This is the most popular of all chicken breast recipes that I’ve ever published. It’s a JUICY Oven Baked Chicken Breast sprinkled with a magic simple seasoning, baked until caramelised. It’s simple, fast and incredibly tasty! This is a reader-favourite alongside Honey Garlic Chicken, this epic Parmesan Crusted Chicken and crispy Garlic Chicken.
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
A JUICY Baked Chicken Breast!
Though I always stand firm that brown meat is better than white – more flavour, more juiciness – lean chicken breast is a regular in my shopping trolley, week after week.
So today, I’m sharing my recipe for how I make Oven Baked Chicken Breast.
We can never have too many really great quick chicken breast recipes!
As simple as it sounds, if you whack a seasoned breast in the oven without thought, the chances are you’ll be chewing your way through dry chicken, furiously squirting over copious amounts of ketchup to try to salvage it.
It doesn’t need to be that way. Enter – a fabulous simple, magic chicken seasoning for baked chicken breast:
The Chicken Breast Seasoning
Made with just brown sugar, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper, the secret ingredient in this is brown sugar:
Makes more seasoning, so you can coat the breast thoroughly and give it a beautiful crust without overpowering it with lots of spices that need longer to cook than chicken breast does; and
Makes it juicy – the chicken sweat while it bakes, so you end up with wetness that makes the chicken more juicy than the usual baked chicken breast.
Yes it adds sweetness but don’t worry, this baked chicken breast is still savoury!
How long to cook chicken breast
A medium chicken breast will take 18 – 20 minutes to bake at 220C / 425F. Cooking it hard and fast at a high temperature is the secret to gorgeous caramelisation and ultra juicy chicken inside. No dried out breast around here!!
The seasoning for this chicken is actually a really great indicator for when the chicken is cooked to perfection. Basically, once the surface of the chicken is caramelised, it’s cooked to perfection inside so get it out of the oven!
My last tip for a truly great Baked Chicken Breast is to pound it to even thickness, either with a rolling pin, meat mallet or even with your fist (very therapeutic). This has the double effect of even cooking as well as tenderising the meat.
The secret behind this baked chicken is the simple, magic seasoning
Most popular of all chicken breast recipes!
This Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast is the single most popular of all chicken breast recipes I’ve ever shared.
But don’t believe me. Have a browse below of what others have to say!
Try serving this with a side of Garlic Butter Rice with Kale, pictured in post. One pot carb + veg side, with kale made delicious! Otherwise, try a flavoured Rice Side like Tomato Basil Rice or Mushroom Rice.
If you’re in the mood for potatoes, try this Lemon Potato Salad, a classic creamy Potato Salad or a lighter No-Mayo Red Potato Salad with Charred Corn and Bacon.
And for something fresh, Spring Salad or Creamy Cucumber Salad with Lemon Yogurt Dressing would go with the chicken beautifully. Else, simply drizzle steamed greens or a garden salad with Italian Dressing, Balsamic or French Vinaigrette. – Nagi x
More chicken breast recipes readers love!
Honey Garlic Chicken Breast – Super easy, super delicious!
Crispy Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast – No breadcrumbs needed!
Chicken Kiev – A retro classic! Crumbed and fried chicken breast stuffed with oozing garlic butter …
Browse all chicken recipes
Baked Chicken Breast recipe
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Oven Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts , 150 – 180g / 5 – 6 oz each (Note 1)
- 2 tsp olive oil
Seasoning:
- 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano or thyme , or other herb of choice
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
Garnish, optional:
- Finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C (200°C fan).
- Pound chicken to 1.5cm / 0.6″ at the thickest part – using a rolling pin, meat mallet or even your fist (key tip for even cooking + tender chicken).
- Mix Seasoning.
- Line tray with foil and baking / parchment paper. Place chicken upside down on tray. Drizzle chicken with about 1 tsp oil. Rub over with fingers. Sprinkle with Seasoning.
- Flip chicken. Drizzle with 1 tsp oil, rub with fingers, sprinkle with Seasoning, covering as much of the surface area as you can.
- Bake 18 minutes, or until surface is golden per photos and video, or internal temperature is 165°F/75°C using a meat thermometer.
- Remove from oven and immediately transfer chicken to serving plates.
- Wait 3 – 5 minutes before serving, garnished with freshly chopped parsley if desired. Pictured with a side of Garlic Butter Rice with Kale.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Recipe originally published March 2018. Updated for housekeeping matters in March 2019, no change to recipe.
* The story and details of the Handcrafted Japanese Knife giveaway that originally accompanied this recipe when published was moved into a separate post because the Giveaway has finished.
LIFE OF DOZER
It’s just hanging there, taunting him. He sniffs at it, suspiciously….
I do not care for the flavor of this recipe. It sounds so good and I made it twice. Reminds me of an Indian flavor without the spice.
So fast and easy!!! Love this chicken. I keep coming back to it.
