Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast

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! It’s great as a main dish, salad topper for Cobb Salad, or make a chicken sandwich. In this recipe, we will teach you everything you need to know to avoid dry chicken breast for good and always get a juicy, melt-in-your-mouth result.

Tender and full flavoured, our simple and easy baked chicken breast recipe uses skinless and boneless chicken breasts baked in the oven until golden and caramelised. The best part? You can tweak the seasoning as you see fit to cater to whatever you’re craving at the moment.

Enter our recipe: easy, fast and simple. No weird steps, no wrapping, tenting, brining or marinating needed. Just a good flavoured seasoning rubbed all over our chicken and let your oven do all the work.

Pro Tip: The key to a juicy chicken breast is to not over-cook it. To prevent your chicken breast from turning out dry, use an instant-read thermometer to check when the internal temperature has reached 165°F.

Ingredients :

1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed — FOR KETO: use brown sugar substitute
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano, (or thyme, parsley, rosemary)
1 teaspoon salt, (use seasoned salt, Adobo or chicken salt for extra flavour)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon chili powder, (or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper) — optional for a kick of heat
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

Method:

Preheat oven to 425°F | 220°C (standard ovens) or 390°F | 200°C (fan forced or convection ovens).
Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, 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, oregano, salt, powders, pepper and chili (if using).
Line a baking pan with aluminnium foil (or parchment/baking paper). Transfer chicken to the pan and toss chicken in the seasoning. Drizzle with the oil and rub seasoning all over to evenly coat.

Bake chicken in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165°F (75°C) using a meat thermometer. It should be golden with crisp edges.*
Remove parchment paper. Broil (grill) on high heat during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking until golden and crisp.
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 butter mixture into pan juices, stirring well to combine all of the flavours together.
To serve, drizzle pan juices over the chicken and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Pro Tip:
Pat the chicken breasts with paper towels before adding the seasoning. This will help it stick better.
If you desire an extra crispy outside layer, broil the chicken breast for a few minutes before it’s fully cooked.

Ways to Serve
There are a million and one ways to serve this tasty, juicy chicken breast. Feel free to pair it with any side dish you love best.

So many options go with this recipe!
– Mashed cauliflower for a low carb option
– Mashed potatoes
– Smashed potatoes
– Simple tomato salad
– Black beans and rice

Common Questions

How long does it take to bake chicken breast?
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. That said, this cooking time can vary depending on how thick the chicken breasts are. If they are thinner, reduce the cooking time, and if they are thicker adjust it upwards accordingly.

How do you cook oven-baked chicken breast without drying it out?
The key to cooking chicken breast without drying it out is to make sure that you pull it once it reaches a safe internal temperature. Always check the internal temperature of the chicken before taking it out of the oven. If unsure your chicken is cooked through, use a meat thermometer. It’s safe to eat once it reaches 165°F.