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….
loved it
easy fast and delicious.
it was a big hit .
his recipe was absolutely delicious! my family truly enjoyed it. Thank you Nagi.
Pro tip; I had a bit of spice left over (I made a double recipe, for 7 pieces) so I mixed it with a bit of peri peri sauce, and used it as a “baste” to ensure the chicken doesn’t dry out.
I also paired it with this quinoa salad :https://www.forkly.com/recipes/quick-easy-mediterranean-quinoa-salad/
absolutely perfect meal😊
So easy, quick and delicious! It kind of reminded us off BBQ potato chip seasoning. I used smoked paprika instead of sweet. So good!
Super simple yet tasty. I’ll admit i thought this would be just another disappointment boy was a WRONG. My 4yr old cleaned her plate. Pls give this ONE try 🙂
I made this last week and it was a hit with my husband.
I loved it as well.
Very tasty and flavorful.
Tender and juicy
Perfect 🤗
Hi can i still do this without the parchment paper?
Hi, was looking for something quick to use up the chicken breasts I had in the fridge before they went bad. So glad I found this!! I only have minced garlic, but I reckon it should still be ok! Pity I didn’t have any basil or kale to make the rice. But it’s added to my shopping list!!
My boyfriend said this was delicious like 5 times in 3 minutes and I am a pretty good cook. So if he was above and beyond impressed, that tells me that this is a real winner. I also think it’s delicious by the way haha. But he was really loving it. Great recipe. I even shared it on my Facebook.
Made this tonight with sprouting broccoli in the rice. Really good
Delicious and simple
Has anyone tried this with skin on drumsticks?
It won’t work as written sorry – you need the chicken to be thin for this to cook without caramelising too much 🙂 N x
This recipe is sooo delicious! The chicken is really juicy! Absolutely becoming my go to!
Hands down the BEST chicken I’ve made at home! So delicious and juicy! Thanks for a great recipe! xx
Wahoo! That’s great to hear Dee! N x
Delicious. No more needs to be said. Will bake every few weeks because nothing else like it.
This sounds great! But all I’ve got is a Truvia blend of brown sugar and truvia. Think it will work?
I want to make this next week. Can this be made with chicken tenders instead of breasts? This would allow one to skip the pounding out step. Has anyone tried this?
Hi Julie, yes that will be fine – tenders really only take up to 20 minutes in the oven depending on size. Just make sure they aren’t thick – if they are, just bash them out a little. N x
Made this tonight for two people using one 350gm chicken breast halved… SPECTACULAR! Timed it perfectly with the garlic kale rice and made a big green salad.
Delicious! Thank you, Nagi x
Any suggestions if I am out of Paprika? Or is that essential?
Made this for my husband tonite, he loved it. And he’s not a big fan of chicken. I’m not a meat eater so I didn’t taste, but it was an easy recipe, with little clean up,and I liked that part! I’ll be making it again and I shared the recipe with some family. Thanks for such a great recipe 🙂
I love this recipe so much am I able to do it the same with the rest of the chicken like the wings and legs.