It’s one of the most popular recipes on my site!! N x
I love this recipe so much! I’m about to make up a batch of the seasoning to coat some chicken drumstick lollipops to serve with Easter dinner this weekend, along with herb crusted rack of lamb, roasted purple potatoes, honey bourbon glazed carrots, berry feta spinach salad, and some pastel dyed deviled eggs. (Dessert is lemon and lavender cupcakes topped with pansies from my herb garden). I do think it will pair nicely! You always have the best recipes!!
I planned on making your slow roasted leg of lamb for Easter, but the market had a nice deal on beautiful racks of lamb, and I’m a sucker for always making things far too complicated. 🥴
Is this a good chicken recipe for meal prepping? I would like to make a lot of it at once and eat it throughout the week, but will it get dry?
This is a really good method for consistently juicy chicken, and the rub is very tasty as well. I typically buy thin cutlets from the grocery store that are thinner than 1/2 inch, and I’ve never had one dry out. Good stuff.
Woo hoo!! I am happy you liked it HC!! N x
Hi My chicken breast has a bone in it. How much longer do I need to bake the chicken without drying it out.
Am I reading this right? We pound the chicken ’til it’s basically half an inch thick? Just checking to make sure. I am surprised chicken so thin would even take 18 mins. to cook.
It is slightly thicker than 1/2 inch but yes, Susan, the timing on this one has been tested and verified by hundreds of readers! It’s one of the most popular recipes on the website! N x
don’t be a little baby
Nagi, will this recipe work with chicken tenderloins? I have used your recipe for crispy oven chicken tenders which was amazing – at last a recipe for crumbed chicken that does not leave my kitchen a mess or leave me with crumby fingers that I have to wash between every piece – but was wanting a microwave reheatable option so I can use leftovers for work lunch.
It was tasty & juicy. I just wish I had added some more heat to counter the sweet, maybe some cayenne or red pepper flakes, It was over all more sweet than I prefer.
Hi Nagi, Your recipe was a great flavor add-on to a lentil salad with sundried tomatoes and feta cheese. I do like the subtleness of the sugar. I will use this again and again. Thank you.
I am happy that you enjoyed it Jude! N x
Hi Anne Marie,
Just thought I would mention that occasionally chicken can be “woody”. It’s actually an abnormality with the chicken muscle that causes a rubbery texture almost as if it’s uncooked. I have experienced this once in breasts I purchased from Costco here in Canada but apparently it’s quite common in the US. If you see any white straiations in the meat when choosing chicken opt for another package. It’s totally safe but pretty gross tasting!
Yesssss!! I have this a few times already. I can’t stand it. Never knew it was a thing though figured it was just the way I cooked it or something, could never figure it out.
SO yummy! I used Italian seasoning instead of oregano/thyme. Next time I’ll cut back on the pepper as my kiddo found it “spicy” but overall a keeper!!
I don’t have baking parchment can I just use the foil?
You can Heather, just spray it with a bit of oil so it doesn’t stick! N x
The best recipe for juicy and delicious chicken breast! It’s the only recipe I use nowadays. Thank you.
I need to make enough chicken for 25 men and this sounds delicious. BUT I have to make it at home, transport it and then wait to serve it. Suggestions as to how to keep it warm without it going dry?
For chicken for that many people I would recommend doing bone in thighs as they are more juicy and travel better – I would do this one: https://promotown.info/gravy-baked-chicken-thighs-and-drumsticks/%3C/a%3E or https://promotown.info/crispy-baked-chicken-with-gravy/#wprm-recipe-container-41567%3C/a%3E N x
Thank you so much! I will have to give these a try. 💖
This recipe was great! I was able to prep and get the chicken in working at my fastest in about 10 minutes. It took a bit longer to bake than the recipe called for and my meat thermometer broke so I was flying blind, but thankfully the author wrote about the toppings carmelizing on top when it’s about done. It baked for about 45 minutes and came out juicy and flavorful, the beating of the breast is necessary to make an even cook and tender bite. I’ve been eating a lot of chicken breast lately and have grown tired of the taste, this was a nice switch from my usual and may become a staple!
This chicken was really good! I would use a little less thyme next time, but I’m still very pleased with how it came out-tender, juicy, and flavorful! Thank you for the tip of pounding the chicken breasts to even thickness. It was a step that took very little time, but made all the difference. Thank you for the recipe!
It’s amazing how many people don’t know that even thickness it the key to getting foods to cook evenly! It makes sense though, right??!! N x
@Nagi
What can I replace the sugar with please…?
Would a natural sweetener do the trick?
Desperate to make this but not allowed sugar.
My husbands diabetic – I am going to try using Truvia Brown sugar -stevia sweetener- I used this in choc chip cookies with great results
I found the thyme was overwhelming
This was so delicious and easy. Everyone loved it and the leftovers were great the next day. Thank you for a great recipe!
I’ve accidentally pounded thinner as in for crumbing for schnitzels. Will this still work in the oven or should I put on stove?