oven baked chicken breast – With our juicy oven baked chicken breast recipe, you’ll never have to worry about dry chicken again! deliciously seasoned before baking to a golden brown with mouthwatering crisp edges! Skinless and boneless chicken breasts are baked until golden and caramelized in our simple and easy baked chicken breast recipe, which is tender and flavorful.
Garlic butter is mixed into the cooked pan juices for added flavor, and your chicken is served drizzled in the best sauce! This is by far the most famous chicken breast recipe I’ve ever shared. It’s a JUICY Oven Baked Chicken Breast that’s been seasoned and baked until it’s caramelized. It’s easy to make, quick to prepare, and delicious!
Making Baked Chicken Breasts couldn’t be easier or more delicious! Chicken breasts are marinated in a basic herb mixture before being baked until tender and juicy!
This dish is perfect for a simple special occasion, like monthsaries.
This simple baked chicken recipe makes lightly seasoned chicken breasts that are great in chicken salads or stirred into chicken casseroles. Although these are great in any recipe that calls for cooked chicken breast, they’re so juicy and delicious that they’re also great on their own.
Table of Contents
Oven Baked Chicken Breast
As easy as it sounds, putting a seasoned breast in the oven without thinking about it would almost certainly result in you chewing your way through dry chicken while frantically squirting copious quantities of ketchup to attempt to save it.
For years, I experimented with a variety of recipes and methods in search of a juicy baked chicken breast. Any time I’ve been disappointed, I’ve had to chew on mouthfuls of dry chicken, dipping each forkful in mayonnaise to get through it. This is normally a heartbreaking feeling if you enjoy food as much as I do.
This is one of those recipes that you’ll come back to time and time again. It yields an all-purpose chicken breast that can be used in a variety of recipes or prepared ahead of time for meal preparation. We really enjoy serving it straight from the skillet with a side of Baked Zucchini and a salad.
Chicken breasts baked in the oven are naturally lean, high in protein, and simple to prepare. They’re as simple as tossing them in the oven with some herbs and oil!
The key to very juicy chicken is to cook it at a high temperature to lock in the juices and, of course, to avoid overcooking it.
How Long Should Chicken Breasts Be Baked?
Temperature and timing are the keys to a great baked chicken breast. Since chicken breasts are naturally lean, they can dry out if overcooked.
Cooking boneless skinless chicken breasts at a higher temperature seals in the juices as they cook, resulting in the best chicken (I cook chicken at 400 degrees F). To ensure that they are cooked to perfection, use an easy read meat thermometer.
Depending on the size of the chicken breasts, baking them at 400°F would take between 22 and 26 minutes.
Cooking chicken breasts at 350°F for 25-30 minutes is a good estimate (although I prefer the higher heat above).
The chicken breast should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (I remove mine when it reaches 160-162°F and let it rest on the pan until it reaches 165). If the thickness of the chicken breasts varies, pounding them to an even thickness with a meat tenderizer is a perfect way to ensure that they all cook evenly!
Cooking chicken breasts at 425F for the correct amount of time is the secret to juicy chicken breasts. This will be determined by the size of your chicken breasts and the characteristics of your oven (remember, all ovens cook differently). Here’s a general rule of thumb to follow:
Cook for 18-20 minutes for small breasts (5 oz).
Cook for 20-22 minutes for medium breasts (7 oz).
Cook for 22-25 minutes for large breasts (9 oz).
Invest in an instant read thermometer if you have a tendency to overcook your chicken. It’s extremely useful in the kitchen. Then keep reading to find out what the ideal internal temperature of cooked chicken is!
The Chicken Breast Seasoning:
The secret ingredient in this is brown sugar, which is made with only brown sugar, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Makes more seasoning, allowing you to thoroughly coat the breast and give it a beautiful crust without overpowering it with a lot of spices that take longer to cook than chicken breast; and
- Makes it juicy – the chicken sweats while baking, resulting in wetness that makes the chicken more juicy than a typical baked chicken breast.
Yes, it adds sweetness, but this baked chicken breast remains savory!
Ingredients For Baked Chicken Breast:
Chicken is a blank canvas only waiting to be splattered, smeared, and flavored. First and foremost, never under-season chicken. So today I’ve got an easy but stunning seasoning mix (literally the easiest dry rub) that will wow your dinner guests.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: For the most even cooking, choose chicken breasts that are all around the same size (see tips below!)
