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….
Hi. Always love your recipies. Thanks😍
oh my goodness – Crispy Sticky Mongolian Beef – just the best. Since finding your site have spent more time in our local asian grocery looking and purchasing. We are eating at least 3 meals a week from your and your Mums websites
Not one fail.
Would love the knife 🙂
I would love to have this knife. I’m very sure that i will love cooking more! Thank you!
I use a $7 chef’s knife from Kmart and have never really considered investing in a quality knife but your post has sold me on it! I’ve always been paranoid that the sharper the knife, the more dangerous it’d be… But I know for sure that its bluntness is making me ineffective – which is a problem given how many ingredients I chop up daily 🙂
This recipe looks great by the way – as with your others! I made your mejadra last week with chicken shawarma and Israeli couscous salad – DELICIOUS!
That knife is perfection! I’m salivating over it.
(Also salivating over this recipe, but … that knife!)
I would love this knife because it is a thing of beauty — a perfect example of ‘form follows function’ — or Zen in Japanese terms. As a vegetarian I cut up a lot of veges daily, so this knife will make cooking less like work. I also think Japanese tools fit perfectly in the hand — from electric drills to sewing needles. I have coverted Japanese knifes for a long time.
I’m a full time mother to my one and only child. My husband works here in Papua New Guinea for 22 yrs now. Apparently, one of my jobs is to cook for them from breakfast to dinner. Definitely, I needed this knife in my kitchen. I used to follow your recipes on instagram and even commented on Crispy Parmesan Crusted Chicken, that I made it perfectly.
Since, I followed you on ig, I never forget to take a peek on your recipes before going to the supermarket to buy the ingredients that I need to cook for the whole week. And, I’m just thankful of you for sharing generously of your talent in cooking.
Dear Nagi – I love your recipes! They’re always so unique and inspire to me be in the kitchen and create delicious treats for the people I love.
This knife looks amazing, and it would be an incredible experience to use it. To whoever wins it, I know that they will enjoy it and truly use it as much as they can. If it is me, that would be wonderful, but I’m genuinely excited for whoever will receive it!
Thanks Nagi, hope you’re having a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
Elinor
Thank you for holding a giveaway for such an amazing knife, it is absolutely stunning!
We’re getting married this summer (July 16th) and building a house together, this knife would be the best addition to our new kitchen. There would never be a lazy day for this one in my home 😉
Have a productive day!
What a great thing getting a chance to use a knife like this one 🙂 thank you!
Hi Nagi, I found your blog about 18 months ago and it has transformed my cooking. (Butter chicken an absolute favourite:))
Cooked this with my 86 year old neighbour who has never learnt to cook and sprinkles dry golden breadcrumbs onto chicken as a flavour boost!!!!!
We both loved the juiciness of it and she’s now added some dry spices to her kitchen cupboards!!
The knife is beautiful…..it’s making me drool…just like Dozer does at your cooking.
I would love to make sushi hand rolls with my home grown wasabi with this knife.
Hi 🙂 I have been following your page for a while now and I love how easy your recipes are. I really love to cook new things and try out different styles of cooking, spices etc..
The knife set will be an awesome addition in my kitchen and quite a story to tell all my friends and everyone that visits. X
Yes please. I’m still using my mum’s knife from Japan. It must be over 50 years old. The blade is getting a bit thin
Hi Nagi.. I absolutely love your recipes! Whenever I need inspiration for dinner I go straight to your page. This oven baked chicken breast is definitely on the cards for dinner soon. I would love to win this knife!! Will make it a well travelled knife if it makes its way to South Africa 😉
Hey Nagi
Just on a year since I began filing away each and every one of your obviously delicious creations.
Can’t say I followed any recipes quite to the letter actually; I’m always burning this or forgetting that or running short of something or other.
No two meals ever the same ’round here I can tell you! Kind of par for the course when you’re a retired pensioner bloke and you get to my age with arthritic fingers and stuff.
Nevertheless, I don’t really have many failures (2 years since Chris’s been “allowed” in the kitchen, since being appointed as carer for her elderly mum) although every meal for she ‘n me during our 30 odd years together had always been a celebration!
So anyhow, arthritus contributing to the curtailment of pleasure for this here old pursuer of culinary excellence, means Nagi’s Japanese knife would certainly be treasured in my little workplace.
Had been looking into knife skills, other youtube videos by American Gyuto dealers and wet stone experts.
So often their preferences seem to be the Japanese ones over Swiss and German made knives.
Yours pictured looks similar to a distinctive hand crafted blade described as the Chrysanthemum pattern(?)
I’d have ordered had they been about a grand cheaper.
Mmm Nagi – hope I’m not just dreaming again:)
Regards
Col
Always love your simple, quick and delicious recipes. It is a joy and to experiment and try them. Ideal for a busy person like me. Would be even better if I get that knife to try on your recipes.
Nagi,
I would love this knife as my fiancé keeps pilfering ours to use as ‘farm tools’. Gagh!
Would love the new knife! Been following your fb group for a wjile and just recently tried your porkchop marinade. Husband loved it so much, he thought it was steak because of how tender it was and couldn’t believe it was pork. =D
Josephinemwattigny@gmail
Ever since I found your blog and Instagram I’ve been making more dinners at home, I love it!! Would love to win this knife and take my cooking skills up a notch!