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 so appreciate all the love and care put into finding and perfecting recipes Nagi. This baked chicken breast recipe is simple yet so good producing a delicious tender dish. Thank you!!
Loved it so so juicy 😋
Hubby abd I join the appreciative ranks who enjoyed this thoroughly. Halfway through Hubby had an inspiration and added just a squeeze of fresh lemon, which just added another level of great. Thanks, yet again, Nagi for great food! Couldn’t have done it without you.
We love this recipe! cooks perfect every time!!
…my KIDS (almost 2, 8, and 12 y/o) LOVED this recipe! THANK YOU 🙂 I followed directions exactly – modified nothing. Absolutely, amazing!
I’m in the process of making this recipe. But I wanted to Say something in response to the people complaining about the seasoning not being enough. Do people not, season their meat in advance. My chicken breast was seasoned and marinated in beer, overnight. If you don’t pré-prepare your meat in advance, no wonder it tastes bland. The seasoning in this recipe is to give extra taste, you need to marinate your meat in advance overnight, for the seasoning to go through. I’t will be bland, if you think that all you have to do, is sprinkle the powdered seasoning on-top. Now, the recipe doesn’t mention this, and I’t shouldn’t have to, it’s one of the most basic steps of cooking.
Yum! This oven baked chicken recipe was so easy and delicious, the chicken is moist & flavorful. My husband loved it. Will definitely make again. Thank you for the great recipe.
Thanks for another tasty recipe!
One tip: olive oil heated above 350 degrees turns into trans fats. So when cooking at high temps I use avocado oil instead.
Reputable sources advise that to be a myth. Different veg oils have somewhat different properties, but the commonly used ones do not turn into trans fat from high temp. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/2015/04/13/ask-the-expert-concerns-about-canola-oil/#:~:text=Most%20canola%20is%20chemically%20extracted,can%20even%20create%20trans%20fats.
Great recipe! I’ll just correct one quick thing from the comment. Olive oil does not turn into trans fat at high heat, so you can cook in peace!
Great recipe! I saw some asking about grilling and wanted to help. Set up your grill with two zones. One side nice and hot with direct flame, and the other turned off. Oil those grates! Grill chicken quickly getting nice color on both sides then move to off side. Close and cook to temp.
So juicy! I will be doing again. I followed someone’s advice about mixing the oil in with the spice mix first. I think that reduces the amount of oil needed. Speaking of which, I doubled the mix, but in hindsight it’s not necessary. It ended up being a bit sweet. So next time I will stick to the recipe as written.
Hi! This looks good. The video says 430* but your written recipe reads 425*. I know it’s a slight difference. Which do you recommend?
This baked chicken was absolutely amazing, easy, and juicy!!
Wow, this was so easy and delicious. I was a bit dubious about the brown sugar and the potential sweetness, but trusted Nagi when she said it was all about the caramelisation. It only had a very subtle sweetness and I don’t normally like sweet with meat, but this was great. It was convenient to pop the chicken in the oven and forget it until the timer went off and gave me time to prep the sides while it was cooking. Great week night dinner .My family loved it and I’m looking forward to leftovers for lunch. Thanks Nagi, we really enjoyed this one.
Thanks! I was worried about the sweetness, too. So now I’m going to make this tonight!
Every recipe I’ve tried of yours is a resounding success. Your recipes and the way you portray them on line is better than any I’ve ever seen – and I’m an avid cook and look at many for inspiration. Well done to you. I love Dozer too. We had one just like him, They are the absolutely the best dogs. Best wishes from UK.
Oh my Nagi …. Amazing, so tasty & juicy … Such a great EASY way to cook chicken breast …. I literally never look anywhere else for cooking inspiration … Keep throwing them recipes out girlfriend xxx
The baked chicken was amazing, so tasty and juicy!
This was the best juiciest chicken ive ever baked in oven&so easy ..amazing …thank you
Delicious, healthy, and easy!
I’ve never left a comment on a recipe before, but just made this for the second time and it’s sooo quick and easy and delicious! I’m newer to cooking meat and have had a hard time not messing up chicken, it’s often too rubbery or too dry. Followed the instructions exactly and this was perfectly moist and flavorful! I can’t eat paprika so I omitted it, used half rosemary half oregano and added bit of fresh thyme from the garden. I used almost the full amount of the rub on two chicken breasts so I might increase the amount for four if you like it really covered : )
Amazing! I rarely bake chicken breast because it comes out so dry. This recipe was perfection. Chicken was tender and juicy.
Delish! We baked it in a 13×9 casserole dish – then took the chicken out and tossed baby carrots in the seasoned oil. Added a sprinkle of salt and cooked at 425 for 20 minutes for amazing roasted carrots, too!
I made this in accordance with the recipe. Turned out really dry. Perhaps skin on chicken breasts or thighs would be better. In theory the recipe looked great.
I haven’t cooked this yet but it looks delicious. I’m newer to cooking so maybe this is a total rookie question but could I sub the brown sugar for a syrup? I have Michele’s gourmet butter pecan syrup