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….
Nagi I would love to own this knife. I love to cook all different recipes (including many of yours that I have tried) but I simply cannot afford to purchase a really good set of knives they are just too expensive for me!! This would be a great opportunity to begin my collection! xxxx
The knife is absolutely gorgeous and I would love to add it to my kitchen (like everyone else lol), decent knives are hard to find, excellent knives even more so. Also, just made this recipe tonight and it was so lovely. My husband always frowns over chicken breasts because they so often end up dry and that is a big thing for him, but he loved this and said we could make it a few times a month. Thanks so much!
I would love a really good knife. My old Henkels are wearing out after years of use and sharpening. It would make a great 65th birthday gift. Gawd! How did I get to be so old?!
What a beautiful tool! Of course I want it!
Orphaned at birth, I have found the Table to be a median to serve others with a meal and bring people of all different backgrounds together. Though not professionally trained, I show love through the service of food, one of the few beautiful things that not only creates memories but provides nourishment. This knife would help to continue to pay it forward.
If I win this knife I’m giving it to my son who just got his own apartment. I think it will inspire him to cook like you!
Hello! I would adore this knife. Our 29th anniversary is March 25th… what a gift, eh? 😉
Thanks for your great recipes.
My knives are from when I was a “beginner” home cook. It’s time for the upgrade as I have spent the last 10 years evolving as a cook! PS, I am going to try this recipe on my semi-picky kiddos….sounds like something they will love!
I sooo want this knife so I can be a master in the kitchen just like you Nagi 🙂
I so need a new knife. My next door neighbour is a chef and he was over the other day and needed to use my knife…..oh the shame of it!!
When do we get to see Dozer in his new outfit LOL
Hi Nagi,
That knife definitely has my name all over it in capital letters. I need that knife so that I can master the smoothness that chefs seem to chop things up on the various show. Keep up the good work. I really look forward to trying some of your cooking tips & tricks. Venessa
We became Japanese knife converts when we bought a set as a wedding present from my parents last year. I have never cut with something so perfect! My mantra is now “you can never have too many Japanese bladed knives!” Would also make an awesome 1st wedding anniversary present for my husband 😉
The chicken also sounds delicious! Found some breast in the freezer yesterday so this will be the perfect recipe for it 😊
Hi Nagi, the knife? Ahhhh yeah!!!! Now, back to chicken……it’s another one I sous vide first, then quickly pan fry with whatever coating I make for it. But the addition of sugar is clever. I often moisten the coating (so it sticks better) with a bit of Shaohsing wine, which I guess is sweet too. Thanks heaps, as usual.
Hi Nagi,
Firstly thank you for your recipes I love them and they really work, great tasting and easy to make.
I would love the knife as I do not own a good knife have been using a knife I purchased 30 years
ago hopefully with a new knife of this standard I’ll be making even more delicious meals for breakfast,
lunch and dinner.
Diana
OMG!!! I tried this recipe for dinner tonight!! So delish!!❤️❤️❤️ My family loves it and has asked me to make it more often!! Thank you so much Nagi!! I would be ECSTATIC to win this beautiful Japanese knife!! Thanks for the chance!! Good luck everyone!!
Hi Nagi
Please enter me in the draw for the knife. I currently don’t have an obsession so why not?
I discovered your recipes for 3 months and it’s amazing how I love to try them one after the other. The whole family loves and asks for more. It would be a great pleasure to win the magnificent knife
Thank you
I would LOVE this knife as my husband is all about “only the best quality” products and I think this might just be the trick to get him slicing and dicing with me in the kitchen more often 🙂
I would love to have this knife to compare to my grandfather’s knives. He was a fine dining chef, and fed royalty and U.S. presidents. During the Depression, he worked on the Sante Fe Super Chief between Chicago and L.A.,. During this time he fed all of Hollywood’s immortals, from W.C. Fields to Bo Jangles, who was his favorite. He was instrumental in developing recipes for College Inn and Howard Johnson’s. Later in life, until the age of 85, when he died, he walked to The Drake Hotel every day where he was the sous chef. I use his knives every day and they are the best knives I have ever used. They are around 100 years old, and I believe, can stand up to any knife. My grandfather’s name was, LOUIS VATE’.
I would love this knife too! I absolutely love all your recipes, I make them often, and I’m so glad I stumbled upon such an amazing YouTube channel and website. So, thank you for sharing your talents!