Say goodbye to dry chicken breasts! These Baked Chicken breasts are succulent, juicy, and almost impossibly tender. Ready in just 35 minutes, this is a quick and easy weeknight dish that everyone will love.
I have never felt too enthusiastic about cooking chicken breast. While wildly versatile, they have a tendency to dry out, particularly when oven-baked.
But there is no doubt chicken breasts have their merit. They’re low-calorie, high-protein, nutritious, quick to cook and insanely delicious when cooked right. So I’m happy to report this recipe leads us to the promised land of extraordinarily juicy, tender and flavourful baked chicken breast.
Best of all, this method which requires no brining, marinating, butterflying, or browning beforehand couldn’t be simpler; pound the thickest part of the breast, rub with olive oil and a few spices, bake at a very high temperature. That’s it.
Don’t tell chicken thighs, but for a quick weeknight dinner, you can’t beat these oven baked chicken breasts. Start to finish, this dish will take you about 35 minutes to have on the table, with only 10 of those minutes being hands-on prep time. Truly the most effortless way to transform the humble chicken breast into a juicy, flavourful dish that is next-level crowd-pleasing.
If you need your faith restored with chicken breasts, give this recipe a try. I promise you will be astonished at how good, and easy it is.
Key Ingredients and Notes
This baked chicken breast recipe is incredibly flavourful considering how few ingredients the recipe calls for. I recommend you try it once as written, then feel free to make it your own.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Any size chicken breasts will work here, but keep in mind that the larger the size, the longer the cook time will be. In addition, try and buy similar sized chicken breasts for more even cooking.
- Olive Oil: The chicken breasts are coated with oil for flavour, and to help the spices adhere to it. You can use melted butter, or a mix, if you prefer.
- Seasoning: The dry seasoning blend I recommend here is a very simple, basic one: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme or oregano, salt and pepper. Though very flavourful, this blend is not too strong which allows for the chicken to be used in just about any application. Feel free to use any spice combination you prefer.
Note: You can find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
What Is The Best Temperature To Cook Chicken Breast?
It is not safe to undercook poultry but it won’t take long to overcook it either. Because chicken breast can vary so much in size and thickness, not to mention other variables like the pan you use, the age of your oven, etc, it is truly best to use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat.
Chicken is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF. However, because the internal temperature will continue to rise after you take the chicken breasts out of the oven, you want to remove them when they reach an internal temperature of 160ºF. Let them sit in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cutting board.
How Long Do You Bake Chicken Breasts?
The bake time will vary slightly depending on the size of your chicken breasts, the pan you’re using, and the accuracy of your oven.
In general, mid-size chicken breasts that have been slightly pounded will take about 20 minutes. If they are quite larger they can take 25 to 27 minutes. Keep an eye on small ones—I’ve overcooked them at 15 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Pound the chicken breast: Because the chicken breast is so much thicker on one end, the thinner part will cook a lot quicker. Lightly pounding the thicker end of the breast will allow for more even cooking. See section below for instructions.
- Don’t bake the chicken cold from the fridge. Take the chicken out of the fridge at least 15 minutes before you plan on cooking it. This allows the meat to cook quicker and more evenly.
- Bake in a roasting pan as opposed to a baking sheet. When baked on a baking sheet, the chicken breasts lose a lot of moisture pretty quickly. In a baking, or roasting, pan there will be more moisture trapped and circulating, keeping them nice and moist.
- Bake at a very high temperature. I have tested cooking chicken breast in high then low, mid-range, or all low temperatures. Hands down, a high temperature is best. When dealing with lean cuts of meat, a high temperature will cook the meat quickly before it has time to dry out.
- Do not overcook. When the thickest part of your chicken breast hits 160°F, it is time to remove it from the oven. Keep it mind the residual heat will continue to cook the breasts once they out of the oven.
- Let the chicken breasts rest. For succulent, perfectly cooked meat, you must let the chicken breast rest for 5 to 10 minutes after it comes out of oven. This allows for the juices settle in the meat keeping it nice and moist.
