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….
Thank you! I would really love this set.
Clfarley
I have used many of your recipes with great success. I plan on making the chicken on Sunday. I also would like very much to have that knife in my kitchen. It would make things so much easier.
I would love this knife!! Makes all the difference to a good cook!
Hi Nagi… I would love love to have this knife as a present to my daughter. She and I share a love for cooking and baking.
Thanks for all your great recipes !!
I would love to have this know because I love to cook. I have home cooked meals almost every day! I also love to try new recipes
Just made this dish. I followed the instructions to a tee and the chicken was juicy and tasty. Definitely a keeper. Thank you, Nagi.
I would love love love to have that knife! Im a loyal follower! Love all your recipes and so does my family 🙂
I love that knife, It’s wonderful. You are my favorite Instagram account. Greetings from Colombia.
I’d love to have this knife! Dozer’s costume looks super cute too. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes you post online.
I had given up on cooking chicken breast because of how dry it can easily get. That is, until today. This was so quick and easy. Not realizing that my instant read thermometer wasn’t giving an accurate reading due to how thin the meat was, I ended up cooking it an additional 5 min. (I shouldn’t have). It still turned out moist and delicious, though. Next time, 18 minutes like you said! Thank you, this recipe will go in my notebook of “keepers”.
Absolutely love my kitchen gadgets but my knife collection is rather pitiful!
Love your recipes, the Vietnamese rolls with homemade satay sauce are one of our favourites
This knife would be great for me, as a Cook I would love a new knife. But this would be perfect for my husband who is a knife freak. He is a huge fan of Japanese knives and is always saying that will be his one reason to go to Japan. I’d love to gift this to him.
*jaw drop* Me, me, me!…….I really, really want this knife! Please 😄with a cherry on top. 😁
I would love to have this knife for my dad! He is a knife fanatic and his 50th is coming up and it would make his birthday so much better!!! i love your recipes can’t wait to see more!!
Hi!! Nothing beats a good knife! My hubby and I bring a good knife w us when we travel 4 hrs away to the family beach cottage! I would love this knife!!!
Thank you and dozer for the pics and recipes. U inspire me!
Nagi, I want this knife!!! I can’t tell you how many times I need to slice a page of a newspaper and I have knives that just don’t do the job!!!! Ha ha!!! Seriously though, it looks amazing! The japanese sure do know their tools!!
I would absolutely love this knife! As a new stay at home mom, I’ve started to really enjoy my time in the kitchen through the use of your recipes! This knife would make the entire experience that much more enjoyable. Thank you for your continued commitment to creating amazing dishes and tutorials!
This knife looks AMAAAAZING. I feel like it would make me a better cook 🙂
Gorgeous knife. Would love to win it.
I would love to have the knife. Thank you 😊