Updated on December 25th, 2023
If you prefer to roast our bird at a low temperature, then 350F is the typical benchmark. And it’s excellent for roasting chicken, especially if you’re more concerned about a juiciness and crispiness combo. But certain steps must be considered when cooking chicken at 350F, and we’ve proved them here. And when followed, you can prepare a delicious serving of roasted chicken for any gathering or occasion.
Cooking Steps
The needed steps for 350F roasted chicken are just as important as the doneness time and must be considered beforehand. So, here are the basics of what you’ll need when preparing chicken at this low oven temperature;
Thaw and Dry
It’s important to always roast a thawed chicken compared to a frozen one. The reason is a frozen chicken may not cook properly in all areas, but a thawed one will. And the best way is to let the chicken sit in the fridge long before cooking time- at least for 24 hours or a maximum of two days.
When it’s time to cook, bring it to room temperature and pat dry with paper towels. Don’t rinse the chicken, or you’ll wash bacteria into your sink. Cooking the chicken after patting it dry will kill off any leftover bacteria.
Seasoning
Surprisingly, you only need a combination of pepper, salt, and fat (butter, margarine, or oil) to cook roasted chicken. But it doesn’t always have to end there, as other options include cumin, pureed fresh chiles, garam masala, or poultry seasoning. You can also include fresh or dried herbs like sage, thyme, coriander, rosemary, cardamom, cilantro, and marjoram. Aromatic options include onions, garlic, shallots, ginger, and celery. And you can add oranges, lemons, and apples to the pan for an extra burst of aroma, or squeeze their juice on the meat for extra flavor.
When seasoning the chicken, a good rubdown with the mixed spiced and seasoning will work. But you’ll also want to let the seasoning reach the meat by slitting through the skin and separating it from the meat with your fingers. Then, add the spice mixes into these spaces so the meat gets a deeper flavor infusion.
Dressing
It’s best to roast your chicken unstuffed especially at a temperature of 350F. But if you’re not comfy about leaving its cavity empty, fill it with a mixture of herbs, fruits, and aromatics. Chopped celery and leek sticks, onions wedges, halved apples, lemons, peeled garlic, and fresh herbs will do the trick.
You can also choose to truss the bird, as it’s known to help it cook faster. Do so by tying the legs close to the body with the butcher’s twine. Trussing also helps hold the stuffing inside the cavity and also helps to tuck in the wings.
Doneness Temperature and Cooking Time
Roast chicken takes around 20 minutes per pound to cook in a 350F oven, with an additional 10 minutes if you stuffed the bird. But doneness is only attained when the internal temperature reads 165F on a meat thermometer. Ensure your readings are accurate by sticking them in the inner thigh region without touching the bone.
Resting
Once the chicken is done, you’ll have to tent it with a double sheet of foil and let it sit on the wooden carving before slicing. If you carve the bird immediately after it’s done, you’ll lose precious flavorful juice and result in dry meat. Allowing the bird to rest for at least 15 to 30 minutes lets the juice redistributes within the tissues, giving you a moist chicken. And the foil tent traps the heat so further cooking commences as it rests, and keeps the chicken warm.
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Extra Suggestions
- Skip the basting step for 350F roast chicken, as the seasoning rubs and stuffing (if any) will have time to infuse flavor. If you must baste, do so at the end of the cooking time, and before resting.
- Using herb butter allows a deeper flavor impact on the meat. Slither this into the slit spaces between the skin and the meat before cooking.
- The 350F is a low-temperature cooking method, and won’t need you to tent the bird. This means you’ll get the preferred crispy skin without it browning too soon.
- You can also cook the chicken unstuffed in a bed of aromatics and vegetables. Meanwhile, the stuffing can cook in a separate dish next to it in the oven.
Roast Chicken (6 Servings)
Ingredients
- One whole chicken, three pounds
- Half cup margarine, divided
- One tablespoon of onion powder
- One celery stalk leaves removed, cut into four pieces
- Onion powder
- Black pepper
- Salt
Instructions
- Prep the oven to heat to 350F, and meanwhile, liberally season the chicken in a roasting pan with pepper and salt. Ensure to rub the seasoning inside the cavity as well.
- Sprinkle onion powder on the surface and inside the cavity, followed by half of the margarine. Dollop the remaining half around the bird’s exterior, and add celery sticks into the cavity.
- Cook the chicken uncovered at 20 minutes per pound, which will take up to an hour, plus 15 minutes for the celery sticks. Check the internal doneness with a meat thermometer by sticking it to the thickest region of the inner thigh. The chicken is ready when the temperature hits 165F.
- Take the bird out and baste with the pan drippings for a few moments, then tent it with foil for 30 minutes before carving.
You can also follow this video recipe for more help.
