How Long to Bake Chicken: Oven Times for Breasts, Thighs and Wings

At 350°F, USDA FSIS says boneless chicken breasts (about 4 oz) take 20–30 minutes, bone-in breasts 30–40 minutes, thighs 40–50 minutes, drumsticks 35–45 minutes, wings 30–40 minutes and a 3–4 lb whole chicken 1¼–1½ hours. Times are approximate: chicken is done only when a food thermometer reads 165°F.

How long to bake chicken in the oven

Baking chicken at 350°F takes from 20 minutes for small boneless breasts to about 2¼ hours for a large roasting hen. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) publishes the chart below in its "Chicken from Farm to Table" fact sheet, and FoodSafety.gov's roasting chart gives the same 350°F times for whole chickens and breasts. Use the times to plan the meal, then let a thermometer make the final call.

Times depend on thickness, starting temperature, pan crowding and how accurate your oven is. Many of today's boneless breasts weigh well over the 4 oz FSIS uses, so expect a large one to need longer. If your oven runs hot or cold, an oven thermometer will show it; see types of food thermometers.

How long to bake chicken breast

A 4-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast half needs about 20–30 minutes at 350°F, and a 6–8 oz bone-in breast half about 30–40 minutes, according to FSIS. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, away from bone, and take it out at 165°F. Breast meat dries out quickly past that point, so start checking at the low end of the range. Our chicken breast temperature page has more on doneness.

How long to bake chicken breast at 400°F or 425°F?

FSIS doesn't publish oven times above 350°F, so there is no official chart for 400°F or 425°F. Extension recipes give a sense of the range, but they vary with the size of the pieces and what else is on the pan:

• University of Illinois Extension roasts about 1 lb of boneless breasts (four pieces) at 400°F on a sheet pan with potatoes and zucchini for about 40–45 minutes, and notes thicker breasts may take longer.
• Mississippi State University Extension bakes boneless, skinless pieces (large breasts halved lengthwise) at 375°F for 20–25 minutes.
• Oregon State's Food Hero roasts bite-size boneless breast pieces with vegetables at 425°F for 35–45 minutes and says smaller pieces finish sooner.

The common thread: every one of those recipes ends with the same check, 165°F on a food thermometer. At high heat, the outside browns faster, so begin checking early rather than relying on the clock.

How long to bake chicken thighs

FSIS gives 40–50 minutes at 350°F for 4–8 oz chicken legs or thighs. That range is for bone-in pieces; boneless, skinless thighs are thinner and usually finish sooner, so check them early. Probe the thickest part without touching bone.

Thighs are safe at 165°F, but dark meat has more connective tissue, and many cooks take it higher, to about 175°F, for a more tender texture. That's a quality choice, not a safety requirement. See chicken thigh temperature.

How long to bake chicken drumsticks and wings

At 350°F, FSIS lists 35–45 minutes for 4-oz drumsticks and 30–40 minutes for 2–3 oz wings or wingettes. Wings are small, so check several from different parts of the pan; the ones in the center often lag behind. Like thighs, wings are safe at 165°F and are often cooked hotter for a less rubbery texture. Our chicken wing temperature page explains why.

How long to roast a whole chicken

A 3–4 lb whole chicken takes about 1¼–1½ hours at 350°F, and a 5–7 lb roasting hen about 2–2¼ hours, per FSIS. That means a 5-lb chicken lands near the 2-hour mark at 350°F. Two extension recipes cross-check the numbers at higher heat:

• University of Illinois Extension roasts a 3–4 lb chicken at 375°F for 1½–2 hours, then lets it sit 15 minutes before carving.
• Oregon State's Food Hero roasts a 4–6 lb chicken uncovered at 400°F for about 80 minutes, then checks the breast and thigh; if it reads under 165°F, it goes back for 10 more minutes.

Check a whole chicken in three places: the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing and the thickest part of the breast. Every spot needs 165°F. If you stuff the bird, FSIS says to add 15–30 minutes, use an oven set no lower than 325°F, and make sure the center of the stuffing also reaches 165°F. Details are on our whole chicken temperature page.

How long to grill chicken

FSIS also gives grilling times. Pieces cook over direct heat; whole birds cook by indirect heat with a drip pan.

FSIS warns against partly cooking chicken and finishing it later, because bacteria can survive. Partly cooking it in the microwave or oven is fine only if it goes straight onto a hot grill. For low-and-slow smoking, see smoking meat temperatures.

Can you bake chicken from frozen?

Yes. FSIS says chicken can be cooked from frozen in the oven or on the stove, but it takes about 50% longer, so a 30-minute bone-in breast becomes roughly 45 minutes. Don't cook frozen chicken in a slow cooker or microwave. If you'd rather thaw first, our thawing chicken breasts page covers the fridge and cold-water methods.

After it comes out of the oven

Poultry has no required rest time, but a few minutes on the board makes carving easier. Don't leave cooked chicken out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (see how long food can sit out). Refrigerated, cooked chicken keeps 3–4 days; reheat it to 165°F.

Questions people ask

Sources

• USDA FSIS: Chicken from Farm to Table
• FoodSafety.gov: Meat and Poultry Roasting Charts
• University of Illinois Extension: Oven Roasted Chicken
• University of Illinois Extension: Garlic Chicken, Potato, and Zucchini Sheet Pan Dinner
• Oregon State University Extension (Food Hero): Roasted Whole Chicken
• Oregon State University Extension (Food Hero): Chicken Pepper Bake
• Mississippi State University Extension: Baked Flaked Chicken