Chicken breasts come in different sizes; therefore, baking times differ accordingly. Often you’ll find breasts weighing between 4-10 ounces; however, 5-7 ounces are more common in supermarkets. At the same time, you can purchase skinless, bone-in, or boneless chicken breasts. Many things impact baking time.
Consistent oven temperature is essential. Older ovens tend to fluctuate in temperature. Instead of baking at 450° F, it can bake at 400° Fahrenheit. Checking it before baking chicken breast is essential, especially if relying on a time chart for baking below. Insert a meat thermometer and leave it in a preheated oven for 3-5 minutes. It’ll give an accurate temperature.
In this article, I’ll explain how long it takes to bake chicken breast at 450 without drying it out. However, if you are looking for a more comprehensive article about chicken breast baking times, read this article. Later in the article, you’ll find a helpful baking recipe and a few tips on how to tenderize chicken breasts.
How long does it take to bake chicken breast at 450 degrees Fahrenheit?
For reference, I’m using a 7-ounce chicken breast. Baking at 450 degrees Fahrenheit is challenging since there’s no room for error. If you leave chicken breast in the oven for 3-5 minutes longer than it should, you’ll end up with a dry baked chicken breast. If baking smaller or larger chicken breasts, add or subtract a couple of minutes for every ounce.
| Skinless chicken breast uncovered | 12-22 minutes. |
| Uncovered chicken breast with a skin | 12-22 minutes. |
| Chicken breast covered | 12-19 minutes. |
| Chicken breast in an air fryer | 12-19 minutes. |
| Bone-in chicken breast | 14-24 minutes. |
| Baking frozen chicken breast | 50 minutes. |
What is the baked chicken breast temperature?
Baked chicken breast should reach an internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit before serving. The USDA provides these guidelines. To ensure chicken breast is baked according to the guidelines, it’s recommended to use a meat thermometer. Not only will it allow you to be sure the chicken breast is baked, but it’ll also minimize the risk of overcooking the poultry.
Here’s an excellent video explaining how to insert a meat thermometer into the chicken breast:
How to bake chicken breasts at 450° F without drying them out?
Baking chicken breast at 450 degrees Fahrenheit doesn’t take long. To not overcook the meat, you should use the time chart above and check the breast’s internal temperature. Overcooking will cause the chicken breast to become dry and chewy.
White chicken meat is notorious for overcooking fast. However, you can use a dry brine, wet brine, or marinade to make it more tender and juicy, even if the breast is overcooked slightly.
Dry brine chicken with kosher salt. Rub chicken breasts with a generous amount of kosher salt. Place them in a container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and put them in a fridge overnight. If short on time, 4 hours is enough for dry brine to work. Salt will tenderize the chicken breast by creating a salty brine from the breast’s moisture that then soaks back in. Salty brine will cause muscle fibers to swell and unravel, making chicken extremely tender and juicy.
For the wet brine, mix 25 grams of kosher salt with a liter of water. Give it a good stir until the salt dissolves. Submerge the chicken breasts and leave overnight. As with a dry brine, the chicken will become juicy and tender. One downside of using a wet brine is that the chicken doesn’t brown as well when cooking.
Dry brine is a perfect solution when baking breast at 450° Fahrenheit. Not only it’ll make chicken breasts juicier it’ll also minimize the risk of drying them out.
Marinating chicken breasts is an excellent option to protect the chicken breasts from drying out. Place chicken breasts in a container and pour over a cup of buttermilk with a few teaspoons of kosher salt. Make sure that the chicken is entirely covered with buttermilk. Leave it in a fridge overnight.
How to bake chicken breast at 450° Fahrenheit
Here’s how to bake chicken breast at 450 degrees Fahrenheit without drying it out:
- Brine or marinade chicken breast before baking. It’ll make chicken juicier and more tender.
- 20-30 minutes before baking, take the chicken breast out of the fridge. Allow the breast to get to room temperature. It’ll allow baking chicken breast evenly throughout.
- Remove excess moisture from the chicken breast’s exterior using a paper towel. It’ll allow the chicken to brown better when baking or searing.
- Preheat oven to 450° Fahrenheit.
- This step is optional; however, it’ll make chicken breast crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Place cast iron skillet on a stovetop over medium-high heat. Add a few tablespoons of light olive oil when the skillet starts to smoke. Place chicken breast into the skillet and sear for two minutes on each side.
- Place chicken breast on a baking dish or baking sheet. Slide into the oven on a middle rack and bake for 12-22 minutes. Halfway through baking, insert a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken breast. Continue baking until it reaches 160° Fahrenheit. The breast continues to cook when off the heat source. It’s called carryover cooking.
- Rest and serve the breast. Leave chicken breast to rest for 5-10 minutes. It’ll get to 165° F and become more tender simultaneously. Resting allows chicken juice to redistribute throughout the interior, making the chicken more tender and juicy.
Conclusion
If you use a time chart as a guideline for baking chicken breast, it’s essential to consider all the factors I mentioned above. If you want to know how long it takes to bake chicken thighs or whole chicken, read these two articles.
