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!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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….
Hiiiii
I think this giveaway is awesome!! Nothing beats the quality of japanese expertise (when it comes to everything really) especially when we talk about blades!! And this particular blade is beautiful, divine, i have no words 😶 I’m not even gonna write that I’d like to win it because i kinda don’t feel worthy of it but yeah ahahaha with me your mom would be able to exercise her italian since I’m born and raised in Italy 🇮🇹 good things to y’all and good luck to everyone
I’d love to enter please! This knife looks amazing.
I would love to win this knife as a present for my son he’s a chef,
Hi Nagi I am really enjoying your recipes. I would love