From chicken breast to whole bird, roasting chicken in the oven is easy and healthy meal prepping solution. It can be served with various sides and sauces that makes it a versatile dish.
However, tough or dried up chicken is the most common issue when using the oven. You may wonder what went wrong and whether using top or bottom heat is the proper way to bake chicken in the oven.
Do you bake chicken on top or bottom heat? Chicken is best cooked on the middle rack, and baking the chicken on a wire rack over a baking pan is an ideal solution. This method allows for good circulation all around when positioning the meat on the middle rack.
When roasting larger cuts or whole chicken, bottom or lowest oven rack is best due to higher temperatures near the bottom of the oven.
Whether it is marinated or basic seasoned chicken, oven makes cooking easy and fun. It does not require much clean up afterwards, simply adjusting the temperature and timing results in delicious baked chicken.
Improperly cooked chicken results in tough and dry meal that is not pleasant to serve. Answered below are frequently asked questions about the best method and oven setting to bake chicken in the oven.
Are ovens hotter at the top or bottom?
Most ovens are hotter at the top than at the bottom. As a results, the closer you get to the heating element, the hotter the air as heat rises all around.
When it comes to making baked goods or cooking meat, oven rack placement is an important factor. Positioning racks closer or farther from the heating elements does have a direct impact on how the food cooks.
Most standard and conventional ovens have heating elements located at the top and bottom of the oven.
Furthermore, placing the meat on the highest or lowest rack closest to the heating source will yield faster cooking times and crisper results due to the hotter temperature.
Is it better to cook chicken on high or low heat?
It is better to cook chicken on low heat in the oven. Low temperature cooking helps to retain moisture and prevents overcooking, but it definitely takes a longer time.
If dried out chicken that is tough to chew is your biggest problem, consider using low heat and baking uncovered.
Temperatures around 325 degrees Fahrenheit or 163 degrees Celsius cause the chicken meat to start tenderizing quickly and contracting without losing much moisture.
Cooking chicken at a lower temperature will soften the meat without losing moisture, however the cooking time will be longer than if you roasted at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or 204 degrees Celsius.
Where should you place chicken in oven?
Most chicken dishes taste best when baked on the middle rack and the placement evenly distributes heat to cook thoroughly all around.
Depending on the chicken parts, the rack placement may vary:
- Wings: upper middle
- Breast: top
- Legs: middle
- Thigh: middle
- Tandoori: upper middle
- Chicken burger: top
- Whole chicken: middle
Tips to bake chicken in the oven
Chicken recipes are diverse from marinate to fried and baked, however retaining the juiciness and moistness in chicken is difficult because it doesn’t have have very much fat inside the flesh.
Following the recipe is crucial for ingredients, oven setting, and cooking preparation technique, but that is not all.
In addition, useful baking tips are needed to achieve delicious perfect chicken without fail.
- When baking lot of pieces at once, do not overcrowd the pan or oven. Instead, let each piece have space to cook more evenly.
- Cover loosely with aluminum foil on top of the chicken to keep it moist and flavorful by sealing juice as it bakes.
- Roast or bake between 325 and 450 degrees F or 163 to 232 degrees C for a whole chicken or individual chicken parts.
- Limit the cooking time between 20 to 30 minutes for large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and 40 to 50 minutes for large bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts.
- Ensure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees for the baked chicken to be safe to eat.
Baking Chicken on Top or Bottom in Oven: Conclusion
Chicken bakes best on the middle rack. Middle rack placement is better than top or bottom level to get heat well distributed with good circulation for even cooking.
Depending on the recipe, baking chicken on low heat is recommended to keep the moisture and eliminate from drying up.
Most ovens are hotter at the top compared to the bottom rack. This is because the heat source is either on the top or the heat rises toward the top.
Furthermore, baking chicken on the very top rack may result in crisp edges that burn easily. The middle rack is mostly preferred for baking chicken, however the placement of rack depends on the dish and chicken part.
Whether you are cooking chicken breasts or whole chicken, use the baking tips, rack position and proper oven setting to have moist and flavorful chicken every time.