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 would love to win an authentic Japanese knife. Maybe I could actually cut something in my kitchen instead of sawing it to death. Oh, and thanks for not using one of those “fancy giveaway forms”. I can never make them work for me, so this make me happy! Love your site, and every recipe I’ve ever made from it. Thanks for all that you do.
I would love to win this awesome knife. I do all the cooking in my house and try to have dinner ready when my wife gets home from work. Im retired (11/2 years now and it is a joy to cook for her. Please pick me.
I would treasure such a beautiful knife. I have nothing even approaching this quality in my knife drawer. If you give it to me I promise that I will use it to cook your delicious recipes as often as I can and to keep the edge sharp .
My daughter is a chef and I love to cook. She went to Japan last spring and came back with a beautiful knife. I want one too!
Our daughter is taking great interest in working with her children learning to cook. Your beautiful knife would be a wonderful gift for this little cooking team.
Nagi, thank you for your generous and kind giveaway. Thank you to your mum, too, for helping to make it possible. I would love to own this beautiful work of art. As I continue by battle with cancer, I find cooking to be a fun hobby and wonderful distraction, when I’m able. Working with your fine knife would be a terrific experience that I would not otherwise be able to afford. (By the way, as I’m in the USA, I’d be willing to cover the shipping cost to relieve you of that expense.)
Finally, I also want to thank you for your tasty recipes and charming posts. Even when I can’t make it into the kitchen, I enjoy reading your blog and imagining my next kitchen adventure.
Yes I want This Knife
I would love to have that knife!
Would be truly honored to use such a wonderful knife that was made with pride. Please enter my name for the giveaway. Thank you.
I would love to win the knife for my husband as he had one (not as good as this one) and gave it to our daughter
Hi Nagi, I love your stories that you share with us all. Thanks for all the great recipes & for this chance to win that amazing knife from Japan. I love using a good knife & don’t get the opportunity often. Thanks again!
Would love new knives! I🔪🔪
A Japanese chef’s knife and your recipes? I will be set to take on the world and maybe even learn to match my chef son’s expertise in cutting up onions. Well, maybe 🤣 (who taught him to cook anyway)
Hi Nagi, my family really enjoy your recipes, we feel you are a marvellous cook. We would be blessed to win your knife.
Have a great day!
I NEED a new sharp knife as my one is blunt as my husband uses it to cut branches in the garden!!!!!!!!!!!
Love your recipes – they are so simple to follow and the results are great
I would love to be able to use this knife….
Hi Nagi, thank you for your hard work. I don’t need a knife, however that knife does look stunning.
I will offer a recipe that is neither Japanese or really needs such a marvellous knife, At a stretch I can say the Miso paste is the link to Japan.
I work with some South Africans, who are hundreds of miles away from a Nando’s who really miss their chicken livers. I, for unfathomable reasons decided to make them happy. I flew to Johannesburg, for business, making sure I tasted the chicken livers from Nando’s.
After several attempts, this recipe produces the most praise. I look forward to seeing your rigour in testing and adaptations to ingredients. The secret is baking, not frying the livers. This stops them from becoming tough.
Chicken Livers
INGREDIENTS
∙ 500 g chicken livers
∙ MARINADE
∙ 45 ml vinegar (combined apple cider + balsamic)
∙ 45 ml olive oil
∙ 15 ml lemon juice
30 ml Miso paste
∙ 2 cloves garlic, crushed
∙ 5 ml Peri Peri powder
∙ 5 ml ground cumin
∙ 5 ml ground coriander
∙ 2.5 ml Chinese 5 spice
∙ salt and freshly ground black pepper
∙ 2 bay leaves
SAUCE
∙ 30 g butter or margarine ( I used bacon fat)
∙ 1 onion, thinly sliced
∙ 15 ml tomato paste
∙ 30 ml Worcestershire sauce
∙ 125 ml chicken stock
∙ 125 ml red wine
PREPARATION
1. 1. Trim chicken livers of any membranes and all discoloured bits. 2. To make marinade: Combine all ingredients and marinate chicken livers for 1- 2 hours or overnight. Drain livers and roast on an oven tray at 210°C for 8-10 minutes, reserving the marinade. 3. To make sauce: Heat together butter. Sauté onion until soft. 3. 4. Reduce heat and add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock and reserved marinade. 5. Simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add the chicken livers, simmer for 3 minutes.
Serve with crusty bread
This can also be served over pasta.
Pasta Sauce
Saute a small onion and a shallot, both finely diced with a tablespoon of minced sage leaves. Stir in 100ml of mushroom soup powder, allow to brown. Make a sauce with 1 cup chicken stock, and ½ cup of creme fraiche. Stir in the chicken livers.
WOW, WOW, WOW i can only dream of owning a knife of that calibre. Would absolutely love to win this knife Nagi. It looks like samurai sword in the box! Beautiful and refined! Thanks for offering this giveaway
I’m not a safe knife handler and my son is always on about the poor quality of my knives and is slowly upgrading them. I would love this knife to be a gift to him a young man who trained as a chef and enjoys his craft.
Thank you for your flow of easy to prepare variety of home based recipes.
Pick me! Pick me! I would love to win this knife! Thanks Nagi