Forget dry chicken with our Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipe! Deliciously seasoned before being cooked in the oven until golden with mouthwatering crisp edges!
Tender and full-flavored, our simple and easy-baked chicken breast recipe uses skinless and boneless chicken breasts baked in the oven until golden and caramelized. For extra flavor, garlic butter mixes through the cooked pan juices to serve your chicken drizzled in the best sauce!
THE JUICIEST OVEN-BAKED CHICKEN BREAST RIGHT HERE!
For years I tried so many recipes and techniques for a juicy baked chicken breast. Disappointed every single time having to chew through a mouthful of dry chicken, dipping each forkful in mayonnaise just to get through it. If you love food as much as I do, this is usually a completely heartbreaking experience.
Enter our recipe: easy, fast, and simple. No weird steps, no wrapping, tenting, brining or marinating needed. Just a good flavored seasoning rubbed all over our chicken and let your oven do all the work.
This is how I make the most incredible baked chicken breasts that retain all of their natural juices!
The best part about this recipe is the pan juices that mix through the seasoning to give you a little something extra to drizzle them with when serving.
CHICKEN BREAST SEASONING
You only need a handful of seasoning ingredients for this one: paprika (mild, sweet, or smoky), brown sugar (or a brown sugar substitute for Keto readers), dried herbs, onion and garlic powders, salt, pepper, and chili powder or cayenne.
Adapted from our Cajun Butter Chicken recipe without the heat! Of course, you can add the heat if you love a kick of spice.
All of these ingredients together smothered all over your chicken breasts make MAGIC and the perfect balance. The brown sugar lets the chicken sweat while baking, making our baked chicken breast even juicer! Much like your favorite Chili Lime Chicken.
HOW LONG TO COOK CHICKEN BREASTS
Large chicken breasts (7oz or 200g) take about 20-22 minutes to cook. Medium-sized breasts (5 – 6oz or 150 – 180g) take about 18-20 minutes. You also have the option of throwing on your broiler in the last 2 minutes to get crispier edges!
Cooking them at high heat ensures the crispy, caramelized edges while keeping your chicken super juicy on the inside. Once the chicken is golden and caramelized, it’s cooked! Let it rest for about 5 minutes to recirculate all of those natural juices through the meat.
COOKED CHICKEN TEMPERATURE
If unsure your chicken is cooked through, use a meat thermometer. It should read 165°F (75°C) when inserted in the thickest part of the meat.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH BAKED CHICKEN
So many options go with this recipe!
- Mashed potatoes
- Mashed cauliflower for a low-carb option
- Simple tomato salad
- Black beans and rice
- Smashed potatoes
MORE CHICKEN BREAST RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE
- Balsamic Baked Chicken Breast With Mozzarella Cheese
- Caprese Stuffed Balsamic Chicken
- Crispy Chicken Parmesan (Parmigiana)
- Creamy Garlic Chicken Breasts
- See all chicken recipes here
Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar (FOR KETO use brown sugar substitute)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, (smoked or sweet)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano,
- 1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme and dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt (for extra flavor use seasoned salt, Adobo, or chicken salt)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper to taste
- 4 large chicken breasts (7oz | 200g each)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
OPTIONAL:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped 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 (or parchment/baking paper). 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.
Marilyn Padilla says
This is SOOO good! I made it just like the recipe says except I used 1/4 tsp each of oregano, thyme, parsley, rosemary. Everyone who ate it LOVED it. My mom even asked me to send her the recipe. This recipe is going in my regular rotation.
Karina says
Hi Marilyn, thank you so much! I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the recipe and made it your own with those herb additions. It’s always a joy when a recipe becomes a hit with family and friends. Feel free to share the recipe with your mom, and I’m honored to have a spot in your regular rotation. Happy cooking!
Cynthia M Wells says
This is amazing! The sauce makes it extra delicious. Only difference I did was use smoked paprika. I also just cut the breasts length wise in half. I placed it over Italian coucos and added stemmed broccoli. My boys inhaled it. Like they stopped talking and just scarfed it down. This is a winner, winner, chicken dinner!
Marilyn says
This was delicious! The only change I will make next time is let the seasoning rub sit on the chicken for an hour or so before baking.
Michelle says
This was excellent!! I used smoked paprika and smoked sea salt, thyme for the herbs. Very moist and delicious!
‘DK says
This was amazing and sooo delicious! I traditionally mess chicken breasts up in the oven but you can’t go wrong with this rub. Yum!! Agree to definitely start checking at 30 mins. My oven runs hot so taking out a few minutes early worked perfectly. I used for chicken wraps with lettuce/tomatoes and sour cream mixed with homemade taco sauce. So good!! Thank you!!
Karina says
I’m happy to hear that the chicken turned out amazing and so delicious for you! The homemade taco wraps with lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream mixed with taco sauce sound incredible. It’s wonderful that the rub worked well and that you found the perfect timing for your oven!
Angela Tobin says
So good and very easy! I’m not much of a cook but the way this tastes makes me feel like one
Karina says
Haha, that sounds great Angela, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Connie says
Can’t use paprika or hot pepper flakes, so I was concerned it might be too sweet; but it was so delicious! I used one thigh, that was perfect also. Sauteed steamed green beans in the pan that was used to cook the butter garlic parsley sauce, so delicious!
I do have a question about the calories; is that for a chicken breast that is 4 inches before pounding flat?
Thank you!
Diane Wells says
Best chicken breast I’ve ever cooked
Rachel Weston says
I have cooked this recipe for my family two times now. My son and husband are obsessed with it!! They now say.. “Cook that one chicken” lol it’s amazing! Thank you!!
RICHARD HERVIEUX says
As a Michelin Starred chef, I always try different recipes just for the heck of it. Reminds me of a dish I prepared as an apprentice at the Old Commodore Hotel in NYC !!! Very good!!!!
Gayle Thomasson says
Absolutely fabulous! I’m going to use the recipe on pork chops tonight. Thank you so much