For chicken to be considered safely cooked, its internal temperature needs to reach about 74 °C at its thickest point; this temperature deactivates most of the bacteria that could harm the meat. The cooking time varies depending on the size of the chicken breast piece and the cooking method; an average chicken breast reaches this temperature in the oven at 220 °C in about 25-30 minutes.
Bacteria that may be present in chicken meat can cause illness if a sufficient internal temperature isn't reached. For this reason, deciding on doneness based on the chicken's color or how browned the outside is isn't a sufficient or reliable method. Measuring the temperature with a meat thermometer from the thickest part clarifies whether the chicken has actually reached a safe temperature.
At What Temperature and for How Many Minutes Does Chicken Cook?
Approximate times and temperature values for chicken, according to the cooking method, are as follows. These times can vary by a few minutes depending on the size of the piece.
- Whole chicken in the oven should be cooked at 180-200 °C for about 1-1.5 hours, depending on its weight.
- Chicken breast in the oven should be cooked at 220 °C for about 25-30 minutes.
- Chicken breast in a pan should be cooked over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes on each side.
- Chicken pieces on the grill should be cooked over medium-high heat for about 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally.
- Cooking time is only an estimate; a definitive check should be done by measuring the internal temperature with a meat thermometer.
What Mistakes Are Made When Cooking Chicken?
Some common mistakes when cooking chicken affect both safety and taste. Avoiding these mistakes makes it easier to get a result that's both healthy and delicious.
- Deciding the chicken is cooked based only on its outward appearance can leave the inside insufficiently cooked.
- Trying to cook thick pieces in the same amount of time as thin pieces can leave the thick parts undercooked.
- Cooking frozen chicken directly without thawing it causes the outside to cook while the inside doesn't heat enough.
- Cutting into the chicken right after cooking without letting it rest for a few minutes can cause its juices to run out and the meat to dry.
Why Does Cooking Time Vary by Chicken Cut?
Since different parts of the chicken have different thickness and bone structure, their cooking times vary accordingly. Thick pieces like a bone-in thigh take longer for heat to reach the center compared to boneless breast meat. This is why, in recipes where mixed chicken pieces are cooked on the same tray, adding the thin pieces later or removing them earlier helps all the pieces reach a safe temperature at the same time.
How Can You Be Sure the Chicken Is Cooked?
The most definitive way to be sure chicken is safely cooked is to measure the internal temperature from the thickest part with a meat thermometer. If a thermometer isn't available, lightly cutting into the thickest part of the meat with a knife and checking that the juices run clear and the inside isn't pink can also be used as an indicator; but this method isn't as precise as a thermometer. Getting an inexpensive meat thermometer for home kitchens is a practical investment that completely eliminates this uncertainty.
The answer to at what temperature and for how many minutes chicken cooks is an internal temperature of about 74 °C and a cooking time that varies by piece. Using a meat thermometer for certainty is the most practical way to get both a safe and a delicious result.