Introduction

Cooking chicken is a breeze, but how long do you cook it? The answer depends on two things: whether you’re cooking the whole bird or just a portion, and how large that portion is. If you’re roasting an entire chicken or turkey, we recommend using this guide as your starting point:

You should start with a fresh bird.

You should start with a fresh bird. Older chickens are not as tender and are more likely to be contaminated with salmonella, so it’s best to purchase your chicken from a reputable source.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Set the oven rack in the middle position and put a roasting pan on it, then place your chicken inside of it.

Put the chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan and drizzle it with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Put the chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan and drizzle it with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

• If you’re using an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of your chicken, insert it into the thickest part of one of the thighs (it should be about 165 degrees F) or use another method for determining doneness based on appearance (see below).

Cook for 50 minutes per pound, or until the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh with a fork.

To cook your chicken, you’ll want to keep an eye on it. The easiest way to do this is with a thermometer; if you have one, insert it into the thickest part of the thigh (but not right up against bone), then turn off heat under your oven and let the whole thing rest for 10 minutes before removing from oven. If not using a thermometer, watch out for these signs:

• When pierced with a fork or knife in its thickest part (usually near breast), juices should run clear
• If they don’t run clear after about 50 minutes per pound of chicken–around 20 minutes per pound for smaller birds like Cornish game hens–you may need more time in order for all parts of your bird to cook through evenly

Cooking times vary depending on the size and weight of your chicken, but this method works for most birds

Cooking times for whole chickens vary depending on the size and weight of your bird, but this method works for most birds. The cooking time is also affected by the size of your oven and how well it is insulated (the better insulated your oven, the less time you’ll need to cook). If you’re using a convection oven, reduce your cooking time by 5 minutes per pound.

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you learn how long it takes to cook a whole chicken. If you want to experiment with other methods, we recommend checking out our guide on how long do you bake a chicken breast?