Finally Solved Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Connundrum

[CharlieD]

Question i have is about the oven. It seems to me that at 425 deg chicken was supposed to be done way sooner than 40 minutes. I cook mine at 375, and my oven is about 5 deg less than what it set up at, and at 40 minutes chicken breast is over cooked.

 

[SeanCan'tCook]

Question i have is about the oven. It seems to me that at 425 deg chicken was supposed to be done way sooner than 40 minutes. I cook mine at 375, and my oven is about 5 deg less than what it set up at, and at 40 minutes chicken breast is over cooked.

I thought so too, but I'm using a ThermoPop thermometer, taking it out at 160, and it's not dry ... it's tender and juicy.

 

[CharlieD]

I thought so too, but I'm using a ThermoPop thermometer, taking it out at 160, and it's not dry ... it's tender and juicy.

No, no, I was not talking about chicken. I was talking about temperature of the oven. Have you checked it, ever?

 

[kb0000]

No, no, I was not talking about chicken. I was talking about temperature of the oven. Have you checked it, ever?

Oven temp pretty much does not matter. Internal temp is the only way to be sure its done right.

 

[GotGarlic]

Oven temp pretty much does not matter. Internal temp is the only way to be sure its done right.

It's still a good idea to check whether the oven is getting up to the temperature he set. It makes it much easier to estimate how long something will take to cook, and he might want to bake sometime; that requires more precise temperatures. Learning how to put together a meal requires more than just getting one item done.

 

[CharlieD]

Oven temp pretty much does not matter. Internal temp is the only way to be sure its done right.

It matters, because you need to know what temperature you are cooking at. My oven cooks 5 deg lower than it supposed. At 375, which is 360, my chicken is done in 30 minutes, maybe 35. If you are cooking at 425, your oven definitely not cooking at the right temperature. And then how do you know how long to cook all the other recipes?

 

[kb0000]

It matters, because you need to know what temperature you are cooking at. My oven cooks 5 deg lower than it supposed. At 375, which is 360, my chicken is done in 30 minutes, maybe 35. If you are cooking at 425, your oven definitely not cooking at the right temperature. And then how do you know how long to cook all the other recipes?

My favorite way to cook chicken is to use the high temp broiler. It takes 22-24 minutes. I know that because I go by meat temp, not oven temp, but I check the cooking time when the meat temp is right so I don't have to check meat temp so often. I can wait 20 minutes to start checking meat temp.

A cook book, I think the title is “Roasts”, by a famous cookbook author, uses a 500 degree oven for chicken.

You do not need to know what temperature you are cooking at. You need to know when the meat reaches the temp that shows it is done.

 

[kb0000]

No, no, I was not talking about chicken. I was talking about temperature of the oven. Have you checked it, ever?

Sean is doing it right.

 

[taxlady]

While I agree in general that the meat temperature is more important than the oven temperature, oven temperature matters. If it is too hot for a piece of meat, you might overcook the outside before the inside is done.

 

[GotGarlic]

My favorite way to cook chicken is to use the high temp broiler... It takes 22-24 minutes. I know that because I go by meat temp, not oven temp, but I check the cooking time when the meat temp is right so I don't have to check meat temp so often. I can wait 20 minutes to start checking meat temp.

Broiling is not the same as baking or roasting. You have experience with your method, so that works for you. But someone just starting out with cooking should not be told that the temperature of the oven doesn't matter. It does.

A cook book, I think the title is “Roasts”, by a famous cookbook author, uses a 500 degree oven for chicken.

And? If Sean wanted to use that method, wouldn't he need to be sure his oven could reach that temperature?

You do not need to know what temperature you are cooking at. You need to know when the meat reaches the temp that shows it is done.

Again, when you want to make a meal, you need to be able to estimate how long it takes to cook something in the oven, so you can plan to finish everything at around the same time. You can't do that if you can't estimate how long it will take to cook something in the oven.

 

[dragnlaw]

LOL - I'm sure most experienced cooks know this by now, but for those of you who have not tried the "Roast at 500 degree" method...

believe me !!

unless you are a scrupulous cleaner of your oven - to the point of being fanatical - do NOT try this method.

I repeat - do NOT try this method.

and if your imagination doesn't work as to 'why' - then go ahead, try it, and let us know how it goes.

 

[kb0000]

LOL - I'm sure most experienced cooks know this by now, but for those of you who have not tried the "Roast at 500 degree" method...

believe me !!

unless you are a scrupulous cleaner of your oven - to the point of being fanatical - do NOT try this method.

I repeat - do NOT try this method.

and if your imagination doesn't work as to 'why' - then go ahead, try it, and let us know how it goes.

Also, if you try it, open all the windows and disable your smoke alarms. Still, some say do it.

 

[kb0000]

Broiling is not the same as baking or roasting. .

Got Garrick.

I didn’t say I was broiling chicken. I said I was baking it using the broiler. This comes from Cooks Illustrated. See them for the details on how to do it.

