The Best Oven Baked Chicken Breast
Something as simple as Oven Baked Chicken Breast can be exceptionally spectacular with a few simple prep ahead steps. This easy boneless Chicken Breast Recipe is a fabulous on it’s own as a main course or as the first step for a variety of my favorite recipes.
This post may contain affiliate links to products I use and love!
Oven Baked Chicken Breast
Chicken can be a little on the plain side so my goal is always to make a tender, juicy boneless Chicken Breast that was loaded with flavor. Boneless chicken tends to get dry if you overcook it so the goal here was to make sure it was tender, juicy and perfect!
Generally, I’ll make something like Chicken Piccata so it’s saucy enough to make it flavorful. But this quick chicken recipe needs none of that.
No barbecue sauce needed here, either, because this easy boneless skinless chicken breast recipe can stand alone as the best chicken dinner ever.
This easy chicken dinner turn out flavorful and lightly spiced with a hint of smoke while staying tender and juicy. This is not a dry chicken breast whatsoever.
AND it’s so simple to make.
The secret to the best juicy chicken breast is to cook it at high heat!
How to Bake Chicken Breast
Baking chicken breast is one easy task but because they contain very little fat and are a lean cut of meat you have to infuse flavor anyway you can.
I try to skip the brining which is one way to force flavor into the chicken but it can be messy and….frankly, I forget to do it every single time.
So, I resort to a simple rub mixture to season chicken breasts. You could also use this Fajita Seasoning to flavor your chicken breast or this Taco Seasoning works really well, too!
- Make the chicken seasoning by whisking together the smoked paprika, chili powder, cayenne, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken breasts in a plastic zip top bag and then pour the seasoning over the chicken breasts. Seal the bag. Shake to coat.
- Store the chicken in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. (A great meal prep tip!) You can even FREEZE the chicken breasts at this point to make things even easier in the future.
- When you’re ready to cook, remove the chicken from the bag and place on a baking sheet lined with foil or in a baking dish.
- Preheat oven. Bake chicken until it’s cooked through at a temperature of 165ĖF.
Serve!
I like to bake my chicken on a sturdy baking sheet like this one HERE lined with aluminum foil for easy clean up!
You can even make this chicken in the slow cooker by just arranging on the bottom, adding a 1/4 cup chicken stock and cooking on low for 3-4 hours.
What temperature to bake Chicken Breasts?
This question has plagued me forEVER and I finally made some notes with my temp times to see what the best result is.
Too low of a temperature seemed to dry out the chicken because it did have to cook for a longer period of time.
Boneless skinless, chicken breasts do better with a higher temperature because it allows the outside of the chicken to sear which seals in the juices.
I use this same method for my Thanksgiving turkey and it’s been the best turkey ever for the past 20 years. No kidding.
So, 425Ė Fahrenheit is my go to for baking chicken breasts because it’s not so searing hot that the outside dries out but it’s just hot enough to sear the outside of the chicken keeping the inside juicy and tender.
How Long To Bake Chicken
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts will bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 165Ė F. This, of course, depends upon the weight and thickness of the chicken breast you’re baking.
When it comes to baking chicken breasts, size matters.
Follow the guidelines below for estimated cooking times for baked chicken breasts:
- 5 ounces 14-16 minutes
- 8 ounces 16-20 minutees
- 10-12 ounces 20-30 minutes
My chicken breasts were on the larger size so sometimes I’ll even split them in half lengthwise like I did here with these Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts.
If you decide to bake bone-in chicken breasts your cooking times will increase just a bit. You can follow the guide for my Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts while still using one of the seasoning mixes I mentioned earlier.
As always, use your best judgement to determine if your chicken breast is cooked through. I use the finger poke method which is simply poking the chicken breast with my finger and if it’s firm to the poke, it’s usually good to go. If it still seems a bit soft and squishy, keep cooking your chicken breast. So scientific….I know.
