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….
Yes I want the knife and I will lock it away from the rest of my family of knife destroyers. Apart from one who may even be better than me at looking after them.
I would love to have the knife…. what a wonderful item.
Hi Nagi
I want that knife!!!
I have been on a diet eating good fresh and healthy food and so far lost 4.8kg in 8 weeks. I’m half way to my goal weight. I love choosing the healthy low fat and salt recipes from your site and have incorporated some of these into my meal plan.
But I’m cooking all the time and would love to use that beautiful knife.
Gorgeous knife to make your delicious recipes with. I need to clean out the useless knives I’ve got and replace with one perfect specimen!
Keep up the great blog!
I would love to win this knife for my grandaughters as their other grandma is japanese and both of them when asked where would you like to go for dinner japanese cuisine is there 1st choice and how wonderful it would be able to try and make and impress the family with some japanese recipes.
Yes! I really, really want this knife! Thanks for such a great giveaway.
We have old and dull knives. We need a sharper knife that can cut well.
I would love to own the knife.
Thank you for offering it up.
Serving this Baked Chicken recipe tonight to our gang here…..looks so yummy. Would dearly love to win this beautiful knife…a work of art to be sure! Keep the recipes coming and Dozer photos too! My family always knows when I’m trying a new Nagi recipe….we never have leftovers!
🙂
This knife sounds awesome! I hope that someone like me with arthritis in my hands could wield it safely. Cutting items in kitchen prep is one of the most difficult tasks for me. Perhaps a truly sharp knife would be easier!!
The tasty looking chicken recipe is on the list for tomorrow night”s dinner. Looks yummy!! Thanks for sharing.
My husband insists there is not much difference in knives, so no way would I ever be able to get him to buy this. I’d love to prove him wrong. As for the recipe my hard to please 12 yr old wants to make it tomorrow, I am in for sure. Thanks to you and your mom for this opportunity
I want this knife!! 🙂
It will replace the professional knife the ex girlfriend used to open a tin of baked beans as she didn’t know how to use a butterfly tin opener only the magican style 🙁
Oh what a joy to own this knife! Is is so beautiful. I think I would be torn between using it is as decor and a knife. Wait, I now remember how dull; both in sharpness and appearance, my current knives are. I would definitely use this as a knife. Thanks for sharing your world!!!
Nagi, that is such a beautiful knife. Everyone needs a good,sharp knife in his/her kitchen. Thank you for such a great giveaway. I have tried many of your recipes and they have all been delicious. Thank you for such simple and delicious recipes.
This sounds like a knife I need. The recipe sounds great! I’m going to try it tomorrow night,
Eeek! I would love this knife! Years ago I visited Japan as a young woman and I so wanted to bring back a set of knives, but wasn’t allowed to 😞. And thank you for the many fabulous recipes, we have enjoyed so many since I signed up!
I would love this knife! My son is a chef in training and thinks he is Bobby Flay so we have competitions. That knife would give me the edge over him. Love your recipes….never tried one that let me down…… Thank you!
Is love tow in this knife as I am honestly not having one decent knife at all! Igor everything else but a good knife… shame on me really! My brother whines a chef isn’t impressed at all about my selection 😂
Will try the chicken it looks so yummy! Xx
That knife is beautiful and I would love to add it to my block. I’ve been needing to upgrade my cheap henckles chef’s knife.
I would love love love that knife! My daughters and I are addicted to your recipes. We all receive your daily emails. Canada is a long way from Japan to get my own knife!! Thanks for everything!