# Roasting Chicken question



## abjcooking (Jan 27, 2005)

I am roasting some chicken breast tonight and need some advise.  I usually put my chicken in the oven on 350 for 1 hour and they come out cooked, but yesterday on food tv one of the chefs put his chicken in covered for 1 hour and then put it back in uncovered for another hour.  It looked like they came out very tender, but I am concerned that putting it in for that long will dry them out????


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## jennyema (Jan 27, 2005)

2 hours for chicken breasts is too long.  Even 1 hour for just breasts may be too long.

I cook entire 3 lb chickens in about an hour.  Larger ones in an hour and a half.

Roasting may not be the best way to cook chix breasts, as the dry heat will tend to dry them out.

Use a meat thermometer to tell when they are done.  That's the best way to make sure they are not overcooked.

Brining them first may help.


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## abjcooking (Jan 27, 2005)

Thanks Jennyema,
I thought it was too long, but when the guy did it on TV it looked ready to fall off the bone.  I will stick with 1 hour.  I'm glad you mentioned the brining, I have been wanting to try that and would have forgotten.


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## marmalady (Jan 27, 2005)

abj, maybe it was one of those recipes cooked 'low and slow' on a very low heat for a long time?


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## buckytom (Jan 27, 2005)

it depends on how big the pieces are, but i have made some pretty big dolly parton chicken quarters by baking them covered for 45 to 50 minutes at 350, then uncovered at 450 for 15 minutes to crisp. they are somewhat juicier that way...


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 27, 2005)

The juciest and most tender chicken I have made using an oven is as follows:

Preheat oven to 360.
Heat 1.5 inches of oil in a large frying pan (I use cast iron).
Dip the chicken pieces in egg-wash (milk and egg whisked together).  Lightly dust with AP Flour (I use whole wheat as I like the flavor and texture better).  Place the chicken pieces, a couple at a time, into the hot oil and brown lightly.  Place on a cookie sheet  and pop into the oven for 45 minutes.

Cooked this way, they will squirt you when you bite into them.  You can season the flour before cooking, or sprinkle salt & pepper, and whatever else you want on them, after they are fried.

Seeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## lyndalou (Jan 29, 2005)

If they are large, with the bone in, don't you have to cook them longer? I have had good results roasting bone- in chicken breasts with the skin on, but wouldn't do boneless skinless breasts unless the are covered with a sauce of some kind.


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