Your chicken should be white throughout the center when you cut it, if it’s still pink…don’t fret, just pop it back in the oven for a bit to cook a bit longer.
Also, buy an instant read thermometer because nobody likes undercooked chicken. Chicken is done baking when the internal temperature reaches 165ĖF on a meat thermometer.
How To Store Cooked Chicken Breast
Cooked chicken breasts will last up to 4 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. We love to use them for meal prepping at the beginning of the week.
To store chicken breast in the freezer, wrap each breast tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to an airtight container. Store your chicken breasts in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Cooking Tips
Make sure you let your chicken breast rest after baking. I remove the chicken breast from the oven and tent them with foil. Then, I allow them to rest for 10 minutes.
This step allows the juices to redistribute throughout the breast and let’s the meat relax a bit. If you skip this step, your chicken juices will run right out of your chicken breast leaving you with aforementioned dry, chalky chicken we are not a fan of. Juicy chicken breast is the direct result of proper baking and lots of rest.
What To Serve With It
- 10 Minute Mac and Cheese
- Easy German Potato Salad
- Chili Spiced Mango Guacamole Salad (Great with the Fajita Seasoning)
- Country Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Grilled Garlic Potatoes
- Insanely Easy Green Beans with Goat Cheese
How To Use Leftover Chicken
- Chicken Fajita Stuffed Avocado
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Chicken and Dumplings Skillet Casserole
- Chicken Gyros
- Chicken Enchilada Pizza
- Creamy Chicken Soup with Artichokes
More Easy Chicken Recipes
If you’re looking for something a little more Sunday dinner than you should definitely try THIS Rotisserie Style Chicken. It’s just as easy to make and just as fabulous. You may also like this Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs swimming in a garlic herb sauce.
OR make these easy KID FRIENDLY BAKED Chicken Tenders! They’re super crispy, healthy, juicy and the kids can even help get them ready.
Want MORE juicy deliciousness? Be sure to follow us over on Instagram!
For MORE EASY Chicken Breast Recipes….check out this round up!
Get the Recipe: The Very Best Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup butter
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken breasts in a large zip top bag and pour the seasoning over the chicken. Shake the chicken to coat.
- Transfer the chicken to the refrigerator (still in the bag) and marinade for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425Ė Fahrenheit.
- Remove the chicken from the bag and arrange on a baking sheet lined with foil. Place 1 tablespoon butter on top of each chicken breast.
- Bake the chicken in the oven for 20-30 minutes (or according to the chart Ā above) until an instant read thermometer shows 165Ė F.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and cover with foil. Rest the baked chicken breasts for 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately or cool to room temperature, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 36 hours.
Video
Notes
You can also FREEZE your chicken for up to 3 months. Want more easy dinner ideas? Check out this list of over 100 easy meals!
159 Comments on “The Best Oven Baked Chicken Breast”
Wonderful recipe KELLIE, thanks for sharing with us!
Thank you!
Can you use dark brown sugar?
Yes, absolutely! It’s also great with dark brown sugar as it gives it a deeper flavor.
Amazing!
Yay! Thank you so much!
I donāt have smoked paprika and I already started to make it. Will it be ok? Or is the smoked paprika critical
It’s fine without….you just don’t have the smokey background in the flavor.
Love this recipe but I wanna know what juices you added at the end of the video that you were covering it with, with the brush?
HI Arnetta! It’s just the pan juices that accumulated, I like to brush them on to add a little more moisture and flavor.
Wow, wow, wow!!! I made this tonight, exactly by your directions and it was FANTASTIC!! Thank you for sharing. This is going in my folder for future nights. Great job!
Oh YAY! So glad you loved it and thank you for your comment!
I am confused in the video you show a lot more chili powder than paprika, then you called it a turkey breast and then in your fajitas recipe you show a plate with the same spices you used on the chicken ? I want to try your recipes but I don’t know which amounts go with which recipes, please clarify. The last person who commented on this was never answered?
