How to Bake Chicken?

Most people would agree that chicken is best served when it is hot and just a bit juicy. If chicken is too dry or has too much moisture it isn’t at its best. That’s why it is very important to understand how to bake chicken. (Fried chicken is another story altogether.)

If you are going to bake a chicken in a conventional oven, you will start by pre-heating the oven to 350 degrees F. A common recipe for baking includes coating pieces of chicken with flour that contains only salt and pepper as seasoning. Chicken pieces should be evenly coated with butter (you’ll need about half a cup). Lay the chicken pieces evenly in a baking pan with low sides. Bake for at least 50 minutes. You may have to bake the pieces a little longer. Just be sure you don’t leave the center of the meat cool and pink. It helps to turn the chicken pieces after 25 to 30 minutes.

There’s More

While this may seem to be all that is needed for baking chicken, there are some important details you still need to know. When you are handling the chicken make sure your hands are clean and dry. Use tongs to pick up pieces during the preparation process. Never use a fork. Poking holes in the meat before baking leads to loss of juices during the baking time.

You should certainly keep the chicken cold until it is time to start preparing it for the oven. Unlike steak, chicken should not be left to sit for 30 minutes to an hour to reach room temperature. But it wouldn’t hurt to let the chicken pieces warm up a bit before putting them in the oven. Use cool water to clean the chicken and wash the surface thoroughly before applying a flour coating or butter.

The finished product might be better if you use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature after baking time expires. The internal temperature should never be below 140 degrees F. For chicken, the best temperature will be a bit higher – 170 degrees or even 180 degrees. If you are going to do any cutting or slicing, make sure your knife is very sharp so that the pieces are cleanly separated.

If you want to add a bit more seasoning to your baked chicken, use a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of black pepper to start. Then you can try some rosemary or thyme as a mild seasoning. You can also use some fresh olive oil to rub the surfaces of the entire chicken or the pieces.

Baking usually takes about an hour to 90 minutes for a whole chicken and about an hour for pieces. To repeat: Use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature of the meat. The outside of the chicken should be golden brown but not dark brown. Let the chicken sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Dry seasonings are great on finished chicken.