How To Pound Chicken Breasts
It takes about 2 minutes to do this because we aren’t trying to make thin cutlets here. Just a few whacks on the thickest part will suffice.
Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin or a bottle, pound the thickest part of the chicken breast a few times just until you slightly decrease the thickness. (Do not over-pound. It should not be as thin as the thinnest end.)
If your chicken breasts are on the thinner, smaller side, you can skip this step.
How To Bake Chicken Breast
Even if you take the time to pound the chicken (which you really should) this recipe will require less than 10 minutes of prep time. You honestly can’t beat that.
Mix the spices. In a small bowl, mix all the spices until combined.
Coat the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in a shallow baking dish and pat them dry on both sides. Drizzle with olive and use your hands to coat both sides. Sprinkle the seasoning blend evenly over the chicken on both sides.
Bake the chicken. Bake the chicken in a preheated 450ºF for 20-25 minutes, or until internal temperature registers 160ºF.
Let the chicken rest. Transfer the chicken to a platter or cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Meal Prep, Storage, and Reheating Suggestions
- Meal prep: These baked chicken breasts are great for enjoying throughout the week. See section below for many suggestions.
- To store: Place cooled chicken breasts in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: These baked chicken breasts freeze really well to use for later. I like to slice them up before freezing so they’re ready to go when I need them. Freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months.
- To reheat: Reheating chicken breast is tricky because it does tend to get dry. Add a splash of chicken broth to a skillet and reheat over medium-low heat until warmed through. Alternatively, microwave, covered, for just a few minutes.
Serving Suggestions
These baked chicken breasts go well with just about any side you can think of. But keep in mind the chicken cooks fast so make sure to have your side almost ready before you bake the chicken.
Here are a few of our favourite sides to serve with this delicious baked chicken:
- Baked Parmesan Potato Wedges
- The Best Baked Potato
- Italian Salad
- Kale Caesar Salad (a match made in heaven!)
- One-pot Rice and Beans
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (another match made in heaven!)
Here are a few meal prep suggestions:
Use these delicious baked chicken breasts in tacos, salads, or grain bowls, Add to soups, pasta casseroles, and of course they’re great for making sandwiches.
More Chicken Breast Recipes To Try
***If you give this Baked Chicken Breast recipe a try, please feel free to leave a comment and/or a star rating below. We appreciate and welcome all your feedback. Thank you!
Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme or any other spice you prefer
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450ºF.
- In a small bowl, mix the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano (or thyme, salt and pepper until combined.
- Place the chicken breasts in a shallow baking dish and pat them dry on both sides. Drizzle with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and use your hands (or silicone brush) to coat both sides. Sprinkle the seasoning blend evenly over the chicken on both sides.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until internal temperature registers 160ºF.
- Transfer the chicken to a platter or cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Pound the chicken breast: Because the chicken breast is so much thicker on one end, the thinner part will cook a lot quicker. Lightly pounding the thicker end of the breast will allow for more even cooking. See section below for instructions.
- Don’t bake the chicken cold from the fridge. Take the chicken out of the fridge at least 15 minutes before you plan on cooking it. This allows the meat to cook quicker and more evenly.
- Bake in a roasting pan as opposed to a baking sheet. When baked on a baking sheet, the chicken breast lose a lot of moisture pretty quickly. In a baking, or roasting, pan there will be more moisture trapped and circulating, keeping them nice and moist.
- Do not overcook. It is not safe to undercook poultry but it won’t take long to overcook it either. Because chicken breast can vary so much in size and thickness, not to mention other variables like the pan you use, the age of your oven, etc, it is truly best to use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat. When the thickest part of your chicken breast hits 160°F, it is time to remove it from the oven.
- Let the chicken breasts rest. For succulent, perfectly cooked meat, you must let the chicken breast rest for 5 to 10 minutes after it comes out of oven before slicing. This allows for the juices settle in the meat keeping it nice and moist.
- To store: Place cooled chicken breasts in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Join the Conversation