Say goodbye to dry chicken forever! This Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast recipe delivers tender, perfectly seasoned chicken with golden, crisp edges. It’s quick, easy, and sure to impress even the pickiest eaters.
Full of flavor and beautifully caramelized, these skinless, boneless baked chicken breasts are just as irresistible as our Baked Chicken Breast With Honey and Creamy Garlic Chicken Breasts. Perfect for lunches, dinners, or meal prep, this dish will quickly become your go-to favorite!
What Sets These Oven Baked Chicken Breasts Apart?
After years of disappointing attempts and countless dry baked chicken dinners, this recipe finally cracked the code for juicy, golden perfection. No brining, marinating, wrapping, or complex steps—just a simple seasoning blend and your trusty oven. It’s so easy yet delivers results that rival even the fanciest cooking techniques.
One of the secret highlights? The irresistible pan juices created during baking! Drizzle them over your chicken for extra flavor or whip up a quick jus to elevate the dish. As straightforward as our Creamy Garlic Chicken Breasts yet just as memorable—this recipe proves simple really is best.
Ultimate Oven Baked Chicken Breast: Key Ingredients
The secret to this Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast is in the seasoning. Brown sugar caramelizes beautifully, paprika adds a smoky depth, and olive oil ensures every bite stays tender and juicy. Simple ingredients, extraordinary flavor!
- Brown Sugar: The secret to caramelized perfection! Brown sugar helps the seasoning crust develop that irresistible golden color. Opt for fresh, soft brown sugar to avoid clumps and ensure even mixing.
- Paprika: Whether smoked or sweet, paprika adds vibrant color and a smoky or mildly sweet depth. Choose a fresh, fragrant batch—older paprika loses its flavor and impact!
- Salt: More than just a seasoning, salt enhances all the other spices. Seasoned salt, chicken salt, or even Adobo can add an extra layer of flavor for a standout dish.
- Olive Oil: A high-quality olive oil keeps the chicken juicy while helping the seasoning stick. Go for extra-virgin olive oil for a subtle fruity undertone that complements the spices.
- Chicken Breast: Fresh, boneless, and skinless breasts are best, just the way we did in this Baked Chicken Breasts with Honey Mustard Sauce. Look for even thickness to ensure consistent cooking—or use a mallet to pound thicker parts flat. These tips will make all the difference for tender, flavorful chicken perfection!
*Note: Please see Recipe Card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Additions And Substitutions
When it comes to Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breasts, it’s all about letting the simple ingredients shine. Out of something? No problem—easy substitutes mean you’ll still end up with tender, golden perfection every time!
- Spices and Herbs: Want to switch things up? Add a dash of smoked paprika for extra depth or swap oregano for Italian seasoning to give the baked chicken a herby twist, just like I did for these Balsamic Baked Chicken Breast With Mozzarella Cheese. Simple swaps can elevate the flavor without changing the heart of the recipe!
- Proteins: If you’re out of chicken, this recipe works just as well with turkey breasts or even thick white fish fillets like cod. Just adjust cooking times to suit the protein.
- Seasoning Boost: For extra boldness, sprinkle in a pinch of onion powder or cumin. These ingredients enhance the overall flavor profile while keeping the balance intact.
- Pan Juices: Save the flavorful juices! Use them as-is to drizzle over your dish or whisk in a touch of cream for a quick sauce. They’re too good to waste!
Making Perfect Oven Baked Chicken Breasts: Step-By-Step
Let’s get started! With just a few simple steps, you’ll have irresistibly juicy oven-baked chicken breasts ready to steal the spotlight. Let’s dive right in and make it happen!
- Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 425°F (220°C) or 390°F (200°C) for a fan-forced oven. Let it fully preheat while you prepare the chicken.
- Prepare the Chicken: Pound each chicken breast to an even thickness. This ensures they cook evenly and stay tender.
- Mix the Seasoning: Combine sugar, paprika, chili, herbs, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Set the mix aside for seasoning.
- Season the Chicken: Line a baking pan with foil, then place the chicken on it. Drizzle with oil and rub the seasoning all over for an even coat.
- Bake the Chicken: Bake in the preheated oven for 16 minutes. Broil on high for the final 2 minutes, ensuring the chicken is golden and perfectly cooked.
- Rest the Chicken: Remove from the oven and transfer the chicken to plates. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving to retain juices.
- Optional Butter Sauce: While baking, melt butter in a skillet and sauté garlic until fragrant. Stir in parsley and mix this into the pan juices for extra flavor.
