Whole Chicken Cooking Time
1¼–1½ hours
3 to 4 lb chicken at 350°F · 5 to 7 lb: 2 to 2¼ hours
Done at 165°F
Roasting times from USDA for an unstuffed bird at 350°F. If it is stuffed, add 15 to 30 minutes, and the stuffing must reach 165°F too.
Source: USDA FSIS: Chicken from Farm to Table. Checked Oct 13, 2026.
Roasting times at 350°F
| Type | Weight | Roast at 350°F |
|---|---|---|
| Whole broiler-fryer | 3 to 4 lb | 1¼ to 1½ hours |
| Whole roasting hen | 5 to 7 lb | 2 to 2¼ hours |
| Whole capon | 4 to 8 lb | 2 to 3 hours |
| Whole Cornish hens | 18 to 24 oz | 50 to 60 minutes |
| Bone-in breast halves | 6 to 8 oz | 30 to 40 minutes |
| Boneless breast halves | 4 oz | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Legs or thighs | 4 to 8 oz | 40 to 50 minutes |
| Drumsticks | 4 oz | 35 to 45 minutes |
| Wings or wingettes | 2 to 3 oz | 30 to 40 minutes |
When it's done
Times are a guide. Check a whole bird in three places: the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing and the thickest part of the breast. All three must read 165°F.