Would This Be Unsafe?

yes, I would do it. ONLY IF you don't have the chicken in plastic but in an oven-safe container...then, yes...it's safe.

Low heat.

You could invest in a crockpot/slow cooker instead. That way you wouldn't have to worry about getting delayed in traffic or the train being really late or if an emergency came up. Also you can practically cook an entire meal in a slow cooker.

I sometimes preheat my oven while I run to pick up DS from preschool. I am usually gone close to 30 minutes, though! But I do get nervous about it, so I don't do it very often...

How is a crock pot safer than an oven? Ask a firefighter.... small appliances are more likely to have problems than your oven.

It's safe and I used to do it all the time. So did my mom. I wouldn't leave for hours and hours, but 15 minutes? Sheesh, I'd put something in the oven and walk the dog for that long.

Go ahead and do it.

I'm surprised at the number of people that say leaving the oven on is unsafe, but then suggest you use a crock pot. The crock pot or the oven, both are appliances that have a risk associated with them.

Use your oven if you want to and use a timer to turn it off in case you are delayed. That way the higher temps in the oven will be mitigated by the timer. And then don't worry about it. When I leave the house with the oven on, I always have a timer on to turn the oven off and I set the temp at 350 or lower. If I'm doing low and slow, 250 degrees, I don't even worry about the timer.

Thanks for thinking of your husband and finding ways to be nice to him. You are setting a great example for your kids.

Good luck to you and yours.

It's completely safe. When I was a child my Mom would put Sunday dinner in the oven before church and it was ready when we got home. And today's appliances are much safer than they were 50 years ago.

I run my oven while I am gone a lot. Even if you manage to cremate dinner it will stay contained in the oven. Think about what happens in the self cleaning mode, it is meant to take temperatures as high as flames.

When I used to work closer to home I would go home during lunch and put a roast in, my home still stands.

I do that all the time. But if you're worried, why not cook your chicken til it has 15 minutes left. Then turn off your oven and let the residual heat finish cooking your chicken while you get dh. You can cover with foil or put the lid on the casserole so it doesn't dry out if you're delayed.

Huh. Not sure I'd really worry if I had a good oven. I'm sure it's not safe but I'd go next door for a half hour with the oven on... Not sure there's a huge difference. Does your husband have a cell phone? Can he text if the train is late? I'm sure something can happen but I can't imagine people don't go walk the dog for 15 min with the oven on... I guess same time if you turn the oven off the second you leave, it'll probably stay hot enough that you won't lose much...

I use the timer on my oven to turn it on before I get home all the time. I also put food in the oven and head out on a walk around the block with the kids.

I'd do it.

Not a stupid question, because we're all taught practically from birth that leaving the oven on is just asking for a house fire. But... how many times has your oven caught fire with you in the home? If you can say 'none', then I personally would be ok leaving it on for a 15 minute round trip.

I get that people are worried about you being in a major accident and not getting home in time to turn dinner off. Sure, that could happen. But ovens are designed to do a five hour long self clean cycle where they burn up everything inside. So it's pretty darn safe.

Does your oven have an automatic shut off?
If you were delayed, caught up in a traffic jam and gone for hours would the oven be on for hours/all night?
If not, maybe your house wouldn't burn down but your smoke alarms would be going crazy as the meal incinerates inside the oven.

Crock pots ARE different (and even many of those have an automatic shut off).
They cook at relatively low temperatures for long periods of time and are covered to hold the moisture in - so although an over cooked meal might get mushy and maybe might scorch on the bottom a bit, it's a whole lot less likely to smoke and burn and set off your smoke alarms.

If you're only going to be gone for 15 min, have the meal finished cooking and turn off the oven before you go pick him up.
It will still be warm when you bring him back home.
And if you don't get back right away as planned, you only have a cold meal to throw away (it wasn't refrigerated) and you won't have a noisy smoky burned mess to deal with.

I have done it all the time. I also put a load of laundry on, washer or dryer, and run to the store. Just make sure nothing is in the way of the vents. That is the only thing I have read about with leaving the oven on. A coworker's sister forgot to remove something from the top of the stove and the heat from the vents melted it and it caught on fire. Luckily she had just walked in the door. Never leave anything on top.

As long as you set the timer, it should be fine. I do it all the time when I take my kids to the back yard to play while dinner cooks, or on a walk, or to the post office, Walgreens' drive-thru pharmacy, etc.

My oven turns off once the time is up.

My oven has a timer specifically so I can set it to go on and off while I am away from home. I often put dinner in the oven and leave. I don't hang around the house when I have a turkey in the oven for four hours! As long as your oven is relatively clean I don't see a fire hazard, and even if a fire starts in the oven it is contained and will go out since it is not getting oxygen.

No, I would not chance it. I'm sure you are right that the odds of something happening are low, but not worth it to me.

I would rather cook it turn the oven off and let it sit and chance it getting dried out before I would leave the oven on while I am out of the house.

On a side note, someone said she would never run her washer/dryer while she was out of the house. I am guilty of doing this. She has a fear of a flood or fire from the dryer. Another friend unplugs the toaster and coffee maker when she leaves the house. I guess everyone has their own comfort level.

I would suggest a crock pot meal on those nights. Some crock pot meals cook in as little as 3 hours! You can also cook an entire chicken in a crock pot--it comes out very tender and delicious!

It would be safer, and also quite easy! Also, if there is a delay you don't need to worry. Usually crockpot meals are fine if they are cooked longer, or the crock pot may automatically go to warm.

it is a risk, but a pretty low one. but i also leave the house with the washer or dryer going sometimes, and i use a crock pot.
15 minutes isn't very long, and i would do it too. but do bear in mind that something could happen to delay you, and it may not be worth the angst that would ensue if your car broke down or something. crock pots ARE safer than ovens (they're built for it, and run on a very low wattage) although it can and is well-argued that NO appliance should be left on. i confess to a degree of livin' on the edge. i'm a rebel that way.
the best idea is to cook your meal most of the way, then turn off the oven and let your chicken finish up in the hot-but-turned-off oven.
khairete
S.

Totally unsafe. Never consider it an option again. If you are still unsure call your local Fire Department and have a discussion with them. If I were you I would lovingly make a sandwich or something similar he can eat in the car to tide him over until dinner is ready OR he can re-heat his food.

Sure. Why not? Your toaster,crock pot and any other appliance left plugged in is more likely to create a problem than a stove. If you don't want to leave it on, cook before you go to station.

Yes it would be a hazard (however small), but I have plenty of times left the food cooking in the oven while I run an errand or pick up the kids. My only setback has been, running into traffic and being out longer than I expected. Use your best judgement, :)

Not the oven, no. It's not safe. I would bake it first and let it sit in the oven to keep it warm during that 15 minute round trip.

No. Don't do it. Use a crock pot.

Can't you cook dinner ahead of time and then just reheat his plate?

I wouldn't either.

I'm with Cheerful... Crock pot!

Would it be ok? probably. Would it be safe? not at all. You never know if there could be a freak accident with the oven or a delay or a car accident...anything.

Why not put it in a crock pot ahead of time to be ready about the time you get back home (and turn it on low before you leave)?

Not a stupid question in the least. I see nothing wrong with it and have done it times myself. You could bake it and then just leave it in the oven with the oven off while you make your trip, that way if something out of the ordinary happens, you are good and he can just reheat in the microwave. My husband works late a lot of nights so the kids and I eat and I fix him a plate and he warms it up when he gets home. I also use my crock pot a lot and you can keep food in there as well.

yes, leave on low heat for the time you will be gone.

Don't do it, it's not worth the risk of what can potentially happen...