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….
I’m having your chicken rice tonight for tea. So looking forward to it… I would love this knife. I am sick of having blunt knives. So hard to cook with and I love to cook. If you can get the prep work done quickly you have so much more time to experiment 🙂 I love your instagram posts. You make it look so easy and tasty,
I would love to receive this knife as its always a constant battle in our house as to where the sharp knives go. This was one would be mine alone! Love all you recipes thank you.
I’d love to win the knife. It would be a great tool to cut the sweet ginger chicken (and more!) which the family loved. I am handling the Friday and Saturday dinners for the family (creating left overs for them for the whole week 🙂 ) as my wife and kids like me to cook for them.
I love the simplicity and convenience of your recipes. Keep up the great work! And please enter me in your knife giveaway.
I am obsessed with good knives. I currently have a mix of global and vctorinox which are serviceable but drool over Japanese knives. I currently have your balsamic chicken in the oven and Wednesday is family night so I’m going to try the oven baked risotto with chicken! Who’d have thought that would work but I’ll give it a go, nothing much goes wrong with your recipes.
As for other give always….kitchen gadgets…any. Cheap gadgets that work!
I would love the knife cos I have not got one.
I WANT this knife. My knives were a wedding present in 1979 – I think I am due for a new one, don’t you!
Hi Nagi, I would love to win the Japanese knife, not sure I believe that I won’t cut myself but I’m up to the challenge…My family’s favourite recipe is your Vietnamese pork, just made it again tonight for the umpteenth time and yet again, very yummy. I agree you do need to do more giveaways….may I suggest a mandolin next, should be fairly cheap to send anywhere in the world and I’d love to hear your story as to how it won’t end up cutting fingers…lol. I look forward to your next recipe and post….chicken tomorrow, can’t wait.
I am happy to have this chicken breast recipe. I’ve pretty much given up on those and have been buying boneless thighs instead as I do tend to dry out the white meat. I’ll give it another go using this recipe – it does look quite fool proof; thank you so much.
I love your down to earth (and yet with that special flair) recipes and have shared your website with my two daughters as well as numerous friends.
I’ve always cooked nice meals for my family and have continued to do so in my “empty nest”. I just do not feel well if I do not eat well (as in whole-foods healthy). I have never owned a beautiful knife such as the one you are giving away. I think I would keep it on display like a beautiful trophy. “Giving” away; what a generous gesture Nagi ! I know all of your readers are hoping to be the lucky one and it will be a difficult choice. But, here I am jumping and down – pick me, pick me !!
As for your next giveaway: I don’t suppose Dozer has any little offspring out there somewhere. Wouldn’t it be lovely to have a little mini-me Dozer, LOL.
Exceptional knife! I love it! I really want this knife Nagi a dream come true.
I recently visited my son in Brisbane. He is a great cook and I was watching him slice a piece of salmon very thinly. The knife was sliding through the fish as if it were butter. I asked him about the knife and he said it was one he bought on a recent trip to Japan. Oh how much I covet that knife! Now a chance to win one. Thanks Nagi.
Dear Nagi,
Thank you for the chance to win a good quality knife. It looks very flash with the markings on the blade!
My husband always complains my knives are blunt, but I cannot stand the scraping noise of a knife you slide into a case.
I love all of your recipes, they are so tasty and easy to make. I have lots of cookbooks that I do not even bother with. You have made cooking so easy a lot of people must be so grateful to view your movies and cook your dishes.
I would love to have such a beautiful knife. I’m currently using a rather shabby set bought as a poor uni student!
oh yes please !
Hi Nagi,
Love you recipes, so easy to find the ingredients and explanations are great.
Would love to receive this knife to add to my kitchen, nothing like a really good knife to use.
Cheers
Belinda
I would love to win this glorious knife, there is no way I could afford one and I’ve used enough bad knives in my kitchen life to dream of owning one like this. So much happy chopping!
I just cooked your Stir Fry Noodles with Peanut Sauce last night and it was absolutely delicious. This knife would have helped with the thinly sliced chicken (wouldn’t have made it more delicious, just easier 🙂 ) So many of your recipes are my ‘go to’ now. Oh and the yoghurt and blueberry cake was awesome as well 🙂
Good luck to everyone who is entering 🙂
Sue Mahoney
Yesss!! That knife looks so good.
Good on ya for giving it away.
I would love that knife!
This looks yummmmmm!!! I love your recipes Nagi and it has transformed my life!!! I can’t wait to see Dozer in his Japanese outfit!!! I would loooooove the knife pleeease!!