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….
Oh, My, Goodness!!!! this is the BEST EVER!! I have made it quite a few times and now its my GO TO chicken for easy and quick dinner and everyone loves it! I have a very very fussy 8yr old. This is his favourite chicken! and its still great the next day which I have put in a salad!
Awesome!!
Thanks Nagi 🙂
Well Nagi, you did it again! Another excellent recipe, so simple and yet so tasty. I added some chipotle and chili to the dry rub to add some heat. Yum!
Amazing! Made one for me and my boyfriend and we loved it, going to write down thank you so much 🙂 now he thinks I’m a chef haha
My go-to, easy recipe when I don’t know what to cook, and have to get dinner in the table quickly. It’s perfect as is, but I do occasionally add a dash of cayenne pepper. Thanks for this recipe!!
By far the best chicken I have ever made. I recived more remarks over this dish. Restaurant quailty the one I received the most. I did not save the recipe, just found it. It is saved this time. Making it tonight. Will be a regular from now on. Thank you! No more dry chicken !
By far the easiest and best chicken recipe… holy moly is this chicken ever juicy say good by to chewy chicken Nagi’s got u covered can’t wait to try more of your recipes! Nothing makes me happier then seeing empty plates and it only takes 35 minutes with prep just amazing thank you for this one 💕
So glad you enjoyed it, Linsy! N x
I always have a hard time trying to find a chicken recipe that will work, in other words both husband & son are hard to please, trust me on this, they both excel in complaining, if it were an Olympic event, they would have a ton of gold by now.
I’ve made this multiple times. Really great seasoning mix and the temperature recommendation gets a good caramelization!
so good and tasty juicy and tender chicken breasts
So glad you enjoyed it, Ackum! N x
Turned out perfectly!
Thank you Claire! So glad you enjoyed it! N x
This dish was really good I’m only 13 and made this according to every direction made no mistake.
Hi Ade! Great job! Love to see cooks starting young! N x
I cut up the chicken breast into strips to get more of the seasoning flavor and it was amazing! Made mashed potatoes with corn on the cob. Great quick and easy recipe Nagi!
How well does this reheat?
Ok! I never leave comments or reviews but then I finally found a recipe that you can bake chicken breast without it ending up dry! I was sceptical but this was a hit with the whole family! Thank you
My new go-to chicken recipe!!! It was so delicious and my picky kids loved it! It was easy and just a touch of sweetness. It’ll be in my weekly rotation, for sure!
This recipe when I made it for my son has now become the only chicken recipe he will eat I’ve made 4times
We made this tonight and I’m amazed at how delicious it is for the small amount of effort and short amount of time. I used thighs since breasts tend to be so dry but I will give those a try next time since it was such a success. Also loved that it was not saucy but still flavourful. Thanks, Nagi!
I was mortified when I realized my fam had only boneless chicken breasts in fridge. Found your recipe and made this evening. My grandmother nearly licked her plate. It’s totally comparable (if not favorably comparable) to the best of take-out. Regards!
Wonderful! So simple and so delicious. It really is the best chicken breast I’ve ever made. Punching the chicken breast is a must!! Thank you for this recipe!
Stumbled on this after being bored w/chicken breasts and already made it twice this week! So easy, so flavorful, this is a keeper for our whole family!