How long does a hole chicken take to cook in the oven and at what temperature?

Question

How long does a hole chicken take to cook in the oven and at what temperature?

Answer 1

2½ - 3 lbs -   1 - 1¾ hrs

3½ - 4 lbs -  1½ - 1¾ hrs

4½ - 5 lbs -  1½ - 2 hrs

5 - 6 lbs -   1¾ - 2½ hrs

A really great way to insure you have a juicy, succulent chicken is to brine it, or soak in a salt water brine for 2 - 12 hours.  The chicken cooks FASTER after brining too.  So faster baking, juicier chicken.  I'd try a brine.  Here's one recipe you can try.

Poultry Brine Recipe:

3/4 cup coarse kosher salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup boiling water

1 gallon cold water

1 tablespoon pepper

herbs of your choice (try a lemon, cut in half, squeezed then the whole thing dropped in the brine.  A chopped onion.  2 teaspoons of dried rosemary.  3 chopped garlic cloves

A heavy-duty plastic tube, stainless-steel bowl, or resealable plastic bag can work as a brining container, as long as the poultry is fully submerged. Weight with a plate, if necessary, to keep the meat fully covered by the brine.

To determine how much brine you'll need, place the meat to be brined in your chosen container. Add water to cover. Remove the meat and measure the water.

Dissolve salt and sugar in the boiling water. Add it to the cold water; add pepper and stir to combine. Chill brine completely in the refrigerator before adding poultry. Place your poultry in the water and place in the refrigerator for the time required.

Rinse poultry twice after removing it from the brine solution; discard brine. If you are not ready to cook at the end of the brining time, remove and rinse the meat. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Do not salt brined meat before cooking. Cook poultry according to your favorite recipe. Do not overcook your brined poultry. Once brined, the poultry cooks faster so be careful and use a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat.

When your chicken is done, the leg joint will move really easily, and the internal temperature without touching bone will be about 175*.  Cover the chicken with foil and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes for the juices to return to the meat to stay moist.

Answer 2

a standard chicken (3 pounds ) takes 1 1/2 hours to cook at 350

rub generously with butter then season well with salt and pepper.place in a hot oven of 450 degrees then turn it down to 350.the initial high heat will help to crisp the crust....add 1/2 hour for ever additional pound.

Answer 3

I am hoping you mean a whole chicken and this is how you would cook one of those...make sure you wash it inside and out with cold water, remove the giblets and neck (should be in a pouch inside the cavity); sprinkle with salt and pepper, or lemon pepper ( you could make stuffing for it if you wanted too, or can leave the cavity empty...or cut up a lemon or orange and put them into it ); 350 degree oven for at least 2 hours, depending on the weight of the chicken, but buy a roaster chicken, usually weighs in about 5-6 lbs.....some of them have little pop up timers in them, but I cook past when they pop up...I like my chicken well done...

Answer 4

Do yourself a favor and invest in a thermometer.

You can get one at a local kitchen shop for like $5.

But the rule of thumb is that for every pound it takes 20 minutes @ 375 F.

Answer 5

Cook at 375 degrees for about 1 hour. The rule of thumb when cooking meat is to cook it 20 minutes per pound in the oven. A 3lb chicken that is whole should take about 1 hour.

Answer 6

It all depends on the size of the chicken.  I assume most chickens are around 4 pounds.  At 375 degrees, it should take about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.  

Answer 7

Perfect Roast Chicken

1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs

1 lemon, halved

1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted

1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced

4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks

1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges (optional)

Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

--Ina Garten

Answer 8

425 for about an hour for a nice brown skin, dont forget to salt and pepper it!