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….
Nagi, Love your recipes and have a folder full of them!! I have tried many of them and certainly will try this Oven Baked Chicken Breast….am on a mission….goal of losing 100 lbs and am on target to be there in 2 months!!! I do LOTS of chopping of veggies, chicken and fish and this knife would be a wonderful tool for my kitchen!!!!! Your DOZER looks just like my “rescue” Lizzy….I so enjoying reading about his adventures so much as he reminds me of her !!!!! Please keep sending us those wonderful recipes!!!! This is my first post and I’ll admit a bit wordy!!!
Yes please! I’d love to own this knife!
Love your site, and use/recommend your recipes ALL the time. Would love a Japanese knife to add to my kitchen
Hi Nagi
I would love this knife, I could use it for sure! Give Dozer a smooch for me, lol !!!!
I had to cook lunch Saturday and Sunday this past weekend for dog show judges (I have lots of dogs) and I really needed that knife!! I have never had the luxury of chopping vegetables and fruit with a great knife and that knife is the best I have ever seen. I have a very mediocre chopping knife and it takes effort. Winning that unbelievable knife would definitely upgrade my whole kitchen!
Thank you for all the great recipes and for the chance to win the knife!
Hi Nagi, First I want to say thank you for another great recipe. I’m going to be making this chicken tonight. 🙂
Also I would love to win this knife. I don’t have a good sharp knife in the house at all. So needless to say I butcher my meat when trying to cut it. Thanks for everything you do and all the stories. I love it all.
I would love to win this knife. I’ve never really had good knives and usually make do with standard kitchen knives. Love the posts and recipes.
For health reasons I have to cook more meals at home with lots of fruits and veggies. Right now, I have two bandages on my fingers due to dull knives and a bit of klutz. A really sharp knife would help on both fronts to keep experimenting with your amazing recipes. Thanks, Nagi.
This knife is beautiful. Certain persons (you know who you are) will not be allowed to use it. Only because they find a way to bend, scratch and burn cooking utensils & pans in my house. I can hardly wait to try this recipe. Baked chicken breast that’s moist, hmm we’ll see.
Hi Nagi, I would love to win this knife.! Thanks for all the wonderful recipes, we use them all the time. My favorites are the lemongrass noodle bowl, chicken shawarma wraps, and the chicken gyros. So full of flavour! Keep up the good work.
Kevin.holliston@marineharvest.com
I do want this knife. I completely agree with you about having a sharp knife. My father taught me how to sharpen a knife—this was in the days of carbon steel knives–and how to clean, dry and store it. I do hope I win. Even if I don’t, thanks for the opportunity and the great recipes.
I would love to have this knife in my kitchen. I have looked at Japanese knifes in the past but being on a budget I can’t afford them. I love the recipes you post and your dog Dozer.
Hi, Nagi,
Honestly, I have never used a knife so fine, but I’ve used plenty that aren’t so fine, and fine must be a lot better than not fine. Right? 😀 The best knives we have are Cuisinart, Cutco and a couple of JA Henckels that we got on sale. Since we do a lot of prepping, cooking, canning, etc, that Japanese knife would probably get used a LOT. You can get by with less expensive knives, but no one would pass up the opportunity to use the best. That’s one gorgeous knife, and you’re amazing to give it away. Thank you! That chicken looks awesome, so we’ll try it tomorrow night. Chicken can overcook so easily, I’m anxious to follow your suggestion about color to test for doneness. As for a “next” giveaway, how about a tea set? A sake set? Chopsticks? Bento boxes with a Bento cook book? A date with Dozer? haha
I would really love to have this knife. It looks like just the right size for everything!
Thank you for the amazing giveaway, I would love to win the knife.
Thanks for the great recipes too, I’ve passed the site onto so many people as everything that i’ve cooked using your recipes have been amazing!
I would love a precision Japanese knife
I imagine you will be inundated with responses to win this beautiful knife. But even though it’s highly unlikely that I will receive an email telling me that I have won, I love to receive your emails containing your wonderful recipes and as usual, today’s looks delicious. Thank you. Su
I have read so much about these knives…the way they are made and the high quality! Never could afford one so hoping that I might just be the ever grateful recipient of one! Thank you for the opportunity! Keep sharing those awesome recipes too!
Just recently found your blog, great recipes!! I love beautiful well made tools, would love this knife and would care for it .
The possibility of winning this knife is absolutely thrilling!
I just plain need a better knife, and this one looks sacred. Plus, I am teaching my kids to “chef it up”
as they call it.