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The foundation for many weekly meal preps, Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts are crispy, juicy and tender. Just a few minutes of hands on time saves you hours in the kitchen during the week. And they’re better than store-bought rotisserie chicken!
I wasn’t going to post this recipe for a variety of reasons. The pictures are not beautiful. The recipe is silly, stupid simple. It’s just chicken. I didn’t want to insult you all by posting something like Oven Roasted Chicken Breast but the truth of the matter is, it’s the basis for many of my quick prep meals.
I like to make a few roasted bone-in chicken breasts during Sunday meal prep and use them throughout the week for things like chicken salad and chicken soup. Sure, I could make another trip to the store and buy a fresh rotisserie chicken, but why? By making my own chicken, it’s the best way to control what I put into it. And I keep it simple, olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper. And split chicken breast, of course, but I think you get the gist.
Simply put, this recipe is similar to Oven Baked Chicken Breast because the process is similar and you can use seasoning, like a dry rub, or not. It’s totally up to you. But, this perfect chicken breast recipe uses bone in chicken breasts instead of boneless, skinless chicken.
And the best part of this chicken breasts recipe, to me, is the extra crispy, salty skin. It keeps the moisture inside of the meat so you end up with super tender, juicy chicken breast without breaking a sweat.
Ingredients For Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
- Chicken Breasts – We use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts to keep the chicken juicy and tender. You can substitute with boneless chicken breasts but decrease the cooking time so they don’t dry out.
- Olive Oil – Olive oil helps crisp up the skin and keep the chicken moist. You can use avocado oil or another neutral oil in place of the olive oil.
- Seasoning – We use a simple seasoning of kosher salt and black pepper. Feel free to get creative with your favorite seasonings like a sprinkle of brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian Seasoning, Cajun Seasoning or Old Bay Seasoning.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom.
How To Roast Chicken Breast
- Prep your cookware. Line a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy clean up. If you’re lucky, you won’t even poke a hole in the foil and may not even need to wash it! 🙂
- Prepare the chicken breasts. Place the chicken skin side up on the baking sheet and pat dry with paper towels. Coat with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Rub to coat the chicken evenly being sure to cover both sides of the chicken. If chilled, allow the chicken to come to room temperature before baking.
- Season the chicken. Sprinkle liberally with kosher salt to coat evenly. You’re going to discard the crispy skin so it’s ok if it’s extra salt. Or you can eat it. It’s really good, like addictingly good, like a potato chip. Sprinkle liberally with fresh ground pepper. Because your chicken skin snack will be even better with pepper. Just sayin’.
- Cook in a searing hot oven. Roast in a 425˚F oven for a cooking time of 25-30 minutes or until it registers 165˚F on a meat thermometer or instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken. The high temperature helps to seal in the juices.
- Give it a rest. Let the chicken rest until cool enough to handle and then discard the skin. (You know my feelings on this.)
- Enjoy. Shred, chop or just leave on the bone, store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Refrigerated, of course.
For extra flavor, we sometimes use this Chicken Marinade overnight before baking chicken breasts.
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Budget-friendly and always accurate, this instant-read thermometer is great for meats, candy, baked goods and more! I use this one several times a week.
Temperature to Bake Chicken Breasts
This question has plagued me forever and I finally made some notes with my temperature 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 roast turkey and it’s been the best turkey ever for the past 20 years. No kidding.
So, 425˚F is my go to for the juiciest chicken breast 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
Bone in, skin on 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. If the size of your chicken breasts vary, be sure to check the temperature with your instant read thermometer before serving.
Large chicken breasts will take about 5 minutes longer than small chicken breasts.
