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 made beef and rice with veggies last night, shared with my neighbor now she wants the recipe. I sure could of used that wonderful handcrafted Japanese knife to help me prepare the tasty ingredients.
Hi Nagi, I just got back into cooking again after taking a short break from school for the semester. I don’t know why I ever stopped, cooking soothes my soul. I would absolutely love to win this nice knife!
Thank you!
Cathy
The picture of this dish actually makes me want to eat my computer screen. Going to try this tomorrow. My husband raves about every one of your recipes that I have made. Crack Bread and the Potato Skins are the ones asked for the most.
chicken was great and easy to make maybe would even be easier if I won that knife
Hi Nagi!
I love your recipes and would love to win the knife!!
Kim
Chicken was great and easy to make and probably be even easier with the knife love to have it
Chicken was really good easy to make and might even be easier if I won that knife
I love following you on instagram and all your amazing yummy recipes. I’ve dreamed of having a knife like this for a very long time and I would be so blessed to own one. Thank you for all you do!
I love your recipes and not only do I WANT that knife I NEED that knife! Love it! Thanks for all the recipes!
I would love a good knife. I’m afraid my vocabulary is going to become too colorful if I keep using my current selection of knives.
Hi Nagi and Dozer,
Love your recipes and also your mother’s. I would love to win that beautiful knife and the stone sharpener as I have never really had a decent best in the world knife and the ones I do have need sharpening. My mother had a stone sharpener for 60 years which she used often. A meatcleaver would be good for your next giveaway.🦄
Can’t wait to make this amazing looking chicken!
… and to try this amazing knife!!!
Thanks for the recipe and the opportunity to win the knife!
I WANT AND NEED THIS KNIFE!!! Im always looking for new ways to make chicken. My mom is not a chciken lover and it’s always hard for me to get her to eat it or anything healthy. Made this and she absolutley loves it. Thank you for this recipe and making my life easier 😁. I really need this knife, really my knife sucks and cant afford a good one.
Looking forward to making this when the kitchen remodel is done! That knife would take center place in the new redo too!! 😀
I must try this recipe😍 and I MUST win this knife! Thank you for doing this giveaway!
sherita
Hi Nagi. Your recipes turn out great every time. this chicken looks delicious can’t wait to make and taste it. And of course i really like to win that beautiful knife. X Chantalle
I can’t wait to try this recipe.
and I would really love to have that beautiful knife.
thank-you!
Hi Nagi! I love your recipes for being simple but full of flavour! And also as a little aside thank you for putting both F and C temperatures in your recipes! It helps when I am travelling.
My husband and I would treasure this knife! It looks beautifully crafted and will be the pride of the kitchen.
Would love that knife my whole family would use it we all love to cook and I use most of your recipes chicken mushroom masala is the one we use the most thanks for all the recipe’s
This chicken dish looks awesome. I plan on trying it this weekend. Thank-you!
And I would love to have that knife!