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….
Two game changers in one post! This chicken recipe is delicious. Just made your amazing meatball recipe recently too and have a long list of others to try 🙂
A handcrafted Japanese chef’s knife would be the icing on the cake as I work through all the great recipes on your website. Your recipes are perfect for friend and/or family gatherings and I love the slider for scaling the ingredients!
This recipe looks amazing! Love the fist pounding to tenderise tip – I know what I’m making for dinner next time I have a bad day!
Would be amazing to win this knife – I work in the hospitality industry and damn near die of envy whenever one of the chefs cracks out their latest knife porn! Also my partner is a butcher and it would be great to honestly say that I have the better knife!
Because I want to be you and the knife will turn me into a recipe Tin Chef!!! Seriously, no kitchen complete without a great knife
Yes, I would love to have this knife.
Wow I can’t wait to make this. As a hectic college student, reading your blog and making these recipies are what gets me through the dorm years! Thanks for everything Nagi!
I am never invested in a good knife. Would love to own this one!
thanks for all our great recipes.
I love to see your recipes on my IG feed, the music on your videos make my smile :). I would love to own this beautiful knife!
Hello! I have only recently discovered your site and already love all your recipes! I would love to add this knife to my spars collection.
Who WOULDN’T want this knife? It’s your BF inthe kitchen and this looks to be the ULTIMATE BF you’d ever need 🤗🙏
I love your recipes and I want this knife please!
My son and I love your food. You truly have made me a better cook. That knife would create the perfect nirvana in my kitchen. Yes it would be fabulous to have that perfect knife. Sign me up.
OMG!!!!!! I WANT THIS KNIFE!!! Like, I really, really, really, really would love to have this Japanese knife in my kitchen! I know this has nothing to do with anything, but my BFF’s son married a Japanese darling, and they live in Japan. He teaches English. So, it would be fun to have it for that reason, also, silly as it might sound. 🙂 This is an amazing giveaway. Thank you. And how a game-gal your mom is to bring all these items from Japan!
Love this site and frequent it almost daily! Super nice and amazing of you that you are doing this knife giveaway too! Would love to win!
I love your tasty recipes! And of course I would love to get that knife ❤️❤️❤️ Thanks
I would love to have that knife for my kitchen
Your chicken dish is great! However, I think I must have had a senior moment. Having cooked the chicken I put them on a warm plate and covered with foil for a couple of minuets and put in the warm oven till the rice was ready. Put rice on plates, chicken on rice with parsley then carefully dripped LIME JUICE OVER IT…… Oh……… Blow…. However, my error turned out to be an amazing accident. The juice cut through stickiness and added another dimension to it. It wasn’t a lot just about half a teaspoon but I would recommend you try it.
You and your recipes are amazing! Please give your mom a big kiss for bringing the knife here for us. Sad, but true, I have no sharp knives in my kitchen. Please, I need help!!! Thanks for everything you do for us!
I’d love to have that beautiful knife! Thanks for having this giveaway. The chicken breast recipe is another one I’ll add to my repertoire of chicken dinners. The side dish next to it looks delicious, too.
Dear Nagi, My question has to do with a friend looking for a bread like wrap for a German take on a gyro she serves in her little cheese shop cafe. I made her your soft flatbread but she wants something more bread like (what she has is so thick that you have to seriously work to get to the filling). I have been thinking about naan bread but wonder if you have a better idea.
I thoroughly enjoy your recipes and most of all your humour. I would love to be chosen to own this knife and would cherish and use it often when working with chicken, other meats and fish. Will be making your oven baked chicken breast recipe on Friday and then fish pie (OMG the fish pie, can hardly wait for Easter to try this).
Thanks for the help Jude
I’m of Sicilian decent & grew up cooking with my momma. I love to cook. It’s very therapeutic for me & I love to eat. I could put the knife to great use.