 

[jennyema]

A cook book, I think the title is “Roasts”, by a famous cookbook author, uses a 500 degree oven for chicken.

.

The cookbook you refer to is “Roasting” by Barbara Kafka. An all time classic. Her high heat roasted chicken (recipe below) is one of my favorite ways to cook chicken. Slice up some russet potatoes thinly and cover the bottom of the roasting pan so it doesn’t smoke so much.

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/simplest-roast-chicken-by-barbara-kafka-51794401

 

[jennyema]

LOL - I'm sure most experienced cooks know this by now, but for those of you who have not tried the "Roast at 500 degree" method...

believe me !!

unless you are a scrupulous cleaner of your oven - to the point of being fanatical - do NOT try this method.

I repeat - do NOT try this method.

and if your imagination doesn't work as to 'why' - then go ahead, try it, and let us know how it goes.

Please do try it. It’s incredible. I roast chicken at 475-500 often in the winter when I don’t use my Egg.

And not nearly as “dirty” as you suggest. It’s smoky, for sure but it’s never really messed up my oven.

If you line the roasting pan with sliced potatoes, the smoke is greatly dissipated.

 

[jennyema]

You do not need to know what temperature you are cooking at. You need to know when the meat reaches the temp that shows it is done.

That could not be more wrong.

Although you are right about internal temp, the temperature that you are cooking at determines taste, texture, moistness, etc. in proteins. Would you cook a pork tenderloin at 225? A brisket at 425?

And of course oven temp is crucial when baking.

 

[CharlieD]

Please do try it. It’s incredible. I roast chicken at 475-500 often in the winter when I don’t use my Egg.



And not nearly as “dirty” as you suggest. It’s smoky, for sure but it’s never really messed up my oven.



If you line the roasting pan with sliced potatoes, the smoke is greatly dissipated.

Where do you get 5-6 pounds chicken? All I see in any store 3-3.5 pounds max.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

For perfect, very juicy, lightly crispy fried chicken:
Add seasonings to AP flour. Dry chicken pieces with a paper towel. Place seasoned flour on a sheet of waxed paper, or in a brown paper bag. Place chikem pieces with the seasoned flour, coat by shaking the bag, or flipping the flour over the chicken pieces. Shake execc flor from the pieces and fry in 3 inches of 350' F. cooking oil until it just starts to brown. Remove to a foil lined cookie sheet. Place in 360' oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove and serve. The chicken will have a light, crunchy coating, and will be so juicy that it will squirt you as you bite into it. Season with a little S&P if required when it first comes out of the oven.

This method has gotten rave reviews from both family and friends. Dry-wet-dry might be the standard for fried chicken. However, this method gives a lighter, well flavored coating that allows all of the succulent chicken flavor to come through, and requires no egg wash, or double dipping of the chicken.

With this method, you can also bake the chicken in a covered charcoal, or gas grill, maybe with a little smoke. That way, you have fried chicken with grilled flavor added.

Hive it a try. You won't be disappointed.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[kb0000]

That could not be more wrong.

Although you are right about internal temp, the temperature that you are cooking at determines taste, texture, moistness, etc. in proteins. Would you cook a pork tenderloin at 225? A brisket at 425?

And of course oven temp is crucial when baking.

Yes, temp is important in baked goods, but this discussion is about chicken.

 

[kb0000]

For perfect, very juicy, lightly crispy fried chicken:
Add seasonings to AP flour. Dry chicken pieces with a paper towel. Place seasoned flour on a sheet of waxed paper, or in a brown paper bag. Place chikem pieces with the seasoned flour, coat by shaking the bag, or flipping the flour over the chicken pieces. Shake execc flor from the pieces and fry in 3 inches of 350' F. cooking oil until it just starts to brown. Remove to a foil lined cookie sheet. Place in 360' oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove and serve. The chicken will have a light, crunchy coating, and will be so juicy that it will squirt you as you bite into it. Season with a little S&P if required when it first comes out of the oven.

This method has gotten rave reviews from both family and friends. Dry-wet-dry might be the standard for fried chicken. However, this method gives a lighter, well flavored coating that allows all of the succulent chicken flavor to come through, and requires no egg wash, or double dipping of the chicken.

With this method, you can also bake the chicken in a covered charcoal, or gas grill, maybe with a little smoke. That way, you have fried chicken with grilled flavor added.

Hive it a try. You won't be disappointed.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

The point of browning meat is to create carmalization on the surface of the meat & on the bottom of the pan which improves the taste of the meat and of any pan sauce or gravy (they are not the same). If you flour the meat, you will get a fake browned surface without the flavor benefits of true browning. Best way to cook chicken: brine it, then use the Cooks Illustrated method of using the broiler to bake which produces a skin as crisp as a potato chip.

Another example: pan seared browned scallops do not need flour if you do it right.