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….
This is such a great recipe. I have made it as written and it was delicious. I made it a second time using a tex mex spice blend, but I kept the brown sugar the same, and it was amazing! It’s perfect no matter what spices are used. So flavourful and moist. Thank you, Nagi!!!!
This chicken was delish! 18 mins was the perfect cooking time. It was so tender….yum!!! I used a bit of smoked paprika too which gave it a wee smokey kick. Toddlers liked it too…win! Will be a regular from now on. Thanks Nagi👍🤗
Really delicious. I don’t eat chicken that often, so I wanted to do something special and delicious, yet simple enough where I could really enjoy the chicken. This was the perfect recipe for it and now it’s my go-to. The pounding of the chicken is key– I forgot to do it once and the chicken was drier than usual.
After a hard days painting a ceiling, in which I mostly covered myself in paint I was in need of something delicious and this was exactly what I needed! Thank you so much will be adding this to my list of firm favourites! Didn’t change anything other than had to put fresh garlic as had no garlic salt. You are a superstar!
Wow! This recipe is a game changer – so quick, so easy and yet bursting with flavors and chicken cooked to perfection. Thank you!!!! 🙏🙏🙏
Well the flavour is wonderful but the cooking time was much too long. 10 minutes would have been enough. They dried right out. Also next time I would make about 50% more of the coating.
Hi Richard, sounds like you must have had a small cut of chicken if they cooked in 10 minutes 🙂 N x
Man oh man, this chicken breast is to die for! Super moist, juicy and flavourful. . I used the recipe exactly as is, added a little extra dried parsley before baking. There is NO other way I’m cooking chicken breast from now on. Served it with pesto spaghetti and a romaine lettuce salad. Thanks Nagi for another winner chicken dinner!
So tasty! I made too much, Can I keep some for lunch tomorrow?
100% Roz!! Enjoy! N x
Hi Nagi, excellent recipe. I made it once and it was juicy and had such a different taste. I made it again and lined a sheet pan with foil and cooked it on that. The last 2 minutes I noticed my oven smoking. It seems the excess oil and seasoning was burning. Maybe I put too much? It stunk up my house but luckily my chicken didn’t burn. Just the excess.
I’ve been looking for a fool proof oven baked chicken recipe . I added 1 tsp of Chipotle BBQ seasoning to the recipe .It turned out was moist and delicious…
I just wanted to say thank you for posting this recipe. I have made it several times already, and I am picky. It is such a great tasting easy to make dish. Much appreciated, and enjoyed. Best wishes.
I used minced garlic 1 tsp. With the oregano and thyme. Absolutely delicious!
I am doing low carb so I substituted the regular brown sugar with swerve brown sugar – super yummy and easy with less carbs but still the sweet hint.
What is swerve and where do you find it? Thanking you in advance
This is my GO TO chicken recipe for meal prep. No more boring dry chicken for me. I’ve tried so many recipes and this one IS IT. Thank you!!
I’m so glad you love it Dana!! N x
Can I use coconut sugar
Tried it and the chicken was moist but not a fan of the sweet taste. Could I replace the sugar with something more savoury eg oyster sauce? I need to watch my sugars. Thanks Nagi
Hi Rita, unfortunately not for this recipe, the sugar is what provides the crust keeping it moist. N x
Paprika Brown Sugar baked chicken! EXCELLENT AND EASY! I USED SMOKED PAPRIKA AND IT WAS OVER THE TOP!!
Delicious, easy to make, & fast prep & cook time. It doesn’t get better than that
This recipe smashes it out of the park. The first time I made this, the chicken wasn’t that great because I had forgotten about resting it. The second time I made it, it was just so tender and delicious. I couldn’t believe that a chicken breast could be so juicy!
This recipe is a keeper! The chicken came out so tender and juicy!
Was looking for recipes for chicken breast and Ngai, yours came up on top. Had everything but the garlic powder, so used freshly grated garlic. Yummo! 18Mins was the perfect cooking time, Tender and moist, Your recipes are the best and easiest to follow
Tried the bake chicken recipe with the garlic brown sugar an paprika it was great
I’m so glad you loved it Carrie, thanks so much for letting me know! N x