How to Perfectly Bake Bone-In Chicken Breasts at 450°F
Cooking bone-in chicken breast at high heat can seem daunting for many home cooks. Undercook it, and you risk food poisoning Overcook it, and you end up with dry, stringy meat However, baking bone-in chicken breasts at 450°F can result in perfectly moist, juicy and tender chicken if you follow a few simple guidelines. In this article, I will provide tips on selecting the right cut of chicken, preparing it for the oven, monitoring doneness and more to help you master the art of baking bone-in chicken breast at 450°F.
Choosing the Right Chicken Breasts
When selecting chicken breasts for baking, opt for bone-in, skin-on breasts between 6 to 8 ounces in size. The bones help keep the meat moist during cooking while the skin protects the meat and renders fat to baste it from the inside. Look for breasts that are plump and smooth without any blemishes. Organic and free-range chicken typically have the best flavor. Bone-in breasts are also more uniform in thickness than boneless ones which cook more evenly.
Preheating the Oven and Preparing the Chicken
Preheat your oven to 450°F for at least 15 minutes before baking. Use a digital thermometer to verify the oven has reached the proper temperature. While the oven heats, rinse the chicken breasts and pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt, pepper and any other spices or herbs of your choice. I like using a simple blend of thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, salt and pepper to complement the chicken’s flavor without overpowering it. Drizzle both sides with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the skin and meat before arranging the breasts on a foil-lined baking sheet skin-side up.
Cooking Time and Internal TemperatureThe cooking time can vary based on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts In general, bone-in chicken breasts take 30-40 minutes to bake at 450°F. The best way to determine doneness is by using an instant-read meat thermometer Chicken is safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of a breast without touching any bones. For food safety, check the temperature in multiple spots. The chicken may register 165°F in one area but still be undercooked in other areas.
Monitoring Doneness and Preventing OvercookingI recommend checking the temperature after 30 minutes, then allowing the chicken to continue cooking if needed until it reaches 165°F. Basting the chicken with pan juices helps keep it moist. You can also tent foil loosely over the baking sheet during the last 10-15 minutes of cook time if the skin starts to brown too quickly. This slows down browning without trapping steam and overcooking the meat. Once the chicken reaches the proper internal temperature, immediately remove it from the oven. Allowing it to remain in the hot oven will cause it to overcook.
Letting It Rest
Allow the chicken to rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before cutting into it. This gives the juices time to redistribute throughout the meat for better moisture. Tenting the chicken breasts loosely with foil while they rest keeps them warm without trapping steam. Resist the urge to cut into the chicken right away or all those flavorful juices will run out onto the cutting board instead of staying inside the meat where they belong.
Carving and Serving
When ready to carve, use a sharp chef’s knife to slice the chicken crosswise against the grain into 1/2 inch thick pieces. This gives you tender, bite-sized medallions of chicken. Discard the skin if desired. For presentation, fan the slices out over the plate or mound them together. Spoon any carving juices from the cutting board over the top. Serve immediately for incredibly moist, juicy baked chicken breast with the convenience of bones intact for full flavor. Pair it with your favorite side dishes and enjoy!
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If your baked bone-in chicken breasts turn out dry or unevenly cooked, there are a few easy fixes:
Dry chicken – Brine breasts in saltwater before baking, baste more frequently and stop cooking at 165°F.
Uneven doneness – Use similarly sized breasts, cook on a wire rack and rotate sheet midway through baking.
Undercooked near bones – Allow chicken to rest longer before cutting so heat distributes evenly.
Burnt outside before done – Cook at lower temp (400°F), baste skin or cover with foil.
Let Rest and Serve
Let the chicken thighs rest in the dish for about 5 minutes before serving. This is important. It gives the natural juices a chance to redistribute throughout the meat.
Roasted chicken thighs can be served with just about anything. For the s in this recipe, I threw some fresh green beans in the steamer basket of my Instant Pot with 1 cup of water for 2 minutes on high pressure, followed by a quick release. Of course, you can cook green beans with whatever method you choose.
Rice is an excellent side-dish to serve with chicken thighs. Our Instant Pot Rice Pilaf is simple to make and a perfect pairing for our oven roasted chicken thighs.
Store cooked chicken thighs in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For the best reheating, place on a baking sheet in the oven at 375°(F) for 10-15 minutes. An air fryer works well too! Use the air fry setting at 350°(F) for 5-8 minutes.
Chicken Thighs are Easy to Make
Chicken thighs are the best part of the chicken. There, I said it. Chicken thighs are a dark meat with just the right amount of fat to stay juicy and tender. Cooking them can be very forgiving. In fact, unlike chicken breasts, chicken thighs can be cooked over the recommended internal temperature of 165°(F), and still come out juicy and tender. And that skin… oh my goodness! We can get the skin nice and golden brown crispy by cooking at a high temperature and a couple of other simple details.
Another great thing about chicken thighs is that they’re very affordable! In many supermarkets you can find large packages for just a few dollars. Definitely one of the best bargains when it comes to fresh meat.
The main flavors for our chicken thighs are fresh rosemary and garlic powder. Fresh rosemary is such a wonderful, vibrant herb that lends it’s flavor perfectly to chicken. Chopping fresh rosemary releases oils and flavors that bring this dish to life! Garlic powder gives us that flavor we know and love while being easy to spread all over the chicken. The smoked paprika helps provide a wonderful color while providing a nice deep flavor. The salt and pepper do their job by bringing all the flavors to life!
I love recipes that are simple and this one is one of the easiest. Besides mixing a few seasonings, the only prep we need to do is to trim the excess skin and fat from the thighs, and chop the fresh rosemary.
Chicken thighs usually come with the skin wrapped around the bottom of the thigh. You can cut this right off. You may also see additional fat that can be trimmed as well. The whole job takes about 1 minute.
Next, we need to chop the fresh rosemary. For 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped rosemary, we’ll chop the leaves of approximately 3 regular-sized sprigs. Take a minute and strip the leaves from the stems, then simply chop them up with a knife. This is all done in under 5 minutes.
Now, we want to pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels before applying the seasonings. This is important because we want the combination of the vegetable oil and seasonings to brown and crisp the skin. If the skin is wet, it will steam and not achieve the desired results.
Lastly, it’s time to season the chicken. Go ahead and place the chicken thighs in a glass baking dish and brush the top of each chicken thigh with some vegetable oil. Apply the seasoning mix to each thigh. Go ahead and turn them over and get some of the seasoning on the bottoms of the thighs too. You can also lift the skin and get some seasoning directly on the meat as well for extra flavor. I love doing this! Finally I like to dab the tops again with some oil to make sure all the seasonings are well applied and damp from the oil. You can also use a quick spray from cooking oil as well.
PERFECTLY BAKED BONE IN CHICKEN BREAST
FAQ
How long to cook chicken breast at 450 degrees?
Depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts, roasting chicken at 450°F should require a cooking time of about 15-18 minutes (depending on the thickness/size of your chicken breasts). It’s speedy and it’s easy.
Is it better to bake chicken at 425 or 450?
The ideal temperature for roasting a whole chicken is between 325 and 450 degrees F. If you like to eat your chicken with the skin, start at 400 to 425 degrees F for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 and cook until the thermometer reads anywhere between 165 and 175 degrees F.
Is 450 too hot for chicken breast?
Chicken breasts are typically baked in an oven temperature that ranges from 350 degrees F to 375 degrees F so they don’t dry out. Dark meat doesn’t dry out as easily as breasts, so it’s typically cooked within a range of 350 degrees F to 450 degrees F.