Baked Chicken Breast

This Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipe makes the best, easiest, juiciest chicken breasts, deliciously seasoned then baked to perfection! An easy weeknight meal that can be served along any side dish, best of all it’s ready in only 30 minutes!

It’s amazing that I’ve been blogging here for almost 8 years, and in that time I have never shared with you a basic recipe for baked chicken breast. I think I know why though. Many times I find myself that the recipes that I cook the most at home, I hardly ever blog about because I just think everybody knows how to make them or I just think I’ve already done it.

When I searched my blog for baked chicken breast and came out empty, I just knew I had to rectify that problem. So here I am with my favorite recipe for baked chicken breasts.

Baked Chicken Breast

A lot of people shy away from boneless, skinless baked chicken because they think it’s dry, flavorless and boring. But you know what? Baked chicken does not have to be boring, it can be juicy, moist, tender and pretty darn delicious!

Ingredients you’ll need

This is such an easy recipe for baked chicken breast, only a handful of ingredients are needed. Keep scrolling for the full recipe and ingredient amounts.

• Spices – I love making a simple dry rub with some great spices such as smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Feel free to modify this dry spice rub to your liking and preference. This is where you can be as creative as you want.
• Chicken Breast – I used boneless skinless chicken breast. You can also use bone in chicken breast with skin on but it will take a little bit longer to cook, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Olive oil – you just need a little bit to brush over the bottom of a baking dish and the remaining over the chicken breast. This will ensure the dry rub sticks to the chicken better.
• Butter – I always use unsalted butter so I can control the sodium in my recipes. You don’t want to skip this step of adding a pat of butter over each breast because this adds to the juiciness of the chicken and the beautiful crispy top.

How to bake chicken breast

1. Preheat oven and baking dish: Preheat the oven to 450 F degrees. Brush about 1 tbsp of the olive oil over the bottom of a baking dish.
2. Prepare the dry rub: In a small bowl whisk all the dry rub ingredients together; set aside.
3. Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken breast dry with a paper towel. Place the chicken breasts in the baking dish and brush the remaining olive oil over both sides of the chicken. Sprinkle half of the rub over one side of the chicken breasts then flip them over and sprinkle the other side with the remaining rub. Use your hands if necessary to make sure the entire breasts are seasoned. Place a piece of butter on each chicken breast.
4. Bake: Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for 18 to 25 minutes. The baking time could differ depending on the thickness of the chicken breast. The breast is cooked when it’s completely opaque all the way through and registers 165 to 170 F on an instant-read thermometer.
5. Rest and serve: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite side dish.

It was the best chicken breast recipe I made! Moist and tasty!

Some tips

1. Always season your chicken breast, not just salt and pepper but choose your favorite spices and herbs. Make sure to pat the chicken dry first before seasoning because moisture causes steam which will prevent your chicken from browning.
2. Don’t be afraid to add a little bit of fat like olive oil or butter. Chicken breasts need some fat to keep them juicy and flavorful.
3. If you’ve got the time, brine your chicken for 2 to 4 hours in a solution made with water, salt and other things you may prefer like soy sauce or beer. Basic brine ratio is 1 tbsp salt to 1 cup of water.
4. Baking time can vary depending on the thickness of the breasts, so invest in an instant-read thermometer for best results. Cooking time is generally 20 to 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature registers 165 F degrees.
5. Save the pan drippings and use them to drizzle over the chicken for extra flavor!

How long to cook chicken breast

Nobody loves a dried out breast. Trust me, I know how tasteless they can be. My mom always cooked her chicken to death! The secret to moist and juicy chicken is the hot oven. And I mean hot! 450 F degrees hot. A medium chicken breast will only take about 18 to 25 minutes to bake at this temperature.

However, keep in mind that cooking times can vary greatly based on many different factors such as thickness of chicken, all ovens are different, etc. The best way to always tell if your chicken is done, is by using an instant-read thermometer.

How to serve

I love serving my chicken with a simple side salad, especially if trying to eat low carb. This chicken is perfect for shredding and serving it on tacos or burritos, however here are some other great suggestions:

• Mashed Potatoes
• Potato Salad
• Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
• Macaroni Salad
• Roasted Potatoes
• Coleslaw Salad

Leftovers

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Freezing

Freeze chicken breast stored in airtight containers for up to 3 months!

Why this recipe works

1. Minimal prep required!
2. No marinating required!
3. Great results every single time! Juicy, tender, delicious chicken!

More great chicken recipes to try:

• Garlic and Paprika Chicken
• Chicken Schnitzel
• Parmesan Chicken Strips
• Chicken in a Hurry
• Coq au Vin
• Orange Chicken
• Mongolian Chicken