To roast chicken breasts, rinse and remove excess fat, season, and cook at high temperature for 10-15 minutes, then lower temperature to 350°F and cook until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Chicken breasts are one of the most versatile types of meat and can be cooked in a variety of ways, one of the most popular being roasting. To roast chicken breasts, start by gently rinsing the meat and removing any excess fat, skin, or bones, if desired. Next, season the meat thoroughly and set the oven to a high temperature. After the chicken breasts have cooked for a few minutes, lower the temperature to allow the meat to continue cooking until it reaches a safe internal temperature.
Most home cooks choose to rinse the meat before roasting chicken breasts. This can remove any fluid or blood that has pooled in the package the chicken was purchased in. To avoid splashing juices around the cooker, which can cause harmful bacteria to build up on other cooking surfaces, use a gentle stream of water to rinse the chicken, then dab each breast with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. When you’re done, sanitize the sink and surrounding area to make sure it’s clean.
In most cases, it’s a good idea to use a sharp utility knife to remove excess fat from the meat. If you want chicken breasts on the bone and skin, you can simply remove the excess skin from the edges of the chicken or leave it as is. In case you have bone-in, skin-on meat but prefer boneless, skinless chicken breasts, carefully remove the skin and cut the breasts off the bone. You can also choose any combination of this preparation step: you can remove the skin and leave the meat on the bone, or vice versa. In general, when roasting chicken breasts, leaving the skin and bones in place can help keep the chicken moist and flavorful.
Before roasting chicken breasts, it’s important to season the meat thoroughly. Salt and pepper are the simplest form of seasoning, though you can use any dried herb, spice, or marinade you like. If you’re cooking chicken breast with skin on, be sure to season the meat under the skin and on top of it.
Once the breasts are seasoned to your liking, preheat the oven to approximately 450°F (232°C). Place the chicken on a baking sheet, roasting rack, or baking sheet and place it in the oven on the middle rack once it’s warm, and let the chicken cook for 10 to 15 minutes. This stage allows the outside of the chicken breast to develop a deep crust, sealing the juices inside the meat and adding to its flavor. You can also sear the chicken breasts in a skillet on the stovetop before placing the meat in an oven on a lower setting.
For the remainder of the cooking process, lower the oven temperature to around 350°F (176°C). After about 15 to 20 minutes, check the internal temperature of the roast chicken breast with a cooking thermometer. It is important that the tip of the thermometer is in the center of the meat and not touching any of the bones, as this will produce an inaccurate reading. The chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (73°C) before it is ready to remove from the oven. It should then rest for at least 10 minutes, during which time the chicken will continue to cook and reach the safe temperature of 170°F (76°C).
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