Spices and herbs: The chicken is flavored with a basic mixture of paprika, garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper. What if you don’t have any thyme? Replace the oregano with oregano, basil, rosemary, or another plant.
A thin drizzle of olive oil gently coats the chicken to help the seasoning adhere.
Chef ‘s Guide To The Yummiest Chicken Breasts:
Remember these three essential tips for tender, juicy chicken before you start baking. Bring the chicken to room temperature before cooking it: When cooking cold chicken straight from the fridge, it’s more likely to cook unevenly, with an overcooked outside and an undercooked inside. Allow 15 minutes for it to come to room temperature before cooking.
Pick chicken breasts that are close in size: If you bake a 5-ounce chicken breast alongside an 8-ounce chicken breast, the smaller one would likely become rubbery by the time the larger one is done.
Since chicken breasts are naturally thicker on one end than the other, pound them to an equal thickness.
How To Make Oven Baked Chicken Breast?
Step 1: Brine
This step is absolutely necessary whenever you want to bake chicken breasts in the oven. Brining chicken is extremely simple, results in extra juicy chicken, and can be completed in under 15 minutes. Furthermore, brining chicken in lukewarm water helps bring the chicken to room temperature, allowing for more even cooking. Win-win!
Simply fill a large bowl halfway with lukewarm (not hot) water to brine the chicken. Add a handful of salt and stir until mostly dissolved. Then add your chicken breasts and leave them in the saltwater for at least 15 minutes to brine. If you’re making this ahead of time, you can cover and chill the bowl of chicken and saltwater for up to 6 hours. However, you don’t want to brine the chicken for much longer than that.
Remove the chicken from the brine when you’re ready to go. Rinse it thoroughly with cold water to remove the salt, and then pat it dry with paper towels. And your chicken is now officially brined.
Step 2: Brush
…and brush your chicken breasts with melted butter. Or, at the very least, I strongly advise using butter. It enhances the flavor and contributes to the golden crust on the outside. However, if you prefer to use olive oil (or another favorite cooking oil), go ahead.
Brush the chicken breasts liberally on both sides to keep them from sticking to the pan and to help the seasonings adhere. Then, in a large baking dish or roasting pan, place the chicken breasts.
Step 3: Rub
If you really want to keep things simple, just season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. However, chicken will absorb the flavor of whatever seasonings you use. So, even if you’re making a simple dish that calls for “plain” chicken breasts, I highly recommend the simple chicken seasoning recipe below, which includes salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
Step 4: Roast
So, how long should you bake chicken breasts? This is a point of contention among chicken lovers. And what is the ideal temperature for baking chicken? Do you bake it slowly and low (for example, 30 minutes at 350°F)? Or do you roast chicken quickly and high (say, 15 minutes at 450)? I’ve tried both — and pretty much every interval in between — dozens and dozens of times. Finally, when it comes to baked chicken, I am firmly in the latter camp.
I enjoy roasting chicken breasts on high heat.
Roasting chicken at 450°F for 15-18 minutes (depending on thickness/size of your chicken breasts) should take about 15-18 minutes. It’s quick and simple. But I mostly like it because cooking at high heat quickly develops a nice crispier “crust” on the outside of the breasts, which helps to lock in those juices and keep the oven roasted chicken perfectly tender on the inside. It combines the best of both worlds.
Step 5: Rest
This one is unavoidable. Allow your beautifully baked chicken breasts to rest before cutting into them — a tip that applies to cooking any meat. If you start cooking right away, you’ll lose all of the wonderful juices and some of the tenderness that we’re aiming for. However, if you allow your freshly baked chicken breasts to rest for a few minutes, they will finish cooking and seal in all of those delicious juices, resulting in the most tender, juicy, and delicious baked chicken.
To keep the heat in while the chicken rests, tent a sheet of aluminum foil loosely over the pan. Finally, after 5-10 minutes, serve and enjoy your perfectly cooked chicken breasts.
How To Season Baked Chicken Breast?
