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 want this knife.
When you have a 6 year old granddaughter for a sleepover every week.
Her first question is what are we having for dinner?
I tell her what is on the menu, and she says, it is one of Nagi’s recipes.
She always thinks that your recipes are delicious.
From the mouth of babes.
I can’t believe that a six year old love your recipes as much as I do.
Kind regards.
I agree, Japanese knives are the best! And I would love one please!
Thanks for sharing your fantastic recipes, they taste all amazing and fool-proof! This summer, I don’t know how many times I made your Wild Rice Salad…sooooo good.
Love how easy and tasty your recipes are 🙂
a decent knife would make preparing food so much better!
Hi Nagi! Great tips. I love japanese food and have been going to japan every now and then. I would really love to receive such knife! 😍
Hi Nagi! I do enjoy seeing your Blog & recipes, & those that I’ve tried have turned out to firm favourites. Thank you for the opportunity to potentially own a hand crafted knife from Tsubaya World in Tokyo. It would be an amazing honour.
PS That chicken breast look delish.
PPS I’d love to see Dozer in that outfit he’s been sniffing :0)
Your email arrived at a perfect time, I had chicken breasts in the fridge and lots happening in the family. I made this wonderful recipe tonight that got rave reviews from all who ate it. Such an easy, quick recipe that works, like most of Nagi’s recipes. I’d love a new knife also but value Nagi’s recipes more.
Hi Nagi! Great tips. I love japanese food and have been going to japan every now and then. Would really love to receive such knife!
WOW, I can only dream of owning a knife like that one, I only cook my own food, made fresh with quality ingredients, I love your recipes and have so made many of them (but not the cakes, belly getting to large for them) and they never disappoint, I am like a little kid, always waiting for the next email and try more of your recipes.
Hi Nagi,
I would love this knife, and would use it to carve up a storm in my kitchen!
Love your site since my daughter told me about you.
Everything I have ever cooked ( and that’s lots) has been easy and tasty. I especially enjoy your explanatory notes.
I would love you knife for my daughter, in return for the good advice she gave me.
Wow what a generous give away. I would love to win this beauty for my Husband, he is the Chef in the Family and has an absolute obsession with knives. He has a draw in our bedroom side tables just dedicated to his pocket knives. He also has a Kitchen draw full of knives and he obsessively sharpens them on a gadget with a stone attached, it drives me insane as he sits at the table like some crazed serial killer, scraping those knives against the stone. How I wish he could just have a knife that he did not need to sharpen and not to mention the fact the he would indeed appreciate the beauty and craftsman ship that goes into the making of these knifes. He understands the making of knives, as he spent a whole day attempting to make a knife for a friend. Only for to it to break in half when he went to sharpen it LOL, sshhh don’t tell him I told you that story.
I would love this knife. My son has just moved out so I would love to give him my current knife to encourage some kitchen time .
I adore your recipes! This knife looks amazingly sharp, I am equal parts curious to try it and fearful of its power!
Nagi I would love to win this knife. I’ve been following you recipes online for over 2 years now and I’ve cooked probably 20 different dishes. I have never really had a good sharp knife and would love this to complement my fantastic wok.
Hi Nagi! This chicken looks so simple yet so amazing! And that knife was so sharp! I would use it for so many things, but at Christmas I made your footlong meringue tart for a family meal of eight, and it would have been so good to slice cleanly through the fruit and meringue. (I actually made like a buffet type meal including pulled pork, arancini and chinese bbq chicken, and they were all your recipes, so I can’t really take much credit!) So it would be awesome to make the meringue again without making such a mess when I cut it! Thanks heaps for all your recipes and hard work!
Hi Nagi,
Find your recipes inspiring and so easy to make, Thank you. But a free knife as well YIPEE!
I have been following & cooking your recipes for a while now and recently introduced my Mum as well. Now we regularly have “Recipe Tin Eats” cook-offs. Its not uncommon for us to have one of your recipes for dinner every night of the week 🙂 they are just constantly delish! We have never owned a decent kitchen knife and this one just looks like it belongs in our kitchen. Pick me!
I love you Nagi and all your recipes.
😙
Hi Nagi, love getting your emails with new recipes to try,and also the updates on Dozer. Would love a new great knife in my Kitchen I have been hinting lately to my husband for some new ones. Can’t win a chook in a chook raffle,sohope I get lucky.
Thanks for the generous giveaway
Connie
Love your recipes. Love to cook. Would love that knife! Thanks, Nagi.