Chicken Cooking Time Per Pound

Classic Baked Chicken

If you can bake chicken, you can make dinner over and over again. This is a simple recipe with salt, pepper, and olive oil, but so versatile.

Elise Bauer

If there is one recipe that every home cook should know, it's this baked chicken recipe. All you need is chicken, olive oil, salt, and pepper (and maybe some stock or white wine for gravy).

We usually buy whole chickens and either cut them up ourselves or have the butcher do it for us. It's cheaper that way and we get giblets for gravy. You can do that or just use a package of whatever chicken parts you like—make baked chicken breasts for white meat, and baked chicken thighs and legs for dark.

This way of cooking chicken couldn't be more straightforward, and is especially welcome on days when you're busy and just want to put good food on the table.

Video: How to Make Classic Baked Chicken

Classic Baked Chicken

Making Gravy From a Whole Chicken

Chop up the back a little, and put the back, gizzard, and neck into a small saucepan and cover with water by a half inch or so. Bring to a simmer and let simmer while your chicken is baking. Then strain and use the stock for making a richly flavored gravy.

Heat the drippings from the roasted chicken with some stock or white wine for a simple gravy.

Sally Vargas

Pro Tip About Baking Chicken With the Skin On

This recipe works best with chicken with the skin ON. Even if you intend to eat the baked chicken without its skin, leave the skin on for baking because it prevents the chicken pieces from drying out while they bake.

Sally Vargas

What to Serve With Baked Chicken

My mother made this baked chicken at least once a month when I was growing up, and still does! It's terrific with her Spanish rice and a little mango chutney on the side. We also love serving it with a garden lettuce side salad and some easy steamed broccoli.

5 Favorite Baked Chicken Recipes:

Lemon Chicken
Baked Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic
Chipotle Salsa Baked Chicken
Spanish Baked Chicken
Baked Chicken Parmesan

Even if you intend to eat the baked chicken without its skin, leave the skin on for baking because it prevents the chicken pieces from drying out while they bake.

If you bought a whole chicken to start with, the chicken may have come with the neck and gizzards (often in paper in the cavity of the chicken). Use the chicken back and these giblets to make stock for gravy. Chop up the back a little, and put the back, gizzard, and neck into a small saucepan and cover with water by a half inch or so. Bring to a simmer and let simmer while your chicken is baking. Then strain and use the stock for making a richly flavored gravy.

1 (3 to 4 pound) chicken , cut into 8 parts (2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 legs, 2 wings), excluding the back
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock or white wine for the gravy, optional

Trim and salt the chicken:

Trim the chicken pieces of excess fat. Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle all sides with salt. Let the chicken pieces sit for 15 to 20 minutes to take the chill off.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C)
Prep the chicken:

Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. Rub olive oil over the chicken pieces and on the bottom of the roasting pan.

Sprinkle the chicken pieces all over with black pepper and a little more salt.

Arrange the chicken pieces in the pan so that all the pieces are skin-side up, and the largest pieces (the breasts) are in the center of the pan.

Don't crowd the pan; allow room in between the pieces.

Sally Vargas
Bake the chicken:

Bake (uncovered) in the oven for 30 minutes at 400°F (205°C). This initial high heat will help brown the chicken.

Then lower the heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake for an additional 10-30 minutes until the juices run clear (not pink) when poked with a sharp knife or the internal temperature of the chicken breasts is 165°F (74°C), and of the thighs is 170°F (77°C) when tested with a meat thermometer.

If the chicken isn't browning well enough, place the chicken under the broiler for the last 5 minutes of cooking, until browned sufficiently.

Sally Vargas
Let it rest:

Remove from oven and transfer the chicken to a serving dish. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Make gravy:

If you would like to make gravy with the drippings from the chicken, place the roasting pan with all its drippings on the stovetop and set the burner to medium heat.

Use a metal spatula to scrape up the stuck drippings from the bottom of the pan. When the pan is hot, pour in some white wine or chicken stock to help loosen the drippings from the pan.

Transfer the drippings and stock/wine mixture to a saucepan and heat on medium high until reduced to your desired thickness.

If you want the gravy even thicker, you can make a slurry with a little cornstarch or flour (a teaspoon) and water (1/4 cup), and add that to the gravy while it cooks.

Sally Vargas

Sally Vargas
Serve:

Serve with steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or Spanish rice.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
436	Calories
27g	Fat
0g	Carbs
46g	Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	436
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g	34%
Saturated Fat 7g	35%
Cholesterol 152mg	51%
Sodium 767mg	33%
Total Carbohydrate 0g	0%
Dietary Fiber 0g	1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 46g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 28mg	2%
Iron 2mg	13%
Potassium 386mg	8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

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