Thanks
The fajitas include cornstarch, this recipe does not have cornstarch in it. I may have, inadvertently, said turkey breast meaning chicken (but turkey breast would work well, too). Follow the recipe card, I make my own videos and edit them myself, as well….I’m not a professional videographer so I’m just doing the best I can. It’s quite possible that the chili powder and paprika were added when I said the opposite but the other thousands of people that watched the video didn’t notice. Not saying it’s correct, just asking for a little pass here. Go with the recipe card at the bottom of the post if you’re looking to make the Oven Baked Chicken Breast….follow the Fajita seasoning mix recipe if you’re looking for fajita seasoned chicken breast….etc.
Thanks for the amazing recipe.Ā
You’re welcome!
What is the serving size for this recipr?
One chicken chicken breast is a serving.
We really liked this. My husband, who is SO tired of me making us chicken nearly every night, said this was the best thing we ever made. So I guess I’ll be making it often š Would be great on the grill, too!
This is definitely a hit with the guys who are sick of chicken. LOL! thank you so much for your comment!
Kellie,Ā this was wonderful! Never knew that those flavors would come out as they did in this beautiful dish! Follow the recipe word for word!!!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you liked it!
OMGoodness it all looks sooooo good !! I love chicken anyway its cooked, prefer it over red meat anytime. As a matter of fact thats why Im having for dinner tonight…it smells so good !!!
Thank you so much! Enjoy!
I was wondering will this still be good if I do not use the brown sugar? I am on a sugar free diet right now
You’ll still need a “sweet” to offset all the savory elements so if you have a favorite sugar substitute you can add half the amount called for the sugar (because sugar subs tend to taste a little sweeter in my opinion.) Let me know how it turns out for you!
Soooooooooo good, just finished eating this with some rice and my husband made some green beans it was really delicious and will definitely make again. I did use 1/4 tsp of Cayenne pepper and it was the perfect amount. Thank you so much for sharing.
Oh yay! I’m so glad you loved it! It’s our favorite and smart move pulling back on the cayenne as some people find it too spicy. Thanks so much for trying it!
Kellie, thanks for sharing! Saved my butt on a quick impulsive idea for a dinner side!
Excellent! I’m glad I could help! š
Kellie, itās awesome! I cannot wait to try this. I bet it makes the house smell divine and tastes incredible!
It does! I love making it for the savory homemade smell, too. š
I donāt have smoked paprika and I already started to make it. Will it be ok? Or is the smoked paprika criticalĀ
That’s fine! You won’t have the smokey flavor (think bbq potato chips) but it will still be good.
Thank you Kellie for this marvelous oven baked chicken recipe. Now I realize how important the seasoning is. Before (for years) I’ve made chicken breasts in the oven (trying to find something that tastes good and isn’t dry! No Luck! So Frustrating! But your recipe has changed everything; the taste is great, they are moist, and they look appetizing on the plate. I can’t tell you how excited I’ve been since I started following you. Next up will be the whole roasted chicken! I now actually plan my grocery shopping according to your recipes! Can’t thank you enough!!!
Can I use olive oil to make this dairy free for a guest ?Ā
Yes, you can.
Kellie, this looks tasty! These are absolutely mouth watering! It will quickly disappear in our house, very tasty and flavorful!
Thank you, Olga!
Does it matter if it’s dark or light brown sugar?
It doesn’t….in fact, the dark might add a bit more flavor in my opinion.
This recipe looks delicious. I also saw the Facebook video post on this but I noticed you brushed something on the chicken right before served. What was that?
Hi Carla! It’s just the pan juices that I basted the chicken with. I highly recommend!!! š
This did come out juicy and moist. But we didnāt like it. I think it was just too much seasoning and way too much thyme.
I’m sorry you felt it had to much seasoning, you can definitely use less of it and skip the thyme if you like. We hate bland chicken so I like things to have loads of flavor.
I’m so sorry you felt it had to much seasoning, you can definitely use less of it and skip the thyme if you like. We hate bland chicken so I like things to have loads of flavor.