How to Bake Chicken Breasts in a Glass Pan Without Shattering
Glass pans are easy to use and look attractive on your dining table. They are also safe when users take the appropriate precautions. Oven-safe glass pans have been in regular use since they were introduced in 1915, but "Consumer Reports" magazine cites recent examples of oven-safe glass cookware breaking in the oven under certain conditions. It is important to read and understand the safety-and-use instructions on glass baking pans before cooking with them.
Baking a chicken dish is easy with the right glass bakeware. (Image: minadezhda/iStock/Getty Images)Step 1
Check the safety instructions for your pan. They may be printed on the bottom of the pan or on its packaging. If you do not see directions, look at the manufacturer's website or call the manufacturer for guidelines. Pyrex provides four rules for safe baking with its glass pans: preheating the oven, adding liquid to the pan when cooking meat or vegetables, placing hot pans on a dry towel or potholder and never putting glass pans on a stove burner or under the broiler.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the oven complete its preheating cycle before putting in the chicken.
Step 3
Begin with a room-temperature baking pan. Glass pans can break due to a sudden temperature change, so it is not safe to take a pan that is hot from the dishwasher and put cold chicken in it.
Step 4
Prepare the chicken. Spray the pan lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Arrange the chicken breasts in one layer in the pan. Coat them with salt and pepper or seasonings of your choice. Top the chicken with enough sauce or cooking liquid to coat the bottom of the pan. Use broth, wine or your choice of sauce. According to Pyrex, this will protect the pan from breaking due to the temperature change as the chicken releases liquid during cooking.
Step 5
Bake the chicken breasts at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 30 minutes. The chicken is done when the internal temperature, measured with a meat thermometer, is 160 degrees Fahrenheit. If you do not have a meat thermometer, remove the chicken when the juice from the chicken is running clear or when you cut into the thickest part of a chicken breast and see no pink meat remaining.
Step 6
Use dry oven mitts or potholders to remove the glass pan from the oven, and set it on a dry towel or potholder on the counter. Don't allow the hot pan to rest against objects on the counter such as other cookware or utensils.
Step 7
Serve the chicken with a silicone or heat-safe plastic spatula to avoid scratching the surface of the pan.
Step 8
Wash the glass pan in the dishwasher or hand wash it with a sponge and non-abrasive cleaner. Place the pan carefully in the dishwasher or dish drainer to avoid chipping the dish when it bumps against other items.
Things You'll Need
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Nonstick cooking spray
Salt
Spices
Sauce, broth or wine
Oven-safe glass baking pan
Silicone spatula
3 potholders or dry towels
Tip
Use a nylon scrubber or a sponge with detergent and baking soda to remove stuck-on spots from a glass pan without scratching it.
Warning
Do not use wet potholders or towels to handle or cool glass baking pans. Do not put glass baking dishes on the stove to cool, even if the stove is cool. Let glass pans cool completely before washing, freezing or refrigerating them, because sudden temperature changes can cause the glass to break.
