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Valued Contributor
Posts: 1,070
Registered: ‎03-30-2010

Help! One oven, two items to bake, different temperatures.

I am hosting a small dinner party this weekend and am making a tried and true baked chicken recipe. I have a ton of garden tomatoes to use and found a Scalloped Tomatoes recipe from Ina Garten. The chicken bakes at 425 and the tomatoes at 350 -- both for 40 minutes. How do I successfully do this? Thanks to all who reply!!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,213
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Help! One oven, two items to bake, different temperatures.

Take care of the tomatoes first. Set them aside for a while.

Raise the oven temperature and make the chicken. Microwave the tomato dish before serving.

Super Contributor
Posts: 1,070
Registered: ‎06-24-2013

Re: Help! One oven, two items to bake, different temperatures.

On 10/20/2014 insomniac said:

Take care of the tomatoes first. Set them aside for a while.

Raise the oven temperature and make the chicken. Microwave the tomato dish before serving.

Great advice......I often have to do the switch during the holidays since I too only have one small oven.........sometimes I can use my crock pot and then just brown in the oven...........a Nesco oven is nice too........I had a great one but it was ""lost"" when I moved.....
Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,482
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Help! One oven, two items to bake, different temperatures.

Bake both for 40 minutes at 350. At the end if the tomatoes aren't browned on top, stick them under the broiler.

Super Contributor
Posts: 1,281
Registered: ‎09-05-2014

Re: Help! One oven, two items to bake, different temperatures.

girl you would flip if I told you how i would do it.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,534
Registered: ‎10-05-2010

Re: Help! One oven, two items to bake, different temperatures.

I have these problems every holiday. How I wish I had gotten the double oven when I had the chance. Do you have the warming drawer? Bake the tomatoes at 425 for less time and put them in the warming drawer.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,104
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Help! One oven, two items to bake, different temperatures.

As a rule ovens tend to have pretty big swings in temp even while set for one specific temp. You're apt to find the temp swinging both above and below the set temp, but averaging out to the set temp. In this case I'd choose a compromise temp between the two and adjust the cooking times accordingly. I might go with a four hundred degree oven and cook the chicken an extra five minutes or so and the tomatoes five minutes or so less than listed.
Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,256
Registered: ‎06-25-2011

Re: Help! One oven, two items to bake, different temperatures.

Do you have a good-sized toaster oven, or a Nesco? Bake the tomatoes in there.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,013
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Help! One oven, two items to bake, different temperatures.

On 10/20/2014 insomniac said:

Take care of the tomatoes first. Set them aside for a while.

Raise the oven temperature and make the chicken. Microwave the tomato dish before serving.

This is what I would do as well except my stove top usually gets pretty warm if the oven is on for awhile so I always set my first ""cooked"" dish on top of the stove covered while the second is cooking. Usually does not need the microwave.

"Live frugally, but love extravagantly."
Super Contributor
Posts: 431
Registered: ‎07-19-2013

Re: Help! One oven, two items to bake, different temperatures.

Since neither dish is a delicate cake or baked good, I'd just split the difference and go 380 for both. The chicken may take a few minutes longer, the tomatoes a few less, but if you watch them it won't be a problem.