Dishes with chicken as a core ingredient are a favorite all over the world. Everyone from children to adults tend to enjoy various food items containing chicken. For fast food junkies who have to go on a guilt trip each time they have to eat fried food, a healthier and tastier option of baking is good news. Baked chicken recipes are becoming more and more popular all over the globe, with infinite options available according to the choices and tastes in various places. Baking chicken in an oven is not only an easier and quicker way of cooking chicken, it is also extremely enjoyable for people who love to experiment with their cooking skills. Baking chicken, either whole or cut, brings forth its scrumptious taste and a pleasing aroma. However, improperly cooked chicken might also be a carrier of food poisoning bacteria, such as salmonella and campylobacter, not to forget that it will be dry, firm, and stringy. Different kinds of chicken needs to be treated differently, and all of them need to be baked at a specific temperature for a specific period of time.
Baking Bone-in Chicken
Bone-in chicken pieces need a longer cooking time than boneless chicken wherein the meat tends to be softer and more tender. The baking time also depends to a large extent on the type of chicken cut and its size. Larger pieces need more baking time than the smaller ones. One needs to keep on turning them around at regular intervals for uniform browning on both the sides. If it is some kind of a stuffed chicken recipe, it will take 15 to 20 minutes more than what it normally does. Also, a roaster takes more time to cook than a broiler. Following are the baking times required for different kinds of bone-in chicken cuts.
Thigh (with skin)Quantity: 7 ounces
Baking Temperature: 400 F
Approx. Baking Time: 40-50 minutes
Approx. Calories: 140Thigh (skinless)Quantity: 5 ounces
Baking Temperature: 400 F
Approx. Baking Time: 35-40 minutes
Approx. Calories: 135 Breast (with skin)Quantity: 8 ounces
Baking Temperature: 450 F
Approx. Baking Time: 35-40 minutes
Approx. Calories: 185Breast (skinless)Quantity: 6 ounces
Baking Temperature: 400 F
Approx. Baking Time: 25-30 minutes
Approx. Calories: 150 Leg Quarters (with skin)Quantity: 8 ounces
Baking Temperature: 350 F
Approx. Baking Time: 40-50 minutes
Approx. Calories: 370Leg Quarters (skinless)Quantity: 6 ounces
Baking Temperature: 350 F
Approx. Baking Time: 35-45 minutes
Approx. Calories: 260 Wings (with skin)Quantity: 3 ounces
Baking Temperature: 350 F
Approx. Baking Time: 20-30 minutes
Approx. Calories: 130Wings (skinless)Quantity: 2 ounces
Baking Temperature: 350 F
Approx. Baking Time: 20-25 minutes
Approx. Calories: 85 Drumsticks (with skin)Quantity: 3 ounces
Baking Temperature: 350 F
Approx. Baking Time: 35-45 minutes
Approx. Calories: 115Drumsticks (skinless)Quantity: 2 ounces
Baking Temperature: 400 F
Approx. Baking Time: 25-35 minutes
Approx. Calories: 85 Whole Chicken (with skin)Quantity: 90 ounces
Baking Temperature: 425 F
Approx. Baking Time: 35-45 minutes
Approx. Calories: 1140Whole Chicken (skinless)Quantity: 80 ounces
Baking Temperature: 425 F
Approx. Baking Time: 30-40 minutes
Approx. Calories: 1035
Baking Boneless Chicken
Usually, boneless chicken cooks faster than the one with bones. This again depends on the size of the chicken pieces. The thicker and bigger the pieces are, the more time it tends to take. Sometimes, brining the boneless chicken before baking helps to retain its flavor, while keeping it tender and moist at the same time. Following are the baking times needed for cooking various boneless chicken cuts.
Thigh (with skin)Quantity: 4 ounces
Baking Temperature: 325 F
Approx. Baking Time: 20-30 minutes
Approx. Calories: 280Thigh (skinless)Quantity: 3 ounces
Baking Temperature: 325 F
Approx. Baking Time: 15-25 minutes
Approx. Calories: 175 Breast (with skin)Quantity: 5 ounces
Baking Temperature: 400 F
Approx. Baking Time: 25-30 minutes
Approx. Calories: 235Breast (skinless)Quantity: 4 ounces
Baking Temperature: 400 F
Approx. Baking Time: 25-30 minutes
Approx. Calories: 210 Legs (with skin)Quantity: 5 ounces
Baking Temperature: 425 F
Approx. Baking Time: 15-20 minutes
Approx. Calories: 390Legs (skinless)Quantity: 4 ounces
Baking Temperature: 425 F
Approx. Baking Time: 15-20 minutes
Approx. Calories: 290 Ground ChickenQuantity: 20 ounces
Baking Temperature: 390 F
Approx. Baking Time: 15-20 minutes
Approx. Calories: 710
Although abiding by all the things mentioned above can help you in baking your chicken to perfection, you still need to check if the chicken is fully cooked or not. Piercing the meat with a toothpick or a fork is a common and most feasible method of checking if the chicken is cooked to perfection. While in a fully-cooked chicken, the meat will be completely white in color, undercooked meat will be pink or discolored. Another way to check if the chicken is baked properly is by using meat thermometers. According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the USDA, poultry has to be cooked until its internal temperature reaches 165 F (73.9 C). Baked chicken with this internal temperature is considered to be safe for consumption. Pierce the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone, and leave the thermometer in place for at least 30 seconds to get an accurate internal temperature reading. You can bake your chicken by marinating it or seasoning it with your choice of spices and herbs to make it even tastier and savory. Generally, herbs such as celery, sage, thyme, basil, mint and oregano are good options to use.
Why Bake?
Baking is a creative art that can lift your spirits whenever you are sad or frustrated. It works as a therapy that may help you cope with your stress and tensions, as Dr. Russ Harris' research shows. But at the same time, it also has numerous other health benefits. Baking is a much healthier and tastier option than frying. Deep frying your food can be a good idea, but it also means a lot of carbohydrates and fats. Sometimes, while frying leftover food, such as chicken, you need to cover its surface with breadcrumbs in order to avoid chances of burning, which again means extra cholesterol. This can be avoided if you bake your chicken, because there are almost no chances of burning the surface in the process.
It is interesting to note that, over the years, the per capita consumption of chicken has increased at a considerable rate in the U.S. According to the statistics of the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the per capita consumption of chicken has increased from 28 lbs. in 1960 to 48 lbs. in 1980, and from 77.9 lbs. in 2000 to 84.4 lbs. in 2011. This number is further estimated to rise up to 93 lbs. by the end of 2012, which is almost more than double the per capita consumption in most other countries of the world.
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