Before you try these oven-baked chicken breasts, be warned… your family may never want you to try another chicken recipe again. Every time I experiment with a new chicken recipe, my kids ask, “Can you please make it the regular way next time?”
Luckily for us, the “regular way” is also the easiest way.
While the oven preheats, whole chicken breasts are coated in olive oil and a few common pantry spices. Arrange them on a pan, and they’re off to the oven! There’s no need to slice them thinly or dirty any extra dishes.
This is the perfect recipe to pair with a sheet pan of roasted potatoes or broccoli. They can cook in the oven together for an easy dinner! Or, make a big batch of chicken breasts as part of your meal prep routine and save them for an easy protein to add to salads and bowls this week.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“I’ve been cooking a long time (I’m in my 60s) and sad to say I’ve never mastered the juicy chicken breast. I’ve tended to stick with chicken thighs, which are pretty hard to ruin. Just tried this method and it worked perfectly! As promised, it was so tasty and juicy. I will be using this method from now on!” – Catherine
Baked Chicken Breast Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts. These are easiest to cook when the breasts are roughly the same size, so look for that while shopping. I’ve also noticed that I prefer “air chilled” breasts when it comes to texture, so that’s an option to look for.
- Olive Oil. Rubbing each breast with olive oil helps keep the chicken juicy as it cooks. You can use another oil if you prefer, too.
- Pantry Spices. A simple combination of garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper creates amazing flavor.
How to Bake Chicken Breasts in the Oven
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Before cooking the chicken breast, let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. This will promote more even cooking. If you don’t have time to do this, it will still turn out okay. (I’ve done this in a hurry! The results just aren’t quite as evenly cooked throughout.)
In a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Stir well to create a quick seasoning blend.
Place the chicken breasts on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle the tops with olive oil. Rub the oil into both sides of the chicken, then sprinkle the seasoning blend evenly on both sides. This amount of seasoning should coat up to 1.5 pounds of chicken. (Make more, if needed.)
Step 2:
Place the pan in the preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the pan and test the chicken for doneness with a meat thermometer.
The chicken will likely not reach 160ºF in the thickest part after just 20 minutes of cooking, unless you’re using very thin or small chicken breasts. However, it’s always best to check, since no one wants overcooked chicken. (Overcooked chicken = dry, not-juicy chicken.)
If your chicken breasts are thicker, like 1.5 inches thick, they will most likely need 2 to 6 more minutes, for a total cooking time of 22 to 26 minutes.
Pro Tip: When cooking chicken, be sure to use an instant-read thermometer. The USDA recommends cooking chicken to an internal temperature of 165ºF, but it will continue to cook as it rests on the pan after you pull it out of the oven. So, you can take it out of the oven when the temperature is 160ºF (test in the thickest part of the chicken breast), and the chicken will continue to cook for the next 5 to 10 minutes as it rests. You can cover the chicken with foil during this time, but I don’t usually do so, and it still comes out perfectly cooked.
Baked Chicken Serving Tips
Once the chicken has rested on the pan, it’s ready to slice and serve. Enjoy it as a main course served with your favorite side (like potato salad), or as a topping for a salad or quinoa bowl.
Storage Tip: Leftover cooked chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The leftovers can be used to make a delicious chicken salad later!
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 to 1.5 inches thick)
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
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Preheat the oven to 400ºF and drizzle the olive oil onto a rimmed baking sheet. Add the chicken breasts to the pan and flip them over so both sides of the chicken are coated in the olive oil.
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In a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Stir well to mix, then sprinkle half of the mixture over the top of the breasts. Rub the spices into the chicken, then flip them over and sprinkle the remaining half of the spices evenly over the other side of the chicken and rub them into each breast.
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Place the pan in the oven to bake for 20 minutes at 400ºF. When the timer goes off, test the chicken for doneness using a meat thermometer. Small chicken breasts could be done cooking at this time, but most chicken breasts will need a few more minutes, depending on their thickness. (1-inch breasts will be done in roughly 20 minutes, and 1.5-inch breasts will be done in closer to 25 minutes total.) The internal temperature should reach at least 160ºF before removing the chicken from the oven. Flip the breasts over and continue cooking for 3 to 5 more minutes, or until they reach the desired internal temperature.
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Let the chicken breasts rest on the pan for 5 to 10 minutes after removing them from the oven. They will continue to cook and reach the safe internal temperature of 165ºF. Then they are ready to slice and serve. Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
*Note: For more even cooking, pound the chicken breasts into an even thickness before cooking. You can do this with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Chicken that is roughly 1-inch thick will cook in about 20 minutes total.
Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.2g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 422mg | Potassium: 424mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.01g | Vitamin A: 76IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Recipes to Serve with Baked Chicken Breasts
If you try this baked chicken breast recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!
