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!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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….
This was an amazing recipe. I was looking for something easy for Sunday Dinner and this was outstanding, I did add a few shakes of Cayenne Pepper flakes to kick it up a bit.
I am making this now but all I had was bone in thighs so I’ll let you know how it turns out. Making butter rice but I’m using broccoli instead of kale and mixed some wild rice it. Cooking and it smells sooooo good. Thank you for all awesome recipes!!! My husband is obsessed!!! L
This was a huge hit! Both of my kids asked for seconds (when my toddler normally doesn’t finish her first), and my husband, who doesn’t love baked chicken, said “that chicken was actually really good.” Definitely a keeper. Thanks!
But now…the chicken.And it was good.followed it to step.very good.
I have made this chicken 3 times in the last 3 weeks. It’s just perfect. I’m bad at cooking chicken and I’m kind of weird about chicken. But this is so easy and delicious. My husband loves it
I made this last night for dinner. Along with Garlic Butter Rice. Thank You Nagi for this magic trick. The chicken breast were moist and juicy. I will be using this method from now on.
Printing this out now and making it tomorrow!
Enjoy Gail!! N x
I made this last night and my husband and I loved it! Amazing how tender the chicken breast was. Pounding it was fun! Thanks, Nagi!
Delicious! Made this and the rice with kale for my family last and everyone loved it…this will be on the menu rotation.
My partner, a red meat eater enjoyed this dish very much and thanked me for it. I served the chicken with butter garlic brown rice with kale and also your purple cabbage & carrot salad for more vegetables 😋Delicious. A recipe for keeps.
I didn’t use stock for the rice though being Asian I am into adding stock unless it’s Hainanese Chicken rice 😋I added water and used finger as the measurement for it (I’m sure you know the Asian rice measuring method 😋)
Can i use cajun seasoning and bake the chicken breast as per recipe?
Also, would like to make a chicken burger out of it – would you recommend?
Thanks Nagi!
Was not a fan of chicken.breast, but a decision to embrace healthier eating brought me to this site. And now the chicken breast baked in the oven recipe has made me a believer. Tasty.🥰
Wahoo Deanne, I have STACKS of chicken breast recipes – I’ll cover you! N x
Best chicken recipe I’ve ever made! Thank you kindly:) God bless you:)
Oh my goodness guys… that was SOO DELISH! I’m a college student, and this recipe is relatively cheap and very easy to follow! I cut the breasts in half horizontally and skipped the pounding and did everything else the same. The chicken came out so perfect and so 👌👌 definitely a recipe worth saving!!
I think I messed up I rubbed the spices in the chicken and put 1tbsp paprika instead of a 1tbs I hope it comes out okay. Also I didn’t put parchment paper I just put it in a glass baking dish.
Very tasty and easy! I’m usually hesitant to cook chicken because I can never make it taste good but this was GOOD! I didn’t have paprika so I subbed 1/2 tsp of cayenne which gave it a nice spicy touch.
This was so yummy! Only made a tiny change to use less paprika so it wasn’t to much spice for my child and let it marinate for about an hour. Other than that did exact and so yummy
I love this recipe but want to reduce sodium. Any suggestions for replacing the salt?
Maybe use low sodium chicken stock powder? I often do that to lower sodium.
Nagi!! This is incredible!! I can’t describe how delicious this is. I used oregano as the herb the first 3 times, and then tried thyme. The thyme is the winner for us, absolutely perfect flavour. Simple, fast and incredible. This ROCKS!! Thank you for making me a better home cook through your wicked recipes. My husband and I are working our way through all of the recipes on your website. We have been blown away time and time again. You’re the best!!
So freaking good!! And very simple. Will be making it repeatedly
Wow is all I have to say quick easy delicious 👏 I’m cooking what she’s cooking from now on lol
So easy, so yummy. Had it with the Garlic Butter Rice with Kale. Thanks Nagi.
Perfect Sue!! N x