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….
This knife is beautiful! I would love to have this in my kitchen.
Omg. I need this knife. We cook every night and need a good quality knife.
Nagi, ooh how I love this knife,
And how it would enhance my life.
I’m a home cook like many on your blog,
Even more than Dozer…your puppy dog.
Just kidding! I love Dozer too! He is sooooooo handsome!
Can’t wait to try this chicken recipe! It looks amazing!!
This looks delicious! Love your blog and would love to own this knife! I’ve been needing a really good one and am constantly struggling with my cheapos. P.S. I think Dozer is the cutest thing ever.
Hi Nagi, I would love this knife! It would become a feature in our kitchen and put shame to the crap knives that I’ve seemed to accumulated. I’m surprised I still have fingers to be honest.
Thank you for your great recipes.I’d always use this recipes of yours for my everyday cooking as being a chef here Australia.I would like to have japannese knife like this to use for my everyday task.
I love your recipes and enjoy getting your emails with new ideas to try out.
I would love to be one of those lucky people to win this wonderful knife.
That chicken looks so delicious! I have one Japanese knife, it’s my go to knife, but it’s not a large one. I’d love to have a larger one, especially this beautiful one. Thanks for the chance!
Hello Nagi …
I would love to have this knife … not only because it’s a great tool in the kitchen, but it’s so beautiful!
Making your meatloaf today … and this chicken soon.
Nagi, I’m married a wonderful Japanese American guy who just loves to cook ,grill and bake and he would be so, so thrilled to get and use this special knife. Both of us have been enjoying the meals we have cooked from your recipes and your chicken breast recîpe sounds like another winner.
I would love this knife
Nagi, I would absolutely love that Japanese knife! Is it Damascus steel? Looks incredible! I’ve slowly been improving my cooking skills over the last year and a bit; this would be a brilliant addition to help me keep improving 🙂
Add me to the long list of people who love and want that knife!
Recipe looks great too – perfect for those evenings when I am tired and lazy and low on ingredients. Will try soon! Making your chicken fajitas tonight. 🙂
Hi Nagi! I would love that knife!
Every recipe of yours has been a hit so I can’t wait to try this chicken method! I would love this knife — my mom had one very similar to it so it’d remind me of home 🙂
That knife is beautiful! I would love to use it to make so many dishes. A great knife is such an important part of cooking safely. I love your posts and esp the antics of Dozer. I’ve cooked your chicken shwarma recipe, one pot pasta meals and lots of others. Everything has been point on. Thank you!
I really would love to gift this knife to a friend that just as she finished her schooling as a chief, her Mother Passed away and she went into a depression. Its been almost a year and she is slowly getting better. She also has no job and her father supports her. When she was younger she agreed to raise someone elses child due to alcoholism and poverty..That was a big responsibility and very kind.. So this knife I feel would be such an incredible gift as well as an incentive to continue her dream . She lives in Salvador Bahia Brazil. There is so much poverty there.
I would love to have this knife and I love your recipes and of course Dozer!
Thank you for the opportunity to have a good kitchen knife! I still have my original knives from 30+ years ago when my husband and I were married. I also had tried Cutco at one point but can’t sharpen them myself. I was just thinking about investing in a knife but had no idea where to start! Maybe his could be my start! Btw, making your oven baked chicken tonight!
I want the knife. I don’t normally seem to be able to contact you as I don’t have Facebook. If you get this message I just want to say you and your inspirational recipes are amazing and this is coming from a guy who didn’t get in the kitchen for his family until your emails started hitting my in box. I was surfing for dlow cook recipes and now do so much more. Thankyou so mich. Love the chunky beef and mushroom pie !