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!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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….
That knife is sexy as hell! Please enter me to win! ☺️
Dear Nagi, thanks for another great recipe, and I would love this knife, not least because of the beauty of the pattern on the blade – a good drawing challenge! Thanks and best wishes, Marg.
Couldn’t be simpler could it. I really appreciate that these recipes teach simple cooking techniques which can be applied in many different ways to suit taste preferences. This particular one is such a great example on how fast and easy a mid-week meal can be using fresh food (rather than pre-prepared frozen meal).
OOOH, yes, please, I would love to win this knife and then make lots of more of your great recipes. Thanks for the good food, fun and making me laugh a lot.
Nagi, you have know idea of how much I would love to win this knife. To give you a clue, I have a bread carving knife that I use for everything. Need to slice bread, the old faithful bread knife, need to carve a roast the old faithful bread knife, need to slice some fruit, you guessed it the old faithful bread knife. Thanks so much for an opportunity to win, so I might finally retire the old faithful bread knife.
What a beautiful knife! I have been working hard on my knife skills recently and this would make a fabulous addition. And how much easier it would be to prepare your fabulous recipes with such a tool as this. I would be honored and overjoyed if I were to win this knife!
I am obsessed with sharp knives for cooking makes life soooo much easier ,mine are getting a bit long in the tooth now so I would love this beautifully crafted knife. Thanks Nagi for your website I Love it and have recommended it to my foodie friends 😊
You’ve won me over….I would love the knife!
I agree. The carving knife is the most used tool in my kitchen and it would be great to own one of this quality.
Yes please. I would love this knife.
I always wanted a knife like this one but price wise could not get it in my budget. I love this one have never seen one like it. Also am eager to try this recipe.
Thanks
Trying to see if email went through.
Hi Nagi, yes I really want the knife, I really do want the knife – I’m using scissors!!! And thanks for all your great recipes, love to Dozer xx
Love your site! Very tasty recipes!! Nice knife as well..can you hook a brother up? Lol
I’d definitely like to try for the knife and your chicken. Thanks for the giveaway.
Hi Nagi,
Lots of people entering, and I am one of them!!
I love good kitchen knives, hate poor blunt ones. For that reason i would love to win the beautiful Japanese knife.
Thanks for the opportunity.
BTW, will give the oven baked chicken breast a go this week!
Cheers Simon
Wow, what a fantastic giveaway. I would love to win the knife as I do appreciate a good edge on my knife and Japanese blades are in my opinion are the best .
Konichiwa Nagi-san … an oven-baked chicken recipe and a chance to win a handcrafted Japanese kitchen knife is a tremendous combination offer. 🙂
I would love to win this knife..thanks so much for the opportunity 😀
What a beautiful knife, please enter me in the giveaway. My son, who is in his 3rd year of Japanese language class in high school assures me he will be able to read the stone sharpening instructions for me (hmm, we’ll see). Since we cook together all the time, I told him if we win, the knife will be his and he can take it to college when the time comes.
Also, can’t wait to see Dozer in that new outfit. Seriously.
Oh, I would so love to have this knife – mine are all very old as am I. 🙂 The arthritis in my hands is so bad and I can’t afford a really good knife so I just hack away at things. Love your site and the wonderful recipes. Thank you for doing this for others.