How long do you bake a whole chicken at 350

If you’re looking to buy a whole chicken, it’s likely that you’ve got questions. Among those questions, you may be wondering how long to roast a whole chicken at 350 degrees. After all, 350 degrees is a fairly standard cooking temperature, right? It can be! But don’t worry–we won’t leave you high and dry!

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Stay tuned to figure out the best cooking methods for roasting chicken, as well as how long to roast a whole chicken at 350 degrees. 

How long do you bake a whole chicken at 350

Table of Contents

  • How Long to Roast a Chicken at 350?
    • Roasting Whole Chicken at 350 Method #1
    • Roasting Whole Chicken at 350 Method #2
  • How Long Does Chicken Take to Bake in 350?
  • How Long Does it Take to Bake a Whole Chicken Breast at 350?
    • How Long Does it Take to Cook a 4lb Chicken at 350?
    • How Long to Bake a 5 pound Chicken at 350?
    • How Long to Roast a 6 lb Chicken at 350?
    • How Long to Roast a 7 Pound Chicken at 350?
    • How Long to Roast a Whole Stuffed Chicken at 350?
  • Oven Roasted Chicken Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Directions:
  • How Long to Roast a Whole Chicken at 350?
  • FAQs

When roasting a whole chicken, you can expect it to take anywhere from 1 hour to 2 hours or more. Ultimately, how long you roast your chicken will depend on the chicken’s size.

There are a couple of ways people calculate how long it will take to roast a chicken a 350 degrees F. 

How long do you bake a whole chicken at 350

Roasting Whole Chicken at 350 Method #1

The first is to multiply the number of pounds your chicken weighs by 20 minutes. This will give you the amount of time you can expect to roast your whole chicken at 350 degrees F. If you change the temperature, however, you can expect your chicken to take more or less time to cook, depending on what temperature you choose. 

Usually, whole chickens come around the 3-4 pound range. You can also find whole chickens that weigh much less, around the 2 ½ pound range. This is common for organic chickens. Having said that, some whole chickens weigh 5 pounds and over!   

Using this method, a whole chicken cooked at 20 minutes per pound will take 70 minutes for a 3 ½ pound chicken, 1 hour and 20 minutes for a 4-pound whole chicken, and so forth. 

Roasting Whole Chicken at 350 Method #2

The second method is to cook your whole chicken at a higher temperature for a short time before reducing the heat to 350 F. This is one of our favorite methods because it yields tender and juicy results with crisp golden outer skin.

For this method, you’ll heat your oven to 425 degrees F. Once the oven is heated, stick your chicken in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Once 15 minutes is complete, dial the oven down and cook the chicken for a standard time of about 60 minutes. After 1 hour is complete, cook the chicken for an additional 7 minutes per pound. 

In simpler terms, you’ll cook every chicken, despite its size, for at least 1 hour before tacking on to that 7 minutes per pound depending on the size of your bird. 

Thus, a chicken weighing 3 ½ pounds will end up cooking for:

15 minutes at 425 degrees F + 1 hour at 350 degrees + 25 minutes at 350 degrees F (calculated by multiplying 3 ½ pounds x 7 minutes) = 100 minutes total i.e.,1 hour and 40 minutes.

How Long Does Chicken Take to Bake in 350?

Baking chicken at 350 degrees F will take anywhere from a little over an hour to two hours or more. The defining factor in how long a whole chicken will take to bake is the size of the chicken. Smaller-sized chickens will bake much faster than larger-sized chickens, but most whole chickens will take at least about one hour to cook, regardless of size to become fully cooked through. 

Remember, if there is ever any doubt as to whether or not your chicken is done, always use a meat thermometer to ensure your chicken is safe to eat. By using a meat thermometer, you can have peace of mind that your chicken is fully cooked through without ever having to slice it.

How long do you bake a whole chicken at 350

To do so, pierce the thickest part of the whole chicken breast with the thermometer and record the temperature. Safe eating is an internal temperature of about 165 degrees or more. Once your chicken has reached this temperature, you can be certain that the chicken is ready to be consumed. 

How Long Does it Take to Bake a Whole Chicken Breast at 350?

As previously mentioned, how long it will take to bake a whole chicken breast at 350 degrees F will mostly depend on the size of your chicken. Of course, even smaller chickens need ample time to cook, so be sure to roast your chicken for at least 45 minutes to 1 hour to ensure the meat is safe to eat. 

Want to know even more? Below we’ve answered a few of your other burning questions related to roasting a whole chicken at 350 degrees F. 

Let’s dive in!

How Long Does it Take to Cook a 4lb Chicken at 350?

Cooking a 4 lb whole chicken will usually take around 80 minutes, but can take as long as an hour and a half. As always, use a meat thermometer to be certain. 

How Long to Bake a 5 pound Chicken at 350?

A 5-pound chicken can bake for about 1 hour and 35 minutes before being considered fully cooked. However, not all ovens cook the same, even at the same temperature, so it is best to use a meat thermometer to be certain. 

How Long to Roast a 6 lb Chicken at 350?

Roasting a 6-pound whole chicken may take as long as 2 hours or more to become fully cooked through. This type of chicken can usually serve around 5-9 pound chickens and are often roosters (or capons) which are known to be bigger than hens. 

How long do you bake a whole chicken at 350

How Long to Roast a 7 Pound Chicken at 350?

A 7-pound chicken can be expected to need to roast for about 2 hours and 20 minutes or 140 minutes. Be sure to use a meat thermometer with birds this big, as they may be more difficult to cook through. 

How Long to Roast a Whole Stuffed Chicken at 350?

To be safe, we recommend you use the timing guidelines as represented above, plus an additional 5 minutes per pound of chicken when choosing to cook a stuffed bird. This means that a 3 ½ pound chicken will be cooked for 1 hour and 28 minutes (25 minutes per pound rather than the standard 20 minutes) or until the meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F. 

How long do you bake a whole chicken at 350

Oven Roasted Chicken Recipe

Looking for a delicious oven-roasted chicken recipe cooked at 350 degrees? Look no further. We’ve listed our favorite roasted chicken recipe right here for you to enjoy. Take a look! 

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken (3 ½-4 pounds)
  • 1 sweet onion, chopped into quarters
  • 1 lemon, sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Olive Oil
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 sweet onion, chopped
  • 2 lbs. Russet potatoes, chopped
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 2 cups chicken broth

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Rinse your chicken and pat dry. Remove any giblets or other packages from the inner cavity. Flip the bird vertically and season the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper. Then, stuff the cavity with the quartered onion, lemon slices, and bay leaf. 
  3. Grab a bottle of olive oil. Either with your hands or a basting brush, generously swipe oil over the tops and sides of the chicken. Then, season the bird all over with salt and pepper.
  4. Tie the legs of the chicken together using twine, similar to the way you would a turkey. Make sure the breast is facing upwards. Place in a roasting pan. 
  5. Roast the chicken for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F. Once 15 minutes is up, remove the chicken from the oven for basting. Reduce the heat of the oven to 350 degrees before returning the chicken to the oven. Cook for an additional 15 minutes.
  6. Once 15 minutes is complete, remove the chicken from the oven again and add the chopped onion, carrot, and potatoes to the pan. Baste both the chicken and vegetables.
  7. Return the chicken and veggies to the oven. Continue cooking the chicken until it runs clear according to the amount of time needed for the size of your chicken. Remember that it is generally recommended that you cook your chicken for about 25 minutes per pound for a stuffed chicken. This means your 3 ½ pound chicken should be ready in about 1 hour and 28 minutes.

Note: Your chicken may need a slightly less amount of time given that it was already cooked for 30 minutes in the beginning. Use a meat thermometer to help you decide. Otherwise, chicken is done when meat is tender and juices run clear. 

Once the chicken is done cooking, remove it from the oven and spoon out the drippings from the roasting pan. Stir this within your thyme and chicken broth in a small saucepan. Boil to bloom the flavorings. Taste for seasoning and strain. Slice the chicken and serve this sauce on top.

How Long to Roast a Whole Chicken at 350?

Roasting a whole chicken at 350 degrees F will usually take anywhere from 1-2 hours, but it really depends on the size of your chicken. Remember that it is generally recommended that you cook your chicken for 20 minutes for every pound of unstuffed chicken and 25 minutes for every pound of stuffed chicken. Also, you’ll want to cook your chicken for a minimum of 1 hour meaning that even a 2-pound chicken may need at least this long.

Of course, the best way to gauge whether or not your chicken is done is to check it with a meat thermometer. You can also slice the meat to ensure it is tender and the juices run clear.

We hope this helps! 

FAQs

What temp to cook chicken?

Cooking a whole chicken can be achieved by using a low and slow method at 350 or it can be cooked quickly at 425 degrees for even juicier chicken. At 425 degrees, the chicken may take anywhere from 45-90 minutes depending on the weight of your bird. 

Is it better to bake a whole chicken at 350 or 400?

We have found that the best method for cooking chicken is to roast it at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes before lowering the heat and roasting the chicken the rest of the time at 350 degrees. This provides a crisp and golden brown crust and also juicy and tender meat. 

How long does it take to bake chicken at 350?

Cooking tips chicken breast at 350°F (177˚C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is 165˚F (74˚C).

How long does it take to bake chicken with bone at 350?

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle avocado oil over the top of each breast. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bake for 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF and the skin is golden brown.

Is it better to Bake chicken at 350 or 400?

The reason why baking chicken breast at 400 F is better than 350 F is that cooking them at a high temperature will require fewer minutes and will garner more color.

Is it better to roast a chicken at 425 or 350?

You can roast a chicken at almost any temperature. It all depends on what you are looking for. For extremely tender, fall off the bone meat and soft skin, roast between 300 and 350 degrees. For firmer meat and crisp skin, roast the chicken around 425 degrees F.