Chicken Breast Cooking Time Calculator
Choose the size and how you are cooking it for the time, the temperature and how to check it is done.
The time is per piece. This only affects how you space them out.
Answer
18–20 minutes
The details
How to tell it is done
Cut into the thickest part. The meat must be white all the way through with no pink, the juices must run clear, and a thermometer should read 70°C for two minutes (or an instant 75°C).
Times are a guide. Thickness, how cold the food was and how full the oven is all change the answer, so check before you serve.
Next step
Worth knowing
- Small: About 150g.
- Chicken breast goes from juicy to dry in a couple of minutes, so start checking at the lower time.
- Flattening a thick breast to an even thickness cooks it faster and far more evenly than leaving it thick at one end.
- Resting for 5 minutes before slicing keeps the juices in the meat.
Food safety
- Poultry must be cooked all the way through. Cut into the thickest part and check it is steaming hot, the juices run clear and there is no pink meat. With a food thermometer, the middle should reach 70°C for two minutes, or an equivalent combination such as 75°C for 30 seconds.
- Cooking times are a guide only. Ovens, joints and starting temperatures vary, so always check the food is cooked before serving rather than relying on the clock.
Source: Food Standards Agency, Cooking your food: cooking poultry and pork (GOV.UK) · Reviewed 2026-09-11 · Guidance version 2.0.0
Source: Food Standards Agency, Cooking your food: cooking poultry and pork (GOV.UK) · Reviewed 2026-09-11 · Guidance version 2.0.0
Reference and detail
Chicken must be cooked right through
Chicken is never served pink. The juices must run clear and there should be no pink meat at the thickest part. If you have a thermometer, the centre should reach 70°C for two minutes, or an equivalent combination such as 75°C for 30 seconds, the Food Standards Agency's guidance for poultry.
Why size matters more than weight
A thick fillet takes far longer than a thin one of the same weight, because heat has further to travel to the middle. Flattening a breast to an even thickness is the single easiest way to stop the outside drying out before the centre is cooked.
Rest it, even though it is small
Five minutes on a warm plate lets the juices settle back through the meat. Cut straight into it and they run onto the board instead.
Questions and answers
Questions about cooking chicken breast
Why does the size of a chicken breast matter more than its weight?
A thick fillet takes far longer to cook than a thin one of the same weight, because the heat has further to travel to the centre. Flattening a breast to an even thickness is the easiest way to stop the outside drying out before the middle is done.
How do I check chicken breast is cooked through?
Chicken is never served pink. The juices must run clear and there should be no pink meat at the thickest part. A thermometer should read at least 75°C in the centre.
Food safety
Poultry must be cooked all the way through. Cut into the thickest part and check it is steaming hot, the juices run clear and there is no pink meat. With a food thermometer, the middle should reach 70°C for two minutes, or an equivalent combination such as 75°C for 30 seconds.
Source: Food Standards Agency, Cooking your food: cooking poultry and pork (GOV.UK) · Reviewed 2026-09-11 · Guidance version 2.0.0
Does chicken breast need to rest after cooking?
Yes, for about 5 minutes on a warm plate. That short rest lets the juices settle back through the meat instead of running onto the board when you cut into it.
Can I cook chicken breast in an air fryer instead of the oven?
Yes, an air fryer cooks chicken breast well, though the time differs from oven roasting.
How much chicken breast do I need per person?
That depends on appetite and what else is being served alongside it.
Safety guidance reviewed against Food Standards Agency sources on 11 September 2026. How we calculate cooking times and safety guidance.