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 have one of the most persnickety grandsons when it comes to food, but this recipe is always a hit! Just enough sweetness as well as tender and juicy-perfect for this four year old (and his family too!)
Thank you!!!
Okay, I never leave recipe reviews, but I just wanted to say that this recipe has changed my life. I always overcook chicken and can never seem to get it right but this turned out perfectly! Thank-you so much for this recipe! I will be using it over and over again.
How many names are you going to post this under?
I would love to know what I could use instead of sugar? or how it would turn out without it.
I made this tonight with basil, thyme and oregano. It didn’t get crispy on top so I added cheese and broiled for 5min. Yummy leftovers thank you
This is by far one of my favorite chicken recipe! super easy to make no down time at all! I made this last night for my son and my boyfriend and ohhhhh did they love this! It was so good that my son didn’t even hesitate to finish his food I didn’t have to tell him to continue to eat he ate it all by himself would definitely recommend this recipe it’s delicious will have to do this again for round two
I’m a 23 yr old vegetarian who has literally NEVER cooked meat in my life. My amazing boyfriend works long days and doesn’t have time to cook meat when he gets off work, so I wanted to learn, so I could cook him full meals instead of my veggie sides. I nervously tried this recipe and presented it to my boyfriend, who ate a bite and SMILED, saying it was really good and he was so proud of me! It was juicy, cooked through, flavorful, it looked and smelled so good that my vegetarian self tried a tiny piece and I was super impressed. I DID THAT! (Thanks to this recipe) I’m saving this one, I’m super proud. If a vegetarian likes this, yall meat eaters gonna LOVE IT!
Just made this and it was delicious! I’m learning to cook and I have a hard time cooking meat – I always overdo it and make it dry. Especially chicken, of course. This recipe was easy and really made the chicken moist! Thank you 🙂
Easy and delicious. No knife required. Cuts with a fork.
Made enough for leftovers which were also super tasty. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thank you Nagi
I don’t usually leave comments but just had to! This was unexpectedly simple yet delicious! I added a dash of cayenne for heat and paired it with oven-roasted potatoes – absolutely perfect!
This baked chicken recipe was delicious! I also learned the secret for tender chicken! Cook for less time at a higher temperature! Mouthwatering, juicy and tender! Yummy
That’s the way to do it! N x
Great taste and very tender! Thank you!
This is a great recipe! I used thighs, definitely like dark meat better, and tenderising it w my fists was therapeutic! Whacked a bit of onion fried kale in the mash potatoes, chicken in the toaster oven @ 220c for 18/19 minutes and Bob’s yer Uncle!
This is a great recipe! I used thighs, drfi tely like dark meat better, and tenderising it w my fists was therapeutic! Whacked a bit of o ion fried kale in the mash potatoes chicken 22nl0c for 18/19 minutes and Bob’s yer Uncle!
Loved this chicken recipe. So easy and absolutely delicious!
We grilled the chicken one day snd baked it another day. Both days the chicken came out delicious!
Absolutely delicious! Super easy and so yum 🤤 I paired it with some steamed veg and your lemon potatoes absolutely divine! Thank you, I am going to check out your other recipes now!
This was amazing !!!!
Just cooked this tonight and was not disappointed! How delicious this seasoning was. A perfect balance of flavors!
Nagi, I usually do a quick brine before cooking chicken breast regardless of recipe. Do you think a brined breast would work here?
Loved it! After staying away from baking chicken in fear of it becoming dry, I couldn’t believe how easy and tasted it was!!!