Oven Baked Chicken Breast is perfectly juicy, flavorful, and beautifully browned with minimal prep work and just a handful of ingredients. It’s super easy and stress-free, ideal for your weekly rotation!
No matter how I try to diversify my recipe on this blog, it always seems to come down to what’s probably the most popular meat – CHICKEN! First, chicken is incredibly versatile for stews, appetizers, the main course, you name it. Moreover, nutritionists say that the breast is the healthier and leanest part.
And we can agree that baking chicken breast is much better for you than frying it. It also makes less of a mess in the kitchen. 😉 So this amazing oven-baked chicken breast recipe is a win-win! 😉
The Secret to Juicy Oven-Baked Chicken Breast
I’ve baked chicken breast low and slow and high and fast, but I guess I fall into the high and fast category. Roasting my chicken at around 425-450℉/220-232℃ in 15-18 minutes gets me the result I want—juicy and tender on the inside with a caramelized outer layer. See how tasty these babies look!!! 😍
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Breast – The boneless, skinless breast provides the lowest fat content for a deliciously healthy main dish. Having the bones and skin out of the way also make it easier to tenderize.
- Seasonings – Onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, white pepper, cayenne pepper, and Italian herbs kick this deliciousness up the flavor chart to absolutely divine.
How To Make Oven-Baked Chicken Breast
Prep the Chicken
- Wash the chicken breasts, then pound them to an even thickness before cooking.
- Pound – Place the chicken on a chopping board, then cover it in plastic wrap (you don’t want to spatter raw chicken in your kitchen). Use a mallet to pound the pieces until they are as even thickness as possible. While thickness between a ¼ and ½ inch is best, making it as uniform as possible will ensure even cooking. (Photos 1-3)
- Combine – Salt chicken. Then combine the seasonings (Italian herbs, onion and garlic powder, paprika, white pepper, and cayenne pepper). Mix well. (Photos 4-5)
- Season– Sprinkle both sides of the breasts with a generous amount of spices, and place them on a parchment-paper-lined cookie sheet in a single layer. (Photos 6-7)
Bake the Chicken Breast
- Bake in a preheated oven for 16-18 minutes or until the juices run clear. An instant-read thermometer stuck in the thickest part of the breast will read 165-170℉/74-77℃. How long it takes depends on the thickness of your chicken. For safety, it’s best to use a thermometer. (Photo 8)
- Serve – Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing so the juice can reabsorb into the meat. Remove and serve with rice or potatoes and veggies.
Recipe Variations
- Marinade – In addition to the herbs and spices, you can marinate your chicken in buttermilk or jerk marinade for juicier results.
- Seasoning Swap – Creole, taco, and jerk seasonings and peri peri sauce will give you a flavor twist that will provide you with a new recipe every time you try it.
Tips and Tricks
- Pounding the chicken breasts makes them cook faster and absorb the seasonings better.
- Covering the meat before pounding makes for easier cleanup.
- Chicken needs to cook thoroughly, but you don’t want it to dry out. An instant-read thermometer read 165-170℉/74-77℃.
- Let chicken breasts rest for about 10 minutes after coming out of the oven so the juice reabsorbs into the meat.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can prep and season your chicken the day before. Thirty minutes before you bake it, take it out of the fridge so it can come to room temperature. And then bake as the recipe directs.
You can also freeze it for two months in a freezer-safe resealable bag. Thaw your seasoned chicken overnight in the fridge, and bake it the next day.
Serving and Storage Instructions
This recipe is best 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven. But it’s also good at room temperature in a chicken Caesar salad.
Keep the baked chicken fresh for four days in the fridge by placing it in a clean and dry airtight container. Or extend its shelf life to four months by freezing it.
To reheat, let the chicken come to room temperature for about 30 minutes, and then put it in a baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350℉/177℃ oven for about 15 minutes or until the thermometer reads 165-170℉/74-77℃.
FAQs
Depending on the size and your oven, boneless skinless chicken breast usually takes 16-18 minutes to bake.
A higher temperature sears the chicken and keeps it juicy (425℉/220℃). But if you don’t mind complicating the procedure, you can preheat your oven to 425℉/220℃, then put your chicken in the oven. After 10 minutes, lower the temperature to 325-350℉/163-177℃ to finish it off.
Marinating chicken in buttermilk before baking helps, but so does baking it at a high temperature. An instant-read meat thermometer will tell you when it reaches the perfect 165℉/74℃.
What to Serve With Oven-Baked Chicken Breast
- Creamy Brussel Sprouts
- Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Green Beans and Bacon
- Pull-Apart Garlic Bread Rolls
- Fondant Potatoes
More Deliciously Baked Chicken Recipes to Try
- Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
- Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Baked Chicken Spaghetti
- Chicken Pasta Bake
- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Conclusion
Juicy oven-baked breast chicken is for all ages and occasions. What’s your favorite seasoning mix to spice up chicken? Comment below! ❤️
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in September 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Oven Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
- Salt to taste (I used 1¼ teaspoon salt)
- 1 tablespoon (6g) dried Italian herbs
- 1½ tablespoon (10g) onion powder
- 1½ tablespoon (7g) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon (2.5g) smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon (2.5g) white pepper
- ½ teaspoon (1g) cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon (4.5g) bouillon powder (or replace with salt)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉/218℃.
