How to Cook Bone-In Chicken for Perfect Meals

As an adult, there are certain things you need to know. Among those things, you need to know how to do your laundry, put a fitted sheet on a mattress, and cook bone-in chicken. Unfortunately, many people grow up without these basic skills, leading to numerous Google searches like “does bone-in chicken take longer to cook?”

Cooking meat, particularly bone-in meat, can seem intimidating, but it’s easy to do once you know the procedure. In this article, we’ll answer some of the top questions about cooking bone-in chicken and show you the best way to cook bone-in chicken for your next meal.

Ready to learn everything you need to know about cooking bone-in chicken? Let’s dive in!

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What is bone-in chicken?

Bone-in chicken is any piece of meat that has not been taken off the bone or filleted. The most common cuts of chicken to find bone-in are breast and thigh. Bone-in chicken has different uses than boneless chicken—although you can substitute one for the other in a pinch.

Typically, bone-in chicken is used in stocks and soups (in particular, people like to top ramen, pho, and other Asian soups with bone-in chicken thighs.) Bone-in chicken breast (also called “Split Chicken Breast” is another great bone-in chicken dish that can be served with a simple vegetable on the side.

Does bone-in cook faster or slower?

“Does bone-in chicken take longer to cook?” is the first question people usually have when cooking bone-in chicken. The short answer is yes. Bone-in chicken does take a little longer to cook than boneless chicken. However, the difference in time is minimal.

Boneless chicken breasts typically take between fifteen and twenty minutes to cook, depending on the size of the breast. Bone-in chicken breasts, on the other hand, can take between thirty and forty minutes.

As with any meat, watch your chicken closely as it cooks and check it often with a thermometer to ensure doneness and that you do not overcook it. 

How do you know when bone-in chicken is done?

The easiest way to tell if a bone-in chicken is done is to use a meat thermometer. You can pick up a meat thermometer cheaply through most online stores, grocery stores, or food prep supply stores. A meat thermometer should have a stainless steel needle with a sharp point that punctures the meat to take the internal temperature.

When checking the chicken for doneness, stick the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast or thigh because that will be the part that takes the longest to cook. Avoid touching the bone, as this can throw off the result.

Once the skewer is in the meat, check for an internal temperature of about 165 degrees Fahrenheit (about 74 degrees Celsius.)

What if I do not have a thermometer?

One way to tell if the bone-in chicken is done without a thermometer is with a timer. In a four-hundred-twenty-five-degree oven, a standard bone-in chicken breast should take about twenty-five minutes to cook.

Finally, you can cut open a small part of the meat and look inside. The meat should be white, not pink, and should be moist but flake away from the fork. Check the juices that come out of the chicken too. If they run clear, the chicken is ready. If they are pink or red, give the chicken a few more minutes.

What are some popular bone-in chicken recipes?

The best bone-in chicken recipes allow the chicken to take center stage and shine. That’s why many people like bone-in chicken as an addition to ramen and other soups. Baked or breaded and fried bone-in chicken pieces are also excellent ways to cook bone-in chicken.

Crispy Baked Bone-In Chicken Thighs

Bone-in and skin-on thighs are best for baking since the skin crisps up nicely, and the meat falls right off the bone. For the best results, pat the skin dry with a paper towel before seasoning, and bake at four hundred degrees for thirty-five to forty-five minutes.

Put the chicken pieces into a rimmed baking sheet to contain any juices, so they don’t run off and ruin your oven. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer when they are done to make sure they reach a hundred and sixty-five degrees.

Fried Chicken

By far, the best way to cook bone-in chicken is to bread and fry it. Whether air-fried or fried traditionally in oil, fried chicken is crispy, juicy, moist, and tender. Pair it with a plate of crisp celery and some blue cheese dip for an easy dinner that feels like a treat any night of the week.  

To bread and batter fried chicken, use corn starch in flower to get extra crisp on the outside, and don’t skip the buttermilk! Real buttermilk (or even greek yogurt!) is a far cry from a milk-and-vinegar substitute, and you won’t regret taking the extra step to include it.

Fry the chicken pieces in a pan that is deep enough for the oil to completely cover the chicken. A cast iron pan works great because it will heat the oil evenly without burning it or making it too hot.

You can save your fry oil and reuse it several times before you have to throw it away—and it gets better and imparts more flavor every time you do! Store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place when you’re not using it.

Do you cook the chicken longer with a bone-in?

Yes. Bone-in chicken needs to cook slightly longer than boneless chicken. Typically, boneless chicken breasts cook at four hundred degrees for between fifteen and thirty minutes, depending on the size of the piece of chicken.

Bone-in chicken, on the other hand, needs to cook at the same temperature for around thirty to forty minutes before it is done. Always check your meat with a thermometer before serving. The internal temperature must reach at least one hundred and sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit to be safe to eat.

Which cooks quicker, bone-in or boneless?

The boneless chicken cooks more quickly than the boneless chicken because the bone slows down how quickly the meat can heat up. Boneless, skinless thighs are the most expensive cut of chicken available, partly because they are quick and easy to cook.