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….
Love your recipes , love Dozer and would love to have that beautiful knife. Going to make this chicken for dinner. Looks really yummy!!
Thank you for the recipes! Beautiful knife.
I love this kind of knife. The forge welded hard and soft steel not only blends a flexible steel with a steel that can keep a sharp edge, it produces that unique patterning of the blade that I love so much. Apparently I’ve watched too many “Forged in Fire” TV shows… I’m also looking forward to trying your baked bchicken. I’m always looking for new quick and easy ways to present meals. Often I have to quickly make dinner before I run off to run sound at a local Jazz Club. This will help to mix it up a bit…
Thanks
Hello Nagi! I have turned so many people on to your recipes and love cooking them for friends. I would be honored to receive a Japanese Knife from you. Me and my friends and family thank you for all your wonderful recipes, you are a blessing for those of us that thought we couldn’t cook 🙂 Thanks!!!
Several years ago I was asked by my project director to be the “go to” staff and occasional companion to a visiting scientist who was in America for the first time. She was here for four months working on a collaborative nutrition study between her university in Saga, Japan and our cancer center. As a show of gratitude when she left she gave me her all purpose paring knife, which she had brought with her from Japan. It was great. I took it to my sister’s house to use when we prepared a celebration dinner together some time later. When I called to ask her to return it she couldn’t locate it (or so she said). I was crestfallen and I never saw that knife again. I went to Uwajimaya to look for a replacement and my mouth fell open and my heart sank when I saw the costs! My sister moved across country and all hopes of finding my knife among her things have long since been lost. Winning this knife will patch a piece of my fractured culinary spirit and I will be able to come clean with Fumiko (whom I have kept in contact with these many years) about being so careless with such a precious gift.
Hi Nagi,
Only recently found you on the internet. Your recipes are fantastic, just to MY taste as my wife will only eat chicken dishes. So thanks for the chicken breast recipe I will give it a try this evening.
PS and yes I would love the Japanese knife as I have one favourite which is now sadly wearing out.
I have always had one “good” knife, but never have I had a “fine” knife – and I can only imagine how wonderful
it would be to use such a superior implement, and it looks beautiful also! What fun to have a chance!
This is reminding me of my hair stylist who last year cut my hair with a pair of $900 Japanese scissors he’d just gotten (mine was the very first head of hair trimmed). It was amazing – for both of us. I’m sure whacking up stuff with this knife would be equally amazing. And I’d love a knife from the motherland (I have Japanese roots as well). Thanks, Nagi!
Love to have that beautiful knife. Thank you for sharing.
Who would not want to win this knife!This chicken looks awesome,thanks
Love your recipes. I want to enter in for this knife!!! Keep it up!!!
I do not have one great knife in my kitchen and I’m ready for a knife overhaul! I would love to add this brilliant piece of art to my home.
Love your recipes (especially the Japanese)… and you always give the alternate from lbs to kgs, etc
so I don’t have to go-on-line for the conversion table, in Canada we’re on the metric system unlike the US).
The Japanese knife would be the ultimate kitchen tool.
Hi Nagi, I love your blog! Everything I have made (lots) have turned out great. Your blog is at the top of my “most trusted” list of food blogs.
I’ve got awful knives and would LOVE to win that got gorgeous Japanese knife!!
Dozer always brings a smile to my face.
Nagi I would love to own that knife! Please consider this my entry! debzi_vt@hotmail.com
P.S. My b/f doesn’t allow me near or in the knife aisle any more. I am not allowed to buy a knife unless I need to replace one that can no long be sharpened! I MUST HAVE THAT KNIFE…..PLEASE!
I would TREASURE this knife. I have never had a good knife and this one is a work of art. I love your recipes and Dozer.
Roxane Holtzman. roxane4804@sbcglobal.net Phone # (USA) 636-532-9550
Hello Nagi,
I have been following you for quite sometime and I’m extremely interested on what is next on the menu. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us. Happy Eating!
Hi Nagi I love your recipes, and also your Mother’s. I have tried quite a few of them, and watched you on You tube as well.
I would really love to get that beautiful knife
Thanks for all your inspiration for people all over the word.
Love your recipes. I can’t wait to try this one. I would also love to have this knife. Thank you for all the recipes.
Hi Nagi,
I would love to win that beautiful knife! Please Keep up the great posts – I love your recipes!!