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 would absolutely love this knife!!
I want this knife! It will be amazing cooking with this!!!
My mom is Japanese and always complains about the knife here. Would love to gift this to her! Thank you!!
I would love to win this knife! Thank you for the opportunity.
I would love the Japanese knife, what an unique instrument!
Have you ever tried prepping a meal with a crappy knife. It surely doesn’t make you want a o put much effort making a meal. A good knife is a treasure that can become a family heirloom. I would like to win so I can show my granddaughter how to cook and use a knife properly and one day she will inherit it and great memories of us cooking. Please pick me.
Hi Nagi,
I love your recipes. It’s so easy and quick. I’m completely obsessed with your IG page and look forward to new recipes all the time. You inspire me to cook on my lazy days. I recently made your jerk chicken and it was delish.
My husband and I love would love it if we win the Japanese hand crafted knife. Either way, keep doing what you do. I can’t stress enough how easy you make cooking look.
Hey Nagi,
I would be so grateful to win this knife. I love cooking, but I don’t have any fancy cookware. I always get the cheaper stuff to save money, and that includes my current knife that gets blunt easily. I think a new knife would turn the tables for me, probably give me a whole new cooking experience. Btw, I will be making this delicious looking chicken very soon. Thanks for your recipes.
Tania
I want this knife!!
Thank you so much for the opportunity :):)
My beloved goddess, how I want it! I have some deep scars for trying to cut pieces of cheese and bacon with bad knives, and I don’t regret any at all! I love food, I read cooking encyclopedias since thirteen and knives are my favourite tools in the world. Come at me, dear <3
This is my dream knife!
I want this knife, please~
I so need a decent knife in my life. I’d also like to wow all my friends who work in Japanese restaurants haha
P.S thanks for all the recipes and articles, it’s been a joy. Keep up the great work!
Big fan of your website, recipes & Dozer pictures…and would love to win this beautiful knife. Thank you!
Me and my husband would love a real chefs knife such as this to help us prepare your yummy recipes!
I want to win this knife so my boyfriend can cook me more delicious recipes from your website (I’m an awful chef) I’m trying to win my way to his heart through my own stomach and you’re knife!
Would love this knife
I love your recipes and would also love to win the knife.
I would love this knife! Either way I am trying the recipe 🙂
Hey Nagi,
So glad I found you! Your site is my go to for all my new recipes! I could certainly use a new knife!
My dad was a chef & he always said Japanese knives were the best & well worth the price to get an authentic one! He also only ever sharpened his knives with a stone & taught me to also (a skill I am thankful he passed on!) So, I would love this knife!!
And I can’t wait to try the chicken! Too bad you didn’t include the recipe for that rice side dish, cause that looked tasty too!