Chicken is a versatile protein that is enjoyed by people all over the world. It can be prepared in endless ways – baked, grilled, sautéed, fried, and more. One common question home cooks have is whether chicken continues cooking once it’s removed from the oven or grill. The quick answer is yes. The science behind this has to do with a phenomenon called carryover cooking. Understanding how it works can help you better time your chicken recipes.
What is carryover cooking?
Carryover cooking refers to the residual heat that continues to cook a food item even after it’s removed from the original heat source. It happens because the hotter exterior of the food conducts heat inward, raising the interior temperature. The thicker the food, the more pronounced the carryover cooking effect.
Chicken and other poultry products experience significant carryover cooking. That’s because they have a large thermal mass with less ability to shed heat quickly. The proteins start to coagulate around 160°F but don’t fully firm up until they reach 165°F-175°F. As the proteins coagulate, they trap steam and conduct additional heat inward.
Why does carryover cooking happen?
The physics of carryover cooking have to do with how heat transfer works. Heat always moves from warmer areas to cooler areas until equilibrium is reached. Within a chicken, the outer layers get hotter than the inner meat during cooking. They may reach upwards of 200°-212°F at the very surface.
However, the thick muscle fibers of the inner meat may only get to 140°-150°F while in the oven. This creates a large temperature gradient from the exterior to the center. The heat wants to equalize, so it conducts inward and continues gently raising the internal temperature.
Juices trapped in the meat also get superheated and help transfer heat to the cooler center through convection. The end result is the inner proteins getting hot enough to fully coagulate even after the chicken is removed from the oven.
Factors affecting carryover cooking
Several factors influence the extent of carryover cooking:
1. Size and shape
Larger and thicker pieces of chicken will experience greater carryover cooking. That’s because there’s a bigger temperature differential within the meat that takes longer to equalize.
Bone-in parts like a whole chicken or chicken thighs have more thermal mass and continue cooking more than boneless skinless breasts.
2. Meat temperature
The lower the final internal temperature when chicken is removed from the oven, the more it will cook through carryover heating. Chicken removed at 140°F will increase in temperature a lot more than chicken removed at 165°F.
3. Resting time
Carryover cooking doesn’t happen instantly. As the hot exterior gradually heats the center, temperatures will rise over the resting period. Chicken left to rest for 10-15 minutes after cooking will experience greater carryover.
4. Doneness preference
Dark meat can be safely eaten at lower temperatures nearing 155°F. White breast meat is often preferred at 165°F-175°F for ideal moisture. Cook chicken to lower internal temperatures if you want more carryover.
5. Post-oven temperature
The ambient temperature where chicken rests affects carryover cooking. Resting on a warm stovetop or in a hot oven will mean more heat energy is still being added from the exterior.
How to account for carryover cooking
Depending on your desired doneness, you’ll need to account for carryover cooking to avoid overcooking. Here are some tips:
For juicy boneless chicken breasts:
– Cook to 155°F-160°F and rest 10-15 minutes to reach 165°F
For boneless thighs and legs:
– Cook to 165°F and rest 10 minutes to reach 175°F
For bone-in chicken parts:
– Cook to 155°F-160°F and rest 15-20 minutes to reach 170°F-175°F
For whole chickens and roasts:
– Cook to 140°F-150°F and rest at least 20-30 minutes to reach 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thighs
Monitoring the temperature with an instant read thermometer after resting can help you gauge carryover for your specific cut, thickness, and oven setup. Remove chicken from heat just before it reaches your target temperature.
Why resting is important
A proper resting period is as important as accounting for carryover. As the proteins continue to cook, they force liquid out to the surface.
Resting gives these juices time to redistribute back into the meat fibers. Skipping the rest can result in drier chicken. Resting also allows the temperature to equalize for more even cooking.
Cover chicken loosely with foil during the rest to retain heat without fully trapping steam. The thicker the chicken, the longer the rest should be – up to 30 minutes for a whole bird.
What about bone-in vs boneless?
Bones conduct significant heat. They can bring temperatures up by as much as 10°F compared to boneless pieces.
Aim to remove bone-in chicken from the oven about 5°F-10°F lower than boneless pieces. For example, if boneless breasts are best around 160°F-165°F, cook bone-in breasts or legs to 155°F and let carryover finish them.
Also extend the resting time for bone-in chicken by 5-10 minutes since the bones prolong cooking. This helps the proteins get heated through without overcooking the outer layers.
Does carryover cooking work for reheating?
Yes, the same principles apply when reheating fully cooked chicken to safe eating temperatures. Microwaves and convection ovens heat chicken rapidly from the outside.
Remove the chicken about 10°F before it reaches your desired temperature. As it sits, the heat will distribute evenly, raising the center temperature without overcooking exterior areas.
Tips for minimizing overcooking
It can take some trial and error to master the precise carryover cooking time for your recipes. To avoid drying out chicken while you learn:
– Brine chicken first to add moisture and bind more heat before cooking
– Pound thicker breasts to an even thickness so they cook evenly
– Preheat the oven thoroughly so food doesn’t overcook from extra oven time
– Use an oven thermometer to check accuracy of temperature settings
– Cook bone-in and boneless pieces separately since they carryover differently
– Allow extra time for carryover and remove chicken earlier than you think
– Check for doneness early and continue cooking in short intervals if needed
Signs of carryover cooking
Here are some visual cues that carryover is occurring:
– The internal temperature rises visibly on a meat thermometer during resting
– Meat fibers start to visibly firm and coagulate more
– Pooled juices at the surface reabsorb back into the meat
– Color becomes less pink and more uniformly opaque throughout
– Fat renders further and meat pulls more easily from bones
– Skin gets crisper and browner as collagen shrinks
Paying attention to these signs can help you learn how your specific cuts, seasonings, and cooking methods affect carryover.
Does carryover cooking work for other meats?
Yes, carryover cooking applies to all types of meat and poultry. The same principles of heat transfer from the exterior to the center happen in foods like:
– Turkey
– Beef roasts
– Thick pork chops
– Lamb roasts
– Duck
The intensity varies based on size, shape, bone structure, and final internal temperature. But allowing for carryover can help prevent overcooking lean proteins.
Putting it all together
Understanding carryover cooking makes cooking chicken much simpler. Follow these steps for perfect results every time:
1. Factor in the thickness and bone-in vs boneless when calculating cook times.
2. For bone-in chicken, cook to 155°F-160°F. For boneless aim for 160°F-165°F.
3. Check temperature early and finish cooking in short intervals to avoid overshooting.
4. Let chicken rest adequately – up to 30 minutes for a whole bird.
5. Verify doneness after resting. If under, do a quick blast of high heat.
6. For reheating, stop microwaving or convection heating before 165°F and let carryover finish.
7. Allow extra time for carryover the first few times trying a new recipe.
8. Brining, pounding, and proper oven preheating can prevent overdrying.
With practice, you’ll get a feel for exactly how your chicken cooks after the oven is turned off. Carryover cooking may seem complicated at first but simply helps ensure evenly cooked, juicy chicken every time.
Conclusion
Chicken may come out of the oven looking perfectly cooked, but the carryover effect means it will continue gently rising in temperature during resting. To prevent overdrying, remove chicken before it fully reaches the target internal temperature.
How much the temperature increases depends on the size, bone structure, resting time, and other factors. Allowing 10°F-15°F extra cooking through carryover helps ensure chicken comes out moist and safe to eat.
Understanding how carryover cooking works can take the guesswork out of determining doneness. While it may take some trial and error at first, you’ll soon be able to perfectly time recipes to enjoy juicy roasted chicken straight from the oven to the table.