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….
I would love the knife, the four years we spent in Hawaii in the military, my husband went to Japan and bought a couple of Japanese knifes and your are right, they are the best ones we have. They stay sharp so much longer than others.
I love your recipes and stories of Dozer. We just lost our Bichon poodle mix and miss him so much.
Love your recipes and would love to have this knife!
I’m trying this recipe for lunch. Love your chicken recipes. Always a hubby-pleaser.
A gift from you would be a prized possession. Hence, I would like to win it.
Nagi, your weekly email is my weekly highlight. Also have all your ebooks. I save almost every recipe from the blogs, and so enjoy your dialogue – seem so personal.
The Japeanese knife you are displaying is beautiful. A welcome addition to every cooks kitchen. Selfishly, i hope to win it for our home. Thanks for the opportunity….
5 Star rating is most every recipe i try…..
What a great opportunity to have access to a hand crafted knife. My only concern is how many times I would end up cutting myself. Oh the price I am willing to pay.
I need a good knife … please count me in for the giveaway! Dozer photos are too funny!
Beautiful Knife! I am older then dirt so I will never be able to afford to buy it,So please give it to me!
This knife looks amazing! I’d love to put it to good use in my kitchen!
I would love this knife more than anything! Thanks for offering it! Email: I think your form collects it. Thank you!!
That recipe looks amazing. Can’t wait to try it.
Yes. I would love to win the knife.
My husband keeps buying bad knufe after bad knife. I would love to finally have 1 good knife in the home.
Another wonderful recipe that I can’t wait to try!
It would be an honor and blessing if I won the giveaway! I’m still building my cooking tools and this would be absolutely amazing!
Thanks for another great recipe! I’m trying this new one tonight. The knife would be a lifesaver as everything I do in the kitchen is a challenge, I’m definitely not a good cook, but if I copy a recipe to a T, I can usually fool some people. That being said, I have zero good knives so chopping is always arduous! Lucie.beaulieu@yahoo.ca
Nagi, This knife is gorgeous and would certainly make my dreams come true to own such a thing of beauty. Love your blog, stories and recipes. -Jeanne 🙂
Hi nagi yes please i would love to win it .love you’r recipes my in box watch later is checker block with you.anyways have a good night.thanks Kerryann
Unfortunately, there is no way that I would be able to purchase a fine product as this. It would be a miracle if I happened to win one.
I loooove cooking, but somehow I never found (yes found!) the time and energy to do it. And funnily enough, that’s exactly how I discovered your website! 🙂
So last year I made a new years resolution to myself. Even though I HATE NY resolutions. For this resolution I made an exception: make 4 new recipes every month (roughly 1x week).
This idea gave me new inspiration to finally cook things from all the cookbooks I have and search the internet for more new things to try.
While searching for new recipes in February 2017, I stumbled on your recipe of Irish Beef and Guinness stew. Loved it, and after that 90% of the new recipes i tried, were once I found on your website!
Thank you for keeping me fed throughout 2017 😉 I learned a lot, tried a lot of new things and always had delicious meals.
PS: My favourites are:
– Midweek paella with chicken and chorizo
– Irish Beef and Guinness stew
– One Pot Italian Chicken & Orzo
That is one gorgeous knife…I need one! LOL!
Chicken looks delicious, will definitely have to try it.
Yes, I would love to win the beautiful knife.
I would love this knife! This has to be the most used utensil in the kitchen for me.