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I'm trying to cook 6-8 chicken breasts at a time by putting them all in a roasting pan, adding seasoning, and putting it in the oven.

The problem is that the chicken becomes very dry, but the pan fills with water from the chicken! The result is a dry, rubbery mess that doesn't taste very nice, as well as a pan full of chicken water which I don't know what to do with.

What's the correct way to do this?

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  • Could you add a few details, e.g. your current oven settings, please?
    – Stephie ♦
    Commented Sep 26, 2015 at 13:25
  • @Stephie I just put it on 180. I think it's Celsius.
    – CaptainCodeman
    Commented Sep 27, 2015 at 18:23

2 Answers 2

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Use a meat thermometer. If you overcook the chicken, it will dry out. The standard temperature for chicken breast is 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

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  • Can you put a meat thermometer in the oven ?
    – CaptainCodeman
    Commented Sep 27, 2015 at 18:22
  • @CaptainCodeman it depends on the individual thermometer, but yes, some can go in the oven. Usually the type that looks like a clock with a stick underneath. Probe-types vary. And then there are the super-fancy ones that have a probe in the oven that is connected to an external reading device, sometimes even with an alarm when a preset temperature is reached. Whatever strikes your fancy and is within your budget ;-)
    – Stephie ♦
    Commented Sep 27, 2015 at 18:41
  • OK I just used a meat thermometer and made the best chicken in the world. Thank you!
    – CaptainCodeman
    Commented Sep 29, 2015 at 23:37
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Without more specifics, I see an issue with how you are cooking them.

I roast whole chickens on a regular basis. Doing it this way allows me to be less concerned with the exact time. The fat of the skin and other non-meat bearing flesh keeps the chicken moist.

If your approach is to roast these many chicken breasts without any oil, fat, shortening, etc., it will dry them out, especially if you are not covering them.

Another approach is a way that I sometimes cook chicken breasts in the oven. It involves covering them with a spread consisting of mayonnaise and fresh basil, then covering and lightly patting with fresh breadcrumbs and a variety of Italian-themed seasoning.

Happy cooking.

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  • I can add oils but not mayonnaise or shortening. Keeping skin on is not an option. How do I use oil to solve this?
    – CaptainCodeman
    Commented Sep 27, 2015 at 18:22
  • You can use an oil-based marinade and occasionally baste or brush the chicken. I have done this with roasted vegetables. It keeps them from drying out.
    – Jason P Sallinger
    Commented Sep 27, 2015 at 22:08
  • You mean you take everything out every once in a while and brush it?
    – CaptainCodeman
    Commented Sep 28, 2015 at 11:24
  • Basting doesn't require removal from the oven. Just a quick opening of the door, and a quick brushing or use of a bulb baster. It's not a matter of re-soaking what you're basting; you're just getting a titch of moisture back on the surface of the food so it doesn't dry out.
    – Jason P Sallinger
    Commented Sep 28, 2015 at 12:38
  • OK that doesn't sound like it will prevent all the juice from leaking out and creating a soup of chicken juice in the pan.. how do I prevent that?
    – CaptainCodeman
    Commented Sep 28, 2015 at 15:02

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