Enter your chicken weight, cooking method, and oven temperature to get the exact roasting time and safe internal temperature for perfectly cooked chicken. The Chicken Cooking Time Calculator also tells you when to start resting your bird and estimates your total time including resting.
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As a general rule, roast a whole chicken at 200°C for about 40 minutes per kg, plus an extra 20 minutes. So a 1.5 kg chicken takes approximately 80 minutes. Always verify doneness with a meat thermometer — the internal temperature must reach 74°C (165°F) at the thickest part of the thigh.
The safe internal temperature for all chicken cuts is 74°C (165°F). Use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding bone, to check. Clear juices running from the bird are a helpful visual indicator but a thermometer is the only reliable method.
Resting allows the juices to redistribute through the meat, keeping it moist and tender. A whole chicken should rest for 15–30 minutes loosely covered with foil. Smaller cuts like breasts and thighs need around 5–10 minutes. Do not skip resting — it makes a noticeable difference to the final result.
Yes, a stuffed chicken takes longer to cook because the stuffing must also reach a safe temperature of 74°C. Add approximately 20–30 extra minutes to the total cooking time when cooking a stuffed bird. Always check the temperature in the centre of the stuffing as well as the thigh meat.
The safest method is to defrost chicken in the refrigerator. A whole chicken weighing 1.5 kg typically takes 24 hours to defrost fully in the fridge. Never defrost chicken at room temperature as this encourages bacterial growth. You can also defrost in cold water (changing it every 30 minutes), but cook immediately afterwards.
180–200°C (356–392°F) is the most common range for roasting chicken. Fan ovens (convection) cook faster and more evenly, so reduce the temperature by about 20°C compared to a conventional oven. High-heat roasting at 220°C gives crispier skin but requires careful monitoring to avoid drying out the meat.
Yes. Fan ovens circulate hot air more efficiently, cooking food roughly 20–25% faster than a conventional oven at the same temperature setting. You should either reduce the temperature by 20°C or reduce the cooking time. This calculator automatically accounts for the fan oven adjustment when you select that method.
Cooking chicken directly from frozen is not recommended for whole birds as the outside can overcook before the inside reaches a safe temperature. However, some boneless cuts like chicken breasts can be cooked from frozen — simply add approximately 50% more time to the standard cooking time and always verify the internal temperature reaches 74°C.