How Long to Bake Chicken Breast

If you ask me How Long to Bake Chicken Breast, then the answer is it depends on a few factors: what the recipe calls for; the oven temperature; and how many pounds of chicken it is. Chicken Breast should always be cooked to an internal (inside the thickest point of the chicken) temperature of at least 165 degrees for at least 15 seconds.

Baking time for a chicken breast varies from 20-45 minutes depending on the following factors:
1) The size/weight and amount of the chicken breast(s); 
2) The baking temperature;
3) Whether the chicken breast is boneless & skinless or bone-in with skin);
4) Whether or not the recipe includes other ingredients such as soups, sauces, gravies and/or breading.
5) The Quality of the bake ware product

Since the question specifies “how long to bake chicken breast” only, an average sized bone-in breast should be cooked in a preheated oven for 20 minutes at 450 degrees or for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

 

Chicken Breast CookBook

Some helpful hints to Bake Chicken Breast :

• Boneless & skinless chicken has a bit less flavor and is a smidgen tougher and drier. Bone-in & with skin chicken usually has more flavor and is a tad more tender and juicy.
• NEVER eat under-cooked chicken. A tough, dry and chewy chicken breast easily beats the heck out of contracting salmonella poisoning.
• You should never wash chicken before cooking, as splashes from this can contain harmful bacteria and get on kitchen surfaces. There is no need to wash the chicken, as proper cooking will kill any bacteria on the surface of the chicken. ALWAYS wash anything the chicken touches during preparation very thoroughly with warm soapy water to minimize the possibility of salmonella poisoning.
• I use “Shake & Bake” many times and it seals in the juices if the chicken is skinless and no bone. The temperatures and how long you should cook it are on the box. Place the chicken on “slide” aluminum foil on a cookie sheet. I generally bake mine at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes and then cut at the thickest point to see if the juices run clear. If you bake too long it becomes too dry. I always bake my thawed chicken breasts at 375 degrees for 50 min. and they come out juicy and fully cooked. The juices need to run clear. Test the largest one for “done-ness” by cutting it right through the middle to make sure there is no pink.

How Long to bake chicken Breast Source