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’m so in love I came back to see it again and show my mom. It’s so amazing. Such a well crafted knife. Fingers crossed 🤞 ig- jia Krystal thanks for this opportunity.
I must have this knife otherwise I’ll have to stop cooking, then I’d starve and the wife wouldn’t be happy with a chalk outline on her new floor.
Love all of your content – so practical and easy to follow! I would love to win this knife!
Sarah
Nagi San
The knife you are offering is very fine. I’m an old soldier that has traveled all over Asia and collected different knives from many countries. The one you are offering is most likely higher quality than anything I use . My wife works so I am the cook, not great but enjoy it and your recipes certainly help. Thank you for your postings.
Randy
I want and neeeeed this knife!!! I love your recipes. Just recently found you on Instagram and have made 2 of yours so far. Thank you for the good eats. 😍
I have moved to Campbell River Vancouver Island. We have large salmon and other large fish in the sea. I would love to have this knife, and incorporate your tasty recipes along with it.
I have wanted so much to have a great knife for cutting my meats that I cook and I haven’t been able to afford one that will do the job. I would be so greatful to get this dream knife. I love to cook and to have the ability to prepare and cut the meats for presentation would be a whole lot easier with a proper knife.
Oh oh oh! Me me me me! They’re REALLY hard to get where I live (Sweden) but I’d love to own that beautiful knife! So I am totally in! 🙌🏻
I want this knife!! 🙂 & pretty much everything you cook!!!
My husband has always admired the craftsmanship of Japanese knives. After an injury my husband has a stiff and weak wrist, such a knife would make his time in the kitchen more pleasurable once again.
Oh… I am in search of the perfect knife and would love this one! I cook EVERY day and good tools are so important for that.
I love your blog and your recipes. Thank you for the inspiration!
Great receipe! Missing such a perfect knife in my very italian kitchen though.. so of course I want it, even more, I need it! :)))
Hi, Nagi…
The Japanese knife would allow me to replace my worn-out unknown brand knife that is about 100 years old. It has been sharpened so many times it now looks like a big filet knife.
Love your blog…I’ve used quite a few of your recipes.
(By the way, I’m 73 years old. 😉
Hey hey hey! I want this knife in my life!
Hi, I love your recipes, they are great and I use them as inspiration in my school. As a chef student I would love to have this beautiful knife.
Oh my! I need this knife in my life!😍 loveeee your blog and recipes so much! Thanks for this amazing giveaway♥️
Having a fine crafted tool like a knife in a kitchen is essential, without one of the most important items. My wife bought me a Japanese knife for my birthday once, and i use it every day as it calms my anxiety, unfortunately it is now broken due to a person uncaring handling skill. This would be a great redemption for my cooking to become alive again! Hope to win as do all.
I’m a bit of a disaster in the kitchen, to be completely honest. This gorgeous knife would probably be wasted on me, but it may actually give me some incentive to sharpen my knife skills.
I love your recipes and absolutely ADORE your doggy!!
This is my first ever comment on somebody’s blog, I don’t usually bother as I’m not sure I have anything interesting to say! I would looooooooove to have that knife, which is why I’m finally getting around to leaving this first comment! Now that I’ve started I just wanted to tell you that I love your way of thinking cooking. I love most of your recipes, the only ones I don’t like are ones with ingredients I wouldn’t eat anyway. Every time I make your recipes my appreciative husband asks where this comes from and I affectionately say “oh from MY blogger” or “from my cooking soul mate, the one in australia”. I never thought I would end up following someone’s blog, I have never found anyone I found that important to follow on a regular basis. Well done to you!
I would love this knife to make chopping easier for me. I love all your recipes and can’t wait to cook with it. You are an amazing chef!!