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….
Hi
I have been following your recipies for about a year now. As a Chef I would Love this knife to add it to my collection.
Keep the Receipes coming I often make them for the guests at the game lodge and of course friends and family.
Thank you
All the way from South Africa
Hi there! Since most of my spare time is spent in the kitchen (where I love to cook) I would really like to have a wonderful nice to work with. Thanks for this opportunity!
What a good mom!! 😊
I would love this knife. We have not been able to purchase good knives. It is so daunting seeing them all and wondering which ones are the best. But after a cooking class, where I got to use a good knife, I realized we really do need this in our kitchen.
Hello Nagi,
I would be honored to win this wonderful handcrafted Japanese knife. Thanks for the chance given.
All the best to you and Dozer from Alberta, Canada.
Yours,
Sorin
I would really love to win this!
Forgot to say I am also looking forward to trying this chicken. Need some new and simple meals for this next month. Hopefully I can at least get most of the family to eat this!
I would love the knife. I have had a Japanese vegetable cleaver for years and I love it. Thanks for the great recipes. My favourite is the humus and lamb.
Would love to have a really good knife and the knowledge to take care of it. I have non essential tremors so a great knife would be an asset to prevent accidents
I would love the knife…is beautiful! Making the chicken tonight..
Tired of dry chicken!
Hello Nagi,Have been following your blog for awhile. Great recipes and simple to follow. Would appreciate owning such knife.
Nagi,
Yet another great simple recipe, you keep on delivering. every post. Check it out every day.
I would love to own the knife as it is far better than any of my knives. I would love and cherish it.
Nagi,
Simply put, I would love a knife like this to use in preparing my favorite recipes of yours. I have not found one recipe that we haven’t truly enjoyed. And I’m sure this one will be a winner in my family as well. Thank you for sharing them.
My best,
Kat
kamtravels2@gamail.com
Hello Dear Nagi, I would love to be the recipient of that beautiful knife. I love your recipes, I copy them and put them in a plastic sleeve ,then in a binder. I have made several of your recipes for my sisters, when we meet weekly, and now I have one of my sisters to follow your web site, the other doesn’t have a computer. Please enter my name in your drawing.
Watching the video of this knife in action is amazing and i would love to use it in my kitchen.
I also have to say i love your recipes and the videos of how to make them and of course i have to mention Dozer he is a champion.
Hello Nagi, from Canada’s East Coast. Can’t wait to try the chicken this week! Love your recipes and tips – 5 stars for all those I have tried. You have a great writing style that tastes of the recipe just reading it! I have passed on your blog to grateful friends. Would love to be the one to win your beautiful Japanese knife! Thanks for your expertise!
Thanks for the opportunity to win a great knife. And more importantly, thanks for so many tasty, quick and easy recipes. You’re my go-to expert.
What a beautiful piece of kitchen art! I would love to be the winner! Thanks for yet another delicious recipe and beautiful give away.
Can’t wait to try this chicken, Nagi. Thanks for sharing and thanks for the chance to win this awesome knife!
Discovered your blog by accident and have been a fan ever since. I love dogs too-have 3.
The knife would be a fantastic item to have.
Keep up the great site.
I’d love this knife! My mom was big into Ikebana flower arranging & Asian style housing. She got into Japanese cooking as I grew up, in a time before there were even Japanese steak houses in the USA. She is my inspiration to seek out new styles of food & create my own. My largest knife just broke, a gift from my mom. Another piece gone. She would have loved this knife. I’d think of her teaching me how to care for my knives each time I sharpened it.
Love all the recipes you come up with, Nagi. Please enter me in your Japanese knife giveaway. How about for another possible giveaway is a clone of Dozer? I do enjoy all your photos and anecdotes of Dozer’s life. He’s a very special fur-baby. Thank you for sharing.