Again, I love the classic paprika-garlic-pepper combo in the recipe below. However, if you want to spice things up, feel free to substitute any of your favorite dry seasoning mixes, such as:
- Italian Seasoning
- Seasoning Cajun
- Seasoning Za’atar
- Seasoning for Tacos
- Seasoning for Everything Bagel
How Long To Cook Chicken Breasts?
Cooking time for large chicken breasts (7oz or 200g) is 20-22 minutes. It takes about 18-20 minutes to cook medium-sized breasts (5–6oz or 150–180g). You can also crisp up the edges by turning on the broiler in the last 2 minutes!
High heat ensures crispy, caramelized edges while keeping your chicken super juicy on the inside. It’s done when the chicken is golden and caramelized. Allow it to rest for about 5 minutes to allow all of the natural juices to recirculate through the meat.
Cooked Chicken Temperature:
If you’re not sure if your chicken is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer. When inserted into the thickest part of the meat, it should read 165°F (75°C).
What temperature to bake Chicken Breasts?
This question has been bothering me for a long time, and I finally took some notes with my temp times to see what the best result is.
Because the chicken had to cook for a longer period of time, a low temperature seemed to dry it out.
A higher temperature is better for boneless skinless chicken breasts because it allows the outside of the chicken to sear, sealing in the juices.
For the past 20 years, I’ve used this method to make the best Thanksgiving turkey ever. I’m not kidding.
So, 425°F is my go-to temperature for baking chicken breasts because it’s not so hot that the outside dries out, but it’s hot enough to sear the outside while keeping the inside juicy and tender.
Tips And Tricks:
- After baking, allow your chicken breast to rest. I take the chicken breasts out of the oven and cover them with foil. Then I give them a 10-minute break.
- This step distributes the juices throughout the breast and allows the meat to relax a little. If you skip this step, your chicken juices will run right out of your chicken breast, leaving you with the aforementioned dry, chalky chicken. Proper baking and plenty of rest result in juicy chicken breast.
What To Serve With Oven Baked Chicken Breast?
This recipe has so many possibilities!
- Potatoes mashed
- Low-carb cauliflower mashed potatoes
- Salad with tomatoes
- Rice with black beans
- potatoes mashed
How To Store Cooked Chicken Breast?
Cooked chicken breasts can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days if stored in an airtight container. We enjoy using them for meal prep at the start of the week.
Wrap each chicken breast tightly in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container to freeze. Chicken breasts can be frozen for up to 6 months.
Leftover Storage And Meal Prep:
Leftovers can be held in an airtight jar in the fridge for 3-4 days. This is a great dish to have on hand during the week!
Cut, dice, or shred your chicken before freezing it to make the reheating process easier. The chicken will keep in the freezer for several months.
Reheating tips: If you reheat chicken breasts the next day, they will become a little dry. But here’s a suggestion. Before reheating in the microwave, add a teaspoon or two of water to the top of your chicken, then cover with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap. It will steam for a few minutes, allowing the chicken to recover some of the moisture and reviving it!
MORE DELICIOIUS RECIPES HERE:
CREAMY SHRIMP PASTA WITH CHEDDAR CHEESE
THE BEST LEMON PIE WITH MERINGUE RECIPE
One Pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
THE BEST FRENCH MACARONS RECIPE STEP BY STEP
Did you make this recipe ? be sure to follow me on Pinterest, rate the recipe and tag #saltedcaramelgirl on Instagram!
Oven Baked Chicken Breasts
oven baked chicken breast - With our juicy oven baked chicken breast recipe, you'll never have to worry about dry chicken again! deliciously seasoned before baking to a golden brown with mouthwatering crisp edges!
Ingredients
- 5-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. Italian spices
- 1/2 teaspoon salt for seasoning
- a quarter teaspoon of paprika
- a quarter teaspoon of black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit/220 degrees Celsius. Combine the paprika, garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl.
Brush the chicken breasts lightly with olive oil and then generously rub the spice mix on both sides.
Cook for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, in a baking dish (see chart above). Allow for a few minutes of resting time to allow the juices to redistribute inside the meat until serving.
Notes
Smaller chicken breasts will take 22 minutes to cook, while larger chicken breasts will take 26 minutes to cook. Using an instant-read thermometer to get the best results.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 212Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 102mgSodium 329mgCarbohydrates 0gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 37g
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