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….
Knife to die for. Every cooks wish
Love you blog and would love the knife as well.
I don’t want this knife, I NEED this knife!
It would be so helpful to use a Japanese knife when preparing the excellent Japanese recipes from recipetineats.com and japan.recipetineats. Just think, there would no longer be need for a translator standing by the hot stove, getting in my way, as I labor to prepare the dishes with knives that just don’t understand Japanese ingredients. Just wishful, hopeful thinking.
Please let Dozer know we’d like to win that knife for our ‘Dad’. Thank you!
KaLiente & Kloee Tiana
English Bulldogs
(Our Mom likes your recipes; we just like seeing what Dozer is up to next.)
I can’t wait to try out this recipe!!! Thank you for posting and sharing!!!
I would LOVE to participate in this great giveaway too!!! That knife is just too sexy!!! 👍🏼😃
I would to win this awesome knife as I have arthritic hands and a good sharp knife would make cutting so much easier for me.
This recipe sounds excellent. I don’t have paprika so I will probably sub chili powder.
The knife is beautiful. Would love to own one!
Would love the knife to try more recipes from your site. Thank you Nagi; none of your recipes have disappointed!
A wonderful knife like that would be beyond incredible!!
Love this blog!!! I was just in Japan as well! The food and people were beyond amazing!
(rozoliya7@gmail.com)
I’d love to have a knife that makes me confident to do precision slicing, especially now that I’m learning to make sushi at home.
I would like your fancy knife.
Would love, Love, LOVE, this knife! Have always coveted a Japanese knife, because they are the best.
You are very generous to do this and so, Thank you!
I’d absolutely love a knife like that, and I think it’s absolutely brilliant that your mom is willing to do the translations for the winner 🙂 I also can’t wait to try this recipe!
I adore cooking for my family but have never been able to afford a really good knife so to win this would be so exciting and a treat for me on St Paddy’s day (ok two days later but who’s counting!) and Ireland winning the grand slam!
Thank you for all the great recipes. I look forward to each days email.
I would love to win the knife to help with future chopping and cutting.
I’m sure I would love that knife as much as I love your recipes! I’d be the only one using it in the house … my girlfriend is scared of sharp knives and won’t touch my ceramic set. If she has to cut something, she uses a serrated steak knife, no matter what the job! LOL! Good thing I’m the cook in the house.
That knife is so beautiful I am not sure I will be able to use it, I may have to frame it and put it on display!
I would love this knife! (And thank you for posting recipes regularly, Nagi– what a delight to read and cook.)
Love your recipes and would love to have this knife.