/drumette	2 - 3 oz.	8 - 12 minutes per side

Chicken Cooked at 350Â°F in an Oven Bag
Type of Whole Chicken or Chicken Part	Total Weight	Approximate Cooking Time
Type of Whole Chicken or Chicken Part	Total Weight	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 Chicken pieces	2 - 2 1/4 lbs. 2 3/4 - 3 lbs.	45 - 50 minutes	45 - 50 minutes
Chicken thighs Chicken thighs	1/2 - 1 1/2 lbs. 1 1/2 - 2 1/4 lbs.	35 - 40 minutes	35 - 40 minutes
Chicken drumsticks Chicken drumsticks	1 - 1 1/2 lbs. 2 - 2 1/2 lbs.	35 - 40 minutes	35 - 40 minutes
Chicken breast half (bone-in) Chicken breast half (bone-in)	1 1/2 - 2 lbs. 2 - 2 1/2 lbs.	40 - 45 minutes	40 - 45 minutes
Chicken breast half (boneless) Chicken breast half (boneless)	3/4 - 1 lbs. 1 - 1 1/2 lbs.	25 - 30 minutes	25 - 30 minutes
Whole chicken Whole chicken	3 1/2 - 4 lbs. 5 - 7 lbs.	1 - 1 1/4 hours	1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours
Cornish hens Cornish hens	1 1/2 - 3 1/2 lbs. 4 - 7 lbs.	40 - 45 minutes	55 - 60 minutes
Oven Bag Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350Â°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 180Â°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.