How long does it take to cook a 3 pound chicken?

Answer 1

Cooking times for chicken will also vary depending on the appliance and method of cooking used. However, an approximate cooking time for a whole chicken can be calculated as follows. If the whole chicken is unfrozen without the neck and giblets in the body cavity, not stuffed, and placed in a preheated oven at 350º F, the cooking time will be 20 minutes per pound of chicken plus 10 minutes for chickens weighing between one pound and six pounds.

For chickens over six pounds, the extra 10 minutes is usually not required. As an example, a 3 1/2 pound chicken would take (3 1/2 pounds times 20 minutes = 70 minutes plus ten minutes) one hour and 20 minutes. For parts, especially thin parts such as boneless, skinless breasts, the cooking time will be less than for a whole carcass chicken of the same weight.

Check chicken for doneness before serving. Insert a meat thermometer into a thick section of the thigh without touching the bone. The internal temperature should reach 180º F for whole chickens or leg meat parts; 170º F for bone-in breast; and 160º F for skinless, boneless breast.

Coarsely and finely ground chicken should reach at least 165º F. Stuffing inside a whole chicken should reach a temperature of at least 165º F; stuffing a 4-pound chicken with traditional bread-based ingredients will add an additional 30 minutes or so to the total cooking time.

If you do not have a meat thermometer, cook the stuffing separately. To check for doneness without a thermometer, pierce the thickest part of the chicken with a fork. It should feel tender and juices should run clear.

Chicken cuts should reach as least the temperatures in the chart below to ensure proper doneness.

Poultry doneness temperatures and cooking times when starting with fresh or thawed chickens, not frozen, in oven preheated to 350ºF.
Chicken Internal Temp Approximate Cooking Time (350ºF), Per Pound Approximate Grilling Time
Leg quarters, Bone-in 170°F 15 - 20 minutes 15 - 20 minutes/side
Thigh, Bone-in 170°F 15 - 20 minutes 15 - 20 minutes/side
Thigh, Boneless 160°F 10 - 15 minutes 10 - 15 minutes/side
Breast, Bone-in 170°F 15 - 20 minutes 15 - 20 minutes/side
Breast, Boneless 160°F 10 - 15 minutes 10 - 15 minutes/side
Ground Chicken 165°F 10 - 15 minutes 10 - 15 minutes/side
Whole Chicken 180°F 1 - 3 hours on Revolving Spit
3-4 lb (broiler) 1 ¼ - 1 ½ hours
5-7 lb (roaster) 1 ½ - 2 ¼ hours

Answer 2

Wow big chicken, sounds like a capon. But 1-1/2 - 2 hrs @325- 350 will do just fine . You want the lower temp to keep the juices in, when you think its done just cut into the thickest part of the breast and check, enjoy.

Answer 3

It depends on if you have it stuffed, if it is skinless it will usually take about 2 1/2 hours to cook at 325 and make sure you keep basting it and also cover it up.

Answer 4

you need to go by temp of 165 degrees internal temp on poltury reguardless of how much the weight, at 350 degrees check in 30 minutes and if temp isn't 165 in the thigh wait 10 mins and recheck until 165 degrees is achieved

Answer 5

I usually put mine in the crock pot for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.