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.
Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast
Chicken can be a little on the plain side so my goal is always to make a tender, juicy boneless Baked 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.
Ingredients for Baked Chicken Breast
- Chicken Breast – I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breast that are organic and similar in size so they cook evenly. The size of your chicken breasts will, ultimately, determine the cooking time so an instant read thermometer is helpful to have on hand.
- Brown Sugar – The sugar adds a richer flavor and provides some deep caramelization to the chicken.
- Seasoning – I use a blend of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, chili powder and dried thyme for maximum flavor and a hint of smokiness. We also add a pinch of cayenne pepper which is optional if you’re not a fan of spicy food.
- Butter – For added flavor and moisture, we like to top each chicken breast with a bit of butter. You could substitute the butter with a little olive oil if you prefer.
How to Bake Chicken Breast in the Oven
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. The secret to the best juicy chicken breast is to cook it at high heat!
I 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 165˚F.
Serve!
I like to bake my chicken on a sturdy baking sheet like this one HERE lined with aluminum foil for easy clean up! We also love this easy to use Instant Read Thermometer for safe cooking.
We love the versatility of this Instant Read Thermometer. It’s the perfect, must-have tool for any kitchen!
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.
So, 425˚ 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 Breasts
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts will bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 165˚ 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.
Also, buy an instant read thermometer because nobody likes undercooked chicken. Chicken is done baking when the internal temperature reaches 165˚F on a meat thermometer.
How To Store Leftovers
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.
Best Sides for Chicken Breast
- 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
Suggestions on How To Use Leftover Chicken Breasts
- 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: 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
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 Instant Read Thermometer
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 425˚ 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 above) until an instant read thermometer shows 165˚ 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
- Chicken can be rubbed with the spice blend and stored in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
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”
This has conflicting recipes. One recommends cooking at 165° F and the other 425° F???
Hi, It’s not a conflicting recipe…..one is the oven temperature 425˚F and the other is the internal temperature of the chicken when it’s done, 165˚F.
I made the oven bake chicken breast and it was very good
Thank you so much!
Made this and a week later husband is begging for me to make it again.
I love to hear that! Happy hubby happy life. LOL!
This is awesome!!
Thank you! We think so, too. 🙂
Oven baked recipe is mostly heavey of oil .
But when i tried this then really its amazing way of making something different .
Thank you so much for this.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
This got a good review from my kids ages 2 to 6, as well as my husband who believes you can’t cook chicken breast and it not be dry bland! Like he was so upset I wasn’t going to deep fry this chicken but was AMAZED!!
I pounded on the breasts fairly thin, maybe until they were about 1” thick.
Marinated in dry rub for approx 6 hours.
Cooked for a total of about 25 mins at 425 & covered in foil as per instructed.
Use the juices at the bottom of the baking sheet to almost based the chicken afterwards as well as drizzle on the brown rice I made to top it with.
Best recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your comment!
Absolutely delicious
Thank you!
Really looking to try this- the entire screen is full of adds trying to get to recipe.
There’s a jump to recipe button at the top left that will take you straight to the recipe card. Sorry, gotta pay the bills somehow.
Do you sometimes substitute your Chicken Seasoning Blend or do you prefer the given spices in this recipe?
We enjoyed and loved your oven baked chicken recipe! My husband commented a lot during the meal that they were great. Will be making this regularly! Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Thank you! It’s a regular on our dinner table, too!
Do you sometimes substitute your Chicken Seasoning Blend or do you prefer the given spices in this recipe?
sometimes I’ll use fajita seasoning or taco seasoning….or whatever flavorful seasoning I have on hand.
Served this for dinner last night and it turned out amazing! Perfectly flavored and juicy; my whole family loved it!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
I love how simple and versatile this recipe was, I meal prepped it for the week and enjoyed it with rice and the next day served it over a salad. This chicken is so juicy and delicious.
That sounds fantastic!
This chicken recipe sounds WONDERFUL!!!! I plan to try it VERY soon. I just found Yakima Applewood Smoked Sea Salt tho haven’t cooked with it yet. I did taste it and the smokey flavor is SOOOOOOO mellow – not sharp like Smokey Paprika – but so delicious. Maybe you would like to give it a try in one of your next recipes.
That would be a great substitute I bet!
I added some olive oil to the spices (didn’t use the butter) and then grilled the chicken. It was so good. Will be my go to recipe now! Entire VERY picky family loved this. Thank you!
My son, literally, hates everything and this is a favorite for him. Love that you made your own twist and we’ll definitely trying your method for grilled chicken breast with this blend!
I am curious: I just made your most recent “Best Oven Chicken Breasts” where you call for a using a skillet, the same spices.etc.,but ask us to leave out the unnecessary sugar. This one has sugar and calls for baking sheet?? Which one are you saying is the best, please. Thank you. Lisa
If you’re referring to these Cast Iron Chicken Breasts, it’s an entirely different recipe. The Oven Baked Chicken Breast recipe has far more spices, including smoked paprika, which gives it more of a bbq flavor than the cast iron skillet chicken. And it’s baked directly on a baking sheet instead of using a skillet to sear the chicken first. Both recipes are AMAZING and they’re both the BEST version of that particular cooking method. https://thesuburbansoapbox.com/cast-iron-skillet-chicken-breast-recipe/
Thank you for sharing the recipe, I was just looking for how to do it at home!
Fantastic! Thank you!
The seasoning is amazing!!
Thank you so much!
I made this for dinner tonight. It was absolutely amazing!! I didn’t have thyme or cayenne pepper, but it was still perfectly flavorful! My husband and I both went crazy over it. Definitely a keeper!
Yay! So glad you loved it and thanks for your comment!
The directions say 3 tbsp paprika and 1 tbsp chili powder but it looks backwards in the video.
It is backward in the video…..follow the written recipe for best results.
Just tried for the first time and it was a hit…even from the hubby who does not prefer new recipes but has to turn over a new leaf with regards to his diet. Paired it with roasted brussel sprouts, green salad and watermelon. Will be making this again!!!
So glad you loved it! It’s on repeat weekly here, great for meal prepping too!