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….
Those knives look incredible and I would absolutely love to be considered for them. Thank you for your generosity!
My email address is alicejetson@hotmail.com
I’ve read about how good Japanese knives are but never owned one so feel my education is incomplete.
Please right this lapse of mine.
Hallo, Nagi!
Thanks for another wonderful recipe! (though I do miss your Meatball Mondays!)
That is indeed an absolutely gorgeous knife. My uncle was a master woodworker, and he always said ‘Buy the very best tool that you can possibly afford, and take GOOD CARE of it. That applies to the kitchen as much as (or more than) the workshop, I think. And I have to agree with you – Japanese knives (and many woodworking tools) are the best. I, too, would love to have such a fine knife!
All the best,
-jaime
Your recipes are awesome! That knife is awesome!
I hope to win!
Nagi;
I would love to have this beautiful knife. My nephew is a chef and has traveled with his own knives for years.
Your Pad See Ew is my favorite!
I am relatively new to your blog, and even relatively new to enjoying cooking. (As a mother of five, I always had to cook, but I never really enjoyed it.) I have used several of your recipes and every one has been a winner! I look forward to making this chicken breast recipe… it will be light years better than the dried chicken breast off the grill I made recently. My husband and I received an average knife set when we got married 31 years ago. We’ve been using the same ever since. It sure would be nice to have a fabulous knife! I really look forward to getting your recipes in my email box. Who knows, maybe I’ll receive this beautiful knife and sharpener in the regular mail! 😁 Thank you for all you do to make cooking healthy and fun. I love Dozer too! Keep the stories coming!
Liz
This is the most beautiful knife I’ve ever seen in my whole life and I want this knife!! ☺☺☺
Hi Nagi,
I cook many of your recipes and i love to have that kind of knife. Hoping i will be one of the lucky person 🙂 Cheers!
Than you Nagi for all your beautiful recipes, l love them ,the knife looks really good,l watch the video can’t believe how it’s cut paper, l would love to win the knife, as lm so sick and tired of cutting with blank knifes ,when you have a good knifes in the kitchen,things go much better and quicker and easier, but lm more interesting in your recipes, Thank you 🙏 ❤️ them
That knife is so beautiful! I would absolutely love to win it.
Thanks for all the wonderful recipes too, Nagi. When I’m stumped over what to cook, your website is my first port of call.
Absolutely love your site and have built many of my meals around your recipes. This chicken meal will be another one. And the Japanese kitchen knife would be an excellent addition to my kitchen when preparing any one of your meals!
Dear Nagi, I can’t wait to try out your latest recipe, the flavours look so incredibly amazing. Another recipe I know the family will devour!!! I absolutely love cooking and it would be a dream to have such a beautiful knife to use. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes.
Thank you Nagi for sharing with us all these fantastic recipes all the time. I am you biggest fan! As you have said:”a great knife is your greatest asset in the kitchen.” I really hope that with this wonderful knife set, I will be showcasing my creative cooking and cutting skill to my dear friends and family. I also hope to improve the skill immensely, then share it more to other as you have done for us. 😊
I’ve heard tell of the quality of Japanese knives. I would love to have one. I use a knife a lot in my cooking.
you can only prepare good food if it is cut up properly therefore a good knife is essentail
I am 70 yrs old and don’t call myself a cook. I call myself an experimentor that must be doing something right because I even eat my own food. i sure could use a wonderful knife like shown. it would make my experimenting easier.
Oh Nagi! I am drooling when I look at this beautiful knife, it is truly a showpiece! I NEED IT, I WANT IT as a stand-alone piece of culinary perfection! Never in my wildest dreams could I ever afford to buy such a magnificent tool! Fingers and toes crossed for that winning feeling! Thanks for your generous offer to make one of your fans a very happy cook indeed!
Your Japanese knife would make a great addition to my knife collection. So add me to those who want to win this special kitchen tool.
I have been doing chicken breast in a slow cooker but this recipe is awesome and a must try ASAP!! This knife is a beautiful bonus.
I just love your recipes,and lm definitely going to try your chicken juicy chicken breast ,hopefully l can win your knife as lm so sick and tired of having knifes that’s don’t cut well,when you have a good knife it’s make so much easier to do things in my kitchen ,with half the time ,l watch the video and can’t believe it’s cut paper so well better then scissors, anyway Thank you for your beautiful recipes,