- Wash the chicken breasts, then pound them to an even thickness before cooking.
- Place the chicken on a chopping board, then cover it in plastic wrap (you don't want to spatter raw chicken in your kitchen). Use a mallet to pound the pieces until they are as even thickness as possible. While thickness between a ¼ and ½ inch is best, making it as uniform as possible will ensure even cooking.
- Salt chicken. Then combine the seasonings (Italian herbs, onion and garlic powder, paprika, white pepper, and cayenne pepper). Mix well.
- Sprinkle both sides of the breasts with a generous amount of spices, and place them on a parchment-paper-lined cookie sheet in a single layer.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 16-18 minutes or until the juices run clear. An instant-read thermometer stuck in the thickest part of the breast will read 160-170℉/72-77℃. How long it takes depends on the thickness of your chicken. For safety, it's best to use a thermometer.
- Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing so the juice has time to reabsorb into the meat. Remove and serve with rice or potatoes and veggies.
Tips & Notes:
- Pounding the chicken breasts makes them cook faster and absorb the seasonings better.
- Covering the meat before pounding makes for easier cleanup.
- Chicken needs to cook thoroughly, but you don’t want it to dry out. An instant-read thermometer read 165-170℉/74-77℃.
- Let chicken breasts rest for about 10 minutes after coming out of the oven so the juice reabsorbs into the meat.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
grannychick says
Was looking for a different chicken breast recipe to try..trying this one tonight…sounds delicious!!
ImmaculateBites says
Great! Let me know how it works out for you .
brooklyn grill says
Looks yummy. Thanks for sharing. Baked chicken breast is my favorite food.. I will follow your recipe and i hope my family love it. Thank you so much.
ImmaculateBites says
They will ! Thanks for giving it a try.
Thomas James says
Look yummy! One of my favorite Bake Chicken Breast, nice to see your recipe, easy to follow, will cook this for family this weekend. Thanks you!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! So happy to hear this.
Williams says
I love to cook and I am always looking for new recipes for my daily menu, which is interesting for my work. Today’s my lucky day, Oven Baked Chicken Breast is great, just follow the instructions and everything is so easy, I love it. Thanks for your sharing
imma africanbites says
You’re welcome. Glad you like it. And thank you for dropping by.
steak says
This is so delicious, simple recipe to follow, I will make this for my family on weekend. Thanks a lot.
imma africanbites says
Enjoy! We love this one, too.
habitat says
Oven Baked Chicken Breast is great, it’s a very unique combination. I like dishes made from chicken, especially grilled dishes. Added to the menu this weekend, there will be great things for everyone. Thank you for sharing
imma africanbites says
Can’t wait for you to try it. Thanks for dropping by. Happy Easter!
eatfrysmith says
I love this recipe, I made it easily thanks to your detailed instructions
imma africanbites says
You’re welcome. Glad it helped you with your cooking. Thanks for dropping by. 🙂
Anna says
Imma, this looks amazing! Thank you, I will try this right away)
imma africanbites says
Thank you, Anna. Can’t wait for you to try it.
Olga says
Imma, bravo! What a great idea! Love this. I’m sure this is incredibly delicious!
imma africanbites says
Truly it is. Can’t wait for you to it. Enjoy!
Sanchez says
I’m a gymer so I know this recipe is the best baked chicken breast for beginer
Robert Derby says
I have some recipe for this! But it’s not as good as your recipe.
Scott gresser says
Your recipe is very good except for one thing. I always rub or marinate all meats for at least a day before cooking them. I was impressed that you advised pounding the chix breasts! I have been a travelling chef for the last 28 years, so I appreciate good food handling and preparation technique! Please try the following:
Mise en place:
5 pounds of bnls, skinless chicken thighs, pounded out.
Knorr chicken base, fresh rosemary, 5 garlic cloves, fresh oregano, fresh basil, 1 cup olive oil, 4 oz. Fresh lemon juice. (All for the marinade)
1 pound quinoa, 1 quart clam juice, 1 quart clamato juice, 12 scallions sliced for garnish.
Method:
Boil the clam juice and clamato juice and add the quinoa and stir vigorously. Turn to low and keep stirring. After 45 minutes, turn off the quinoa. Heat a skillet with some peanut oil. When hot enough to spatter, lay in your marinated thighs and cook until caramelized on each side. Serve the quinoa garnished well with scallion slices and psition a chix thigh on that for a delightful composed plate. Serve with wilted arugula and watercress on top of the chicken for a elegant finish.
ImmaculateBites says
Oh WOW! Definitely going on my to make list for next week, it sounds So Delicious, Scott. Can’t wait!!! Appreciate you taking time out to share this with us:) God bless!!
Sacha says
Oooh sounds awesome!