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….
Great sounding recipe, will try this one – thanks! My knives are old and blunt from years of sharpening, I am reduced to using a serrated steak knife, it’s insulting to the food I am preparing. Please rescue my food from such a grievous insult by letting me have the knife.
This sound like a awesome knife! I would love to own one…thank you for the opportunity 🙂
what a wonderful give away!!! Yes, i could so use that beautiful knife. Hurricane Harvey took away my home, two cars and so much of my belongings. The knife would be such a thrill to have. Thanks for offering it to your readers..
Hi there,
I love to cook but am not very good at it. The collection of cheap blunt knives that I have collected over the years has not helped me any. Maybe a new amazing knife will inspire me to chop my way to a higher level.
Thank you for all that you do. I look forward to every new recipe.
What a beautiful knife! I’ve cut myself several times because of dull knives. Would love to win it so hubby doesn’t have to stitch my fingers again!
Hi Nagi,
With so many recipe’s sites on the internet, your’s is the only one I view on a regular basis and always take time to look at every recipe that you send on in your newsletter. I like the many different nationality depicted in many of them. Keep on bringing us the world in our plates.
For sur I like to get this knife but I really don’t need that to appreciate your work.
Thanks from Canada
Nagi
It would be wonderful to win that beautiful knife! I have been looking and dreaming about them lately. The knife I use now came in a set of twelve for $29.99.
Linda Dunlap
Friendofthecrow@gmail.com
I want this knife it will help in my cooking. I have been using a lot of your recipes and love them.
Having just made yet another Nagi masterpiece (it was the chicken shawarma and Israeli couscous salad – soooo good!) , and wowed our guest at dinner last night, I, like so many others, am a huge fan!! But knives… the bane of my life! Want? No, I NEED this one! Would love to be the lucky recipient! Fingers crossed…
I don’t know if I deserve it but a fantastic knife like that would compliment my kitchen and cooking skills. I learned to cook late in life, up to the age of 21 I could really only count eggs as the only thing I was comfortable with. I have since (I’m 48 going on 22) regarded cooking as an art form and I’m studying all the intricacies that makes a dish stand out. Your recipes are reliable and informative, please keep sending them. Hail up Dozer from us in Jamaica. The way Dozer stared at the Bangers (sausages) if he ever came here and had the jerk sausage from Boston in Portland, you would have a hard time getting him home to Australia.
I desperately need a sharp chef’s knife!
Retired from the Gold Coast to a farm on the mighty Clarence so we could grow as much of our own food as possible Angus, Sheep, Free range eggs and Fruit and Veg with as little processed food as possible in our diet. Oh how I love good sharp knives and yours looks beautiful.
Hi, Nagi! I love your recipes. This amazing knife would really help me make them even better. I have never been able to find or afford a top quality knife. I love to cook so this would come in handy. Please say hello to your mom and Dozer for me.
Omg Nagi I always love reading your stories with your mum. Always hilarious! Since I’ve discovered your site last year I’ve tried so many of your recipes and they’ve turned out so great. Laksa is my fave! Would love a fancy knife to add to my poor uni student kitchen collection 🙂
This knife is amazing and beautiful – fit for a ‘queen of the kitchen’, which should be your title.
I am a huge fan of your site, and smile as I see all of your food photos and wonderful recipes that are outstanding. Of course, seeing Dozer along with your food photos adds to my smile – he’s also of course, an important member of your fan club!
I would love to win and use this knife, which is an exquisite piece of art and undoubtedly, the best knife in the world. I do think that (if I won it) I couldn’t just have it in my kitchen solely, I’d have to bring it with me wherever I would be invited to go and share food. It seems it would lift anyones spirit to use a beautiful, flawless and magical sharp knife!
I would love this knife. When I visited Japan a few years ago I purchased a knife from a little shop.
Which had a small outlet at the front and the forge at the back. It was amazing. So was the knife. My three daughter who all love to cook love the knife also. I ended up giving the knife to one of them and have regretted doing so . I would love to have such a brilliant knife again
Hi Nagi,
Love your email recipes every week, as it always gives me ideas for mealtimes whilst I’m here at work every day. It’s great for busy mum’s like myself. Will definitely try this new chicken dish, and that knife would go down a treat to replace my tired old knife in the kitchen at home. Cheers!
I want this knife because I think it would make a fantastic heirloom to go along with family (and favourite non-family!), recipes!
Love your recipes and would love the chance to try this knife! My friend’s Japanese chef’s knife has been handed down to her over four generations and she swears by it…must be pretty decent!
My current knives are 30 years old and are running out of steel. I love to cook especially with your recipes and would dearly love such a quality knife in my kitchen.