Follow the guidelines below for estimated cooking times for oven baked chicken breasts
- 5 ounces 14-16 minutes
- 8 ounces 16-20 minutees
- 10-12 ounces 20-30 minutes
Sometimes, in a pinch, I’ll whip up this easy Garlic Butter Sauce to drizzle on top and call it a day….or dinner. 🙂
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 leftover chicken breast in the freezer, remove the meat from the bone and wrap each breast tightly in plastic wrap. Transfer to an airtight container. Store your chicken breasts in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Easy Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts are also awesome on their own in a sandwich but I highly recommend trying it in this Skillet Chicken Pot Pie because this comfort food comes together in just 30 minutes. Don’t believe me…try it out for yourself!
Got an Instant Pot? You may also LOVE this easy Shredded Chicken, too. It’s totally juicy and packed with zesty flavor.
Best Sides for Chicken Breasts
- Roasted Green Beans
- Cucumber Onion Salad
- The Best Mashed Potatoes
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Oven Baked Chicken Breasts…ready in minutes!
- Oven Baked Chicken Tenders.…a hit with the littles!
- Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs….so easy!
- Easy Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Want even MORE easy dinner recipes? Follow us over on Instagram!
Simple Roasted Chicken Breasts
Equipment
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425˚F.
- Place the chicken, skin side up on a baking sheet lined with foil.
- Rub the chicken with the olive oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes or until no longer pink in the center.
- Allow to cool to room temperature and use in your recipe or enjoy as is!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Been looking for “one stop shopping” site. This looks promising, gonna try the roast chicken breast tonight. Rating to follow.
Thank you! I hope you like it!
I have not made your recipe yet. By reading the reviews, I’m considering making it for thanksgiving b/c my family doesn’t care for turkey meat. I would like to make it the day before by slicing the cooked breasts and arrange the sliced meat with gravy in a casserole dish and just warm it on Thanksgiving day.
If this method is ok to do, how long do I reheat for and what temperature? Thank you in advance for your input!
-Connie-
I love this idea. I would cover the casserole with foil and reheat at 350˚F for 20-30 minutes or until hot. That should be long enough.
Thank you for “simple.” I found this recipe when I was double-checking baking temp. I so appreciate refreshers on “basics.” Also, when facing inflation prices, it is great to be reminded how affordable food can be: little money, little time & effort, HUGE SAVINGS! This basic recipe could easily become a Thanksgiving feast for two. Cook sweet potatoes at the same time; a side of dressing (with onion, celery, etc.), some green beans, cranberry sauce…. “Basic” is just THE BEST.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you found us. Happy Thanksgiving!
I made your recipe with just salt and pepper and light olive oil. It came out amazing! Sooooo delicious. I was skeptical cause breast meat dries out so quickly. This recipe was simple, and tasty. My perfect combo. Thanks!!
This is the only way I know to make chicken breasts without marinading or braising where they won’t dry out. So happy you enjoyed it!
I rarely follow a recipe to the letter. this one seemed right to me, so i did. granted, i’m not greek nor have i ever been to greece, but the recipe read like it tasted good. that’s an understatement. this was great rice that accompanied some pretty good greek chicken and salad. so good that this rice could be an entree on its own. thanks!
Thank you so much for your comment! I’m happy you loved it!
Thank you, Kellie, for this easy to make recipe. Made it for dinner tonight and we loved it. Had steamed asparagus and roasted potatoes with it. Yummy!
I just made your oven roasted chicken breasts and can’t wait for the leftovers. That were moist and yummy. Thank You!!
I’m so glad you loved them! They’re on repeat here every week. So easy!
I have used this “recipe” for many years. I first saw it on the Barefoot Contessa. It is great and makes the best chicken salad. It’s so moist it’s good as a meal with a couple of sides. I buy the big family packs, cook all of them, vacuum seal, and freeze them individually. That way I have a little or a lot of moist cooked chicken. BTW, I love the skin too! Thank you for posting.
You’re welcome! This is one of my favorite recipes even though it’s so simple. That crispy skin makes it! 🙂
Then, there are people like me, who every single time they make the same chicken, has to look up and check the time and temperature just to be sure.
Thank you for posting
You’re welcome! I cook chicken a lot so I have it down pat by now. 🙂
How easy and delicious. This is perfect for me to make for a weeknight dinner!