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….
Would be nice to have an authentic Japanese knife in my kitchen. I will be chopping like a ninja😁
And thanks heaps for all your yummy recipes. 5 stars is for all your recipes that I’ve tried (many to mention).
Wow! Everything looks amazing. I purchased what turned out to be a knock off Japanese knife from an online retailer. Better than most cheap knives but a far cry from the real deal. Beautiful.
YES, YES, YES, YES, YES! I WANT THIS KNIFE?
Don’t sound excited, do I?
Thanks for this opportunity and for your great recipes.
Later, Gator
I hope my name comes up so I will own and use it daily!
I’m telling you I want this knife. LOL. No really, My current favorite knife is a $20 victorinox fibrox kitchen knife. A great all around useful Jeep of a utility knife. I can only imagine what it would be like to do prep work with a Lamborghini. (A fancy knife not a car) I imagine using an actual car wouldn’t be very practical and pretty messy. * Fingers Crossed *. Oh and the recipe looks great, can’t wait to try it.
Let me second the request for a comprehensive knife sharpening tutorial! I must confess to having purchased numerous stones and steels, and a truly embarrassing number and assortment of sharpening gadgets–the most recent purchase a German made gadget from Amazon just last night, in fact, as a splurge for my birthday on Friday…which I no longer actually celebrate since it also became the anniversary of a significant death in 2006…but I won’t be seeing that gadget until at least the end of April, anyway. Suffice it to say, however, that as much as I’d love a knife as extraordinary as that Japanese knife, I would also be heartsick if I were unable to do such a fine piece of craftsmanship justice by sharpening it properly. I’ve used stones and steels, but somehow still don’t feel particularly skilled at doing it, and would want to feel confident about it if I were to own a knife like that. I understand it’s to be a random drawing for the knife, of course, but would not rule out a future splurge someday on one, if I felt I could sharpen one properly.
Tonight’s dinner had been decided, but I’ll be making the chicken breasts tomorrow! I have nice chicken breasts in the refrigerator that I’d been deeply regretting buying on impulse, because I’d kept drawing a total blank on what to do with them, until your timely recipe appeared and saved the day! I was about to start talking to those things because they were becoming so frustrating to look at, so thank you for this recipe post!
This knife would certainly be a cut above the rest!
Love your recipes Nagi, they make me seem like I can actually cook lol xx
What’s with the outfit? Does Dozer have a formal occasion coming up?
What a glorious knife.
Knives are an obsession for me. This knife appears to be the ultimate knife a person should own.
I hope I will have one to realize what I need show I can use it all the time for every food I choose
to cook.
Wow, this knife set would make me the happiest cook!!! I have some very old knives that barely work and I’ve sharpened them to the point of them being non existent!! I love to cook and have tried many of your delicious creations (with rave reviews), this would make my prep work so much more fun! Being on a fixed budget, this kind of indulgence is out of my reach, so this would be a dream come true! Fingers crossed!!! Thanks for always sending great recipes my way!
Cooking chicken breast this very day and it will obviously be with your excellent recipe. Sounds great. Thank you for publishing and sharing your great cooking skills with us. As a visitor to Japan in the past i am fully aware of Japanese excellence, and a knife of that quality would take pride of place in my kitchen.
I love your recipes. Thank you for sharing and including your pup. I think Patti should get the knife. Everyone needs one good knife!
I want this knife!! I aspire to make perfect sushi, but it all falls apart when I attempt to slice my rolls. This is the answer! Thanks for the opportunity.
Hi Nagi beautifully crafted knife made by a craftsmen that really cares.As it would be perfectly balanced it would make cooking your recipes and others only more enjoyable.A wet stone with 2x grades to keep this knife in pristine cond does justice to it.Thankyou Mick
Hi Nagi, I would love this knife. I am currently deployed to the Solomon Islands and it is very hard to find any kitchen utensil of any quality here! A knife of this calibre may just save a few fingers 🙂
P.S I made your Honey Mustard Chicken last week and it was delicious. Looking forward to giving this recipe a go.
This is a great looking knife and I would love to have it.
Hmmm not sure what I want more right now the chicken or the knife…. what came first? I’m going to say the knife… how else do you cut chicken up. I’d love the knife to make your recipes with. Thanks again for another great recipe
I think this knife would make a great overall excellent knife in the kitchen. I e always wanted a great Japanese knife. I also love your website or blog..
Please! I want the knife so I can improve my knife skills. I’m embarrassed to say that I like to use a steak knife for a lot of my food prepping. Love your blog and your recipes!
having lived a very frugal life ( My Choice) Ive used old knives that don’t keep a sharp edge for 45 years and only this last week bought a new set of knives online from that Z-lily store … I cut up a 4 1/2 pound roast for Irish stew in record time it was so easy …what a relief it is to have a sharp tool in the kitchen this knife would be the best knife ever to be in my kitchen