How long does it take to bake chicken breast at 375

Baking times for the chicken breasts may differ depending on – the chicken breast size and the oven. You can buy bone-in or boneless chicken breast in many different sizes. Usually, the breasts can weigh between 5-7 ounces; however, there are four or even 10-ounce breasts. The bigger the chicken breast, the more time it requires to cook. There’s one more thing to consider before setting your cooking timer. How accurate is your oven in terms of temperature? An older oven may not cook at the desired temperature. Insert an instant-read thermometer into a preheated oven to 375°Fahrenheit. Keep it there for 5 minutes to get an idea of how accurately it retains the temperature. It’s essential for baking a moist and tender breast.

Click this link to learn about chicken breast cooking times ranging from 350-450 degrees Fahrenheit. In this article, I focus on how long to bake chicken breast at 375°F and how to cook it, so it remains moist and tender.

How long does it take to bake chicken breast at 375?

Below you’ll find a time chart for baking chicken breast. The times are for a 7-ounce breast; however, since size may vary, add or subtract a couple of minutes per ounce of chicken breast. I highly recommend using a meat thermometer about halfway through cooking. It’ll allow you not to overcook the chicken breast and give you a rough estimate of the time for baking.

What is the baked chicken breast temperature?

The baked chicken temperature should reach 165° Fahrenheit. However, since chicken breast continues to cook off the heat source, you can take it out of the oven when the internal temperature is 160° Fahrenheit. It’s called carryover cooking. To learn more about cooking temps, read USDA guidelines.

To check the meat’s temperature, here’s an excellent video explaining how to insert a meat thermometer:

How to bake chicken breasts without drying them out?

The chicken breast becomes dry and chewy when overcooked. To avoid overcooking, track the baking time and check the breast’s internal temperature.

Chicken is white meat; therefore, it’s not as moist as dark chicken meat. You can make it juicier by using dry brine, wet brine, or marinade. Although baking chicken breast at 375° Fahrenheit is an optimal temperature, there’s still a chance you can overcook the meat. Chicken brine or marinade makes overcooking the meat more forgiving since the meat will be tender either way.

To dry brine the chicken, use kosher salt. Rub chicken breast with a generous amount of kosher salt, cover the chicken with plastic film or place it in a container. Let it brine for 4 hours to a day. The salt rub will cause muscle fibers to unravel and swell, making them extremely tender and juicy.

To wet brine chicken breast, add 25 grams of kosher salt to a liter of water. Stir the water until the salt dissolves, and submerge the chicken breasts. Leave it in a wet brine for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. The same processes occur as with a dry brine. The salt will begin to tenderize the breast, making it tender and moist

A marinade is excellent for adding additional flavors and tenderizing chicken breasts. The most simple and effective marinade for a chicken breast is buttermilk with some kosher salt. In a zip-lock bag, add chicken breasts and cover them with buttermilk. Add a few teaspoons of kosher salt and give it a shake. Additionally, you can add some extra flavors: cayenne pepper and paprika powder. Buttermilk has a high acidity level which is essential for tenderizing meats.

There are more ways to make chicken breast moist and tender; read this article to learn more.

How to bake chicken breast at 375° Fahrenheit

1. Bring chicken breasts to room temperature. It’ll allow the breast to cook evenly throughout. Placing cold breast straight out of the fridge into the hot oven will cause the exterior to overcook while the exterior is still undercooked.
2. Pat chicken breasts dry using a paper towel. A dry exterior will allow breasts to brown better. Season the chicken with ground black pepper and your favorite seasoning when it is dry.
3. Preheat the oven to 375* Fahrenheit.
4. This step is optional but recommended—Preheat the cast iron skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add a few tablespoons of light olive oil when it starts to smoke, and place the chicken breast in a skillet. Sear for a minute and a half on each side until caramelized crust forms. Remove and put it on a baking sheet or a baking dish.
5. Slide chicken breasts into the oven on a middle shelf and bake until fully cooked. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temp. Remove it from the oven when the thermometer is reading 160° Fahrenheit. The chicken will continue to cook for another 5°F when off the heat. Remember to use the time chart above for tracking the cooking progress.
6. Rest and serve. Let baked chicken breasts rest for 5-10 minutes. It’ll allow chicken juice to redistribute throughout the interior, making it tender and juicy.

Conclusion

Chicken breast is delicate meat that tends to overcook if left unattended. Unlike dark chicken meat, it doesn’t need that long to cook. For example, chicken thighs take longer to cook because the muscles are tougher and require more baking time to tenderize. On the other hand, keeping an eye on the chicken breast and setting the cooking timer is essential. It’ll minimize your chance of overcooking the meat. If you decided to cook a whole chicken and do not know how long it takes to bake a whole chicken read this article.