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 is the best chicken I’ve eaten! We cut it into strips and it took 15 minutes to cook and had it in wraps with salad! Definitely our new weekly favourite ! Thanks for sharing !
That’s great to hear Rebecca! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this! N x
I just want to thank you for posting this FANTASTIC recipe! This is my idea of an easy, delicious dinner!! My family loves it and it’s going to be a regular! 🙂
I’m so glad! Thank you for letting me know Shaleen! N x
Seriously my entire household loves this chicken!
Seriously my entire household loves this chicken! They ONLY way I will eat oven baked chicken breast now! Who needs rubbery chicken when you can have this instead!
I was making a recipe that called for grilled chicken and it was about to pour.
This is excellent! Tented the chicken for 15 minutes and added pan juices to my recipe..Keeper:)Thank YOU!
I tried your oven baked chicken recipe and my daughter loved it. Really different from all the other chicken recipes I have tried. Thank you
Just came across your oven baked chicken recipe. I had my daughter to taste it. And, she loved it.
Glad you enjoyed it Mojo! N x
Tried this tonight and it was delish !!! Thank you so much for sharing this, it was so easy and so tasty and will definitely be a regular in my house !! 😉💔
Glad to hear you enjoyed this Rose!! Thanks for letting me know 🙂 N x ❤️
This technique is SPOT ON! High temp gives lovely browning and quick times keeps it juicy! You could mix up the seasonings a gazillion ways – Mexican, Greek, Italian, and it’s fabulous just as written. Super easy and works perfectly every time! ❤️ Thanks!
Thank you Laura! So glad you enjoyed it! N xx
This was the juiciest chicken I’ve ever made. The seasoning was a great as well. Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe!
That’s great to hear Tiffany! Thanks for letting me know – N x
Any tips for freezing and reheating this? It was so good!
Hi VK! It’s kinda hard because breast is so lean 🙂 Best advice is to reheat gently in microwave 🙂 N x
I love it ! It was easy, and very tasty.
That’s great to hear Caroline! Thanks for letting me know! N x
Hey!
Can this be done with chicken thighs? If so, what temperature and time tweaks need to be made? Thanks!
Sure can, please see note 1! 🙂
Gosh I missed that note. Thanks.
I made them last night and broiled for a few minutes at end. They were yummy and so simple. Put asparagus tossed in olive oil, garlic and parmesan, in same pan while baked and all was delicious. Thanks!
Wow, thank you so much, this is soooooo good. I love this chicken breast recipe. Chicken breast no longer boring to make. It is so easy, so simple, and so delicious. You are really good.
Hi Nag, I was looking for a chicken recipe that was not complicated, that was more on the healthy side, that didn’t call for too much prep or exotic ingredients. Low and behold this recipe appeared as one of the first choices. Thank you for sharing this delicious masterpiece, it was truly a game changer and will be making more of an appearance at our family’s dinner table. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hi!! I’m cooking this now!! I only have light brown sugar will that make a huge difference? Thanks!
That will be fine! 🙂
I just mde this or it’s in the oven now. It looks good but all the juices from the oil and chicken make all the seasoning want to go to the bottom of the pan. How do I avoid this in the future? I didn’t have brown sugar what I did have was organic coconut sugar alt to cane sugar. It’s brown but I hope tastes as good. I used ms dash and Italian seasoning I had to improvise I didn’t have everything lol.
My husband said to write this recipe down, then write it down again, then put it on my phone , then email it to myself so I don’t lose it. States this is “the bomb.”
Nagi,
Thank you for this delicious recipe. My family has been looking for flavorful healthy meals and this recipe is perfect. I just browsed a few more of your recipes and the carnitas are next. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and talent.
Thanks for the feedback Tim! Glad you enjoyed this 🙂 N x
That’s great to hear Tim! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this 🙂 N x
Thank you so much for the recipe. It was delicious.
Loved the recipe – very juicy. What spices would you use to make it a bit spicy?
Cayenne pepper!
How much Cayenne?