- Serve and Garnish: Drizzle pan juices or butter sauce over the chicken. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
And there you have it—perfectly juicy oven-baked chicken breasts, ready to delight! If this recipe was a hit, why not try our Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken for a touch of sweetness or our Garlic Butter Baked Salmon for a seafood twist? You might also love our Smothered Pork Chops for rich comfort food, Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi for a flavor-packed creamy dinner, or Easy Creamy Mashed Potatoes to serve alongside. There’s always something new and delicious to explore on Cafe Delites!
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. Bone-in chicken breasts take longer to cook, so be sure to check the internal temperature to ensure they reach 165°F (75°C).
The key is not overcooking. Use a meat thermometer to pull the chicken out of the oven as soon as it hits 165°F (75°C) for perfectly juicy results.
Absolutely! All the ingredients are naturally gluten-free.Just double-check any seasoning blends you use to ensure they don’t contain hidden gluten.
Large chicken breasts (about 7oz or 200g) typically bake in 20-22 minutes, while medium-sized ones (5-6oz or 150-180g) need around 18-20 minutes. For a deliciously crispy finish, broil them for the last 2 minutes—it’s a game-changer! Always check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C) for safe and juicy results.
Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons brown sugar, (for keto – use a brown sugar substitute)
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika smoked or sweet
- 1 teaspoon chili powder or ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt for extra flavor use seasoned salt, Adobo, or chicken salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper, to taste
- 4 large chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
OPTIONAL:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced or finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons parsley fresh, chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F | 220°C (standard oven) or 390°F | 200°C (fan forced/convection).
- Pound each chicken breast to 0.8-inch | 2cm at the thickest part. Make sure your fillets are all the same thickness to ensure even cooking.
- Combine sugar, paprika, chili, herbs, salt, powders and pepper. Set aside.
- Line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Transfer chicken to the pan, drizzle with the oil, and rub seasoning into the chicken to evenly coat.
- Bake chicken in preheated oven for 16 minutes. Broil (grill) on high heat during the last 2 minutes until internal temperature is 165°F (75°C) using a meat thermometer. It should be golden with crisp edges.
- Remove pan from oven, transfer chicken to serving plates, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- OPTIONAL STEP: While chicken is in the oven, melt butter in a small skillet. Sauté garlic until fragrant (30 seconds), and remove pan from heat. Stir in parsley, then pour the butter mixture into pan juices, stirring well to combine all of the flavors.
- To serve, drizzle pan juices over the chicken and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
Ashley says
Just wanted to say my whole family and I LOVE this recipe! I usually stray away from chicken breasts because they’re always dry, plain, & boring…you know. I’ve made this recipe twice in the last 2/3 weeks and I probably haven’t made chicken breasts twice in the past year! Lol unless they were going in a pot pie, casserole , or some other recipe like that! These are wonderful, very juicy, the flavor of the seasoning is amazing! I didn’t have any chili powder so opted for the Cayenne pepper because I do like some heat and did go for the garlic butter at the end because I love garlic! Hands down the best chicken breasts I’ve ever made! I’m so thankful I stumbled across this recipe! 😊
Rebecca says
As a student this has become my go-to chicken breast recipe, it’s soo quick and hands off that I don’t have to worry about putting aside half my day to make these, and they’re delicious! Plus I usually have most of the ingredients available. I’ll chop them up and toss them in a salad, or I’ll throw them into a sandwich; they don’t require much else to make a satisfying meal 🙂
Sharon Leslie says
Perfect and easy! Didn’t add the extra butter sauce but still delicious. Will make again.
Morgan says
This is the best oven baked chicken breast recipe! The different times for different weights made a huge difference! Thanks for sharing:)
Catherine says
After cooking this more than four times, it’s my go-to recipe for chicken! I’ve used it to flavor chicken for pasta, burrito bowls, salads, etc and it’s always perfect. Thank you so much for sharing!
Candice Bailey says
Amazing recipe!! I’ve been working out and needed a much needed new way of cooking chicken breast. OMG!! The flavor of the gentle sweet flavor, matched with the kick of chili powder and I added cayenne 🌶 pepper lol! I Love it. Thank you
Nicola says
Whole family loved this! Wasn’t too hot for the youngest did 1/8 chili and husband was grateful fir chicken that was seasoned well! Has chicken gotten less flavorful since the ’80s!?
Theresa Capri says
This was very good. I am glad I just used the chili powder as it would have been too hot otherwise for my taste buds. The chicken was very tender and cooked perfectly for me in 17 minutes. Thank you for the recipe!
Meg says
This was a hit at a dinner party that we hosted with food needing to be gluten and dairy free for a friend. Bonus, my family LOVED it too. Kids asking for more. so delicious and easy. Thank you so much!!!
Susan says
Thank you for taking the time to share this awesomely delectable recipe. Truly a winner, it was so tender & moist along with easy prep, coming from someone who is not so versed in the kitchen arena. Much appreciate that it is a healthy dinner option!!!