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 have been cooking Japanese food initially with a little Penguin cookbook with traditional Japanese recipes since 1982, long before it became fashionable here in Australia. In those days there was just one Japanese supermarket (that I knew of) on the North Shore at Sailor’s Bay Road. I understand it is still there. I could make dashi with ingredients from the store and we cooked mostly in a donabe at the table, yakitori on a charcoal grill and sukiyaki. I still serve the little sliced spinach omelette with a drop of shoyu as part of any canapés we serve with drinks. But I have never had a Japanese knife.
PS. I very much enjoy your mother’s recipes of course, along with your own.
Winning would be the only way I could ever get a knife like this .
I love your recipes! I’d also love to win that knife. 🙂
I would so love to have a beautiful knife like that. It’s almost too beautiful to use.
Sally Baker
nipsyque@hotmail.com
What’s not to love about that knife? I want it!
Also super cool your mum is learning Italian! Good on her!
~cheers
I used to ask my first wife “whats for dinner?” She would reply “What ever you cook” since then I have been learning to cook a good variety of dishes. I use your site as a TUTOR increasing my resume of dishes. I have bought a number of knives that have turned out as “Lemons” ..I would be thrilled to work with better tools.
Love your article and your recipe sounds like something the whole family would love. I agree about sharp knives and also have a love for kitchen cutlery, I use one knife for everything!
Greetings from Canada Nagi! In 1988 my husband and I had the privilege of staying in Australia for a year on a teaching exchange. We loved every minute. Alas, our family was here or we might have stayed.
This knife looks wonderful and would be a great addition to any kitchen – well worth passing on to children and grand-
children. Thank you for all your great recipes and the possible opportunity to enjoy this knife.
A beautiful knife, the most elegant and desired tool. A true masterpiece.
Yes, I would love to have this knife…not that I need another, but this like like a great knife!
I would love to get this knife, and at the same time I would be very scared of cutting myself. There’s no way for me to find such a knife where I live so I hope I can win it.
This knife seems amazing. I would to be the owner of one.
Mmmm sweaty flavorful chicken breast! I will be trying this recipe ASAP! I am always game for delicious fast healthy recipes, and this looks like a keeper for sure. I love, love. love your site and recipes and come here just about every day to see what kind of wonderful creations you post.
I would love to be the winner of the fantastic knife-I would use it daily to help me turn out excellent food!
Thank you for all the great recipes and pics always!
looking at the comment dates and the date on my computer I thought they were from the future and then realized it is tomorrow in your part of the world. By the comments I will try this recipe in my real tomorrow. I use German knives but would like to have Thank Youa Japanese knife because of your short video. Thank You, Jim Sr
I’d love to win this! Today’s my birthday – good time for a new knife 😁
Please include me in the lucky giveaway. Hmmm next time? We already win with each recipe you giveaway 🙂
You are so right Nagi. that a good, sharp, efficient knife is invaluable in the kitchen. And, equally important, safer by any means. Would so love to have this incredibly beautiful “hardware”. Please keep me in mind.
thank you so much for your recipes, they are always inspiring and delicious
Hey I would love to win the knife and stone please.
Thanks for sharing your recipes, kinda hooked on your mexican shredded beef at the moment.
Cheers
Thank you so much for the giveaway! I have been down on my luck for few years now and an opportunity like this is so great to try and win something so beautiful! I have a huge passion for food and cooking and having a knife of this calibration would be incredible to work with! Love your blog!
This recipe sounds amazing! My menu is already planned for this week, but I expect I will be making it next Monday.
I would love a chance to win the knife….and Dozer cracks me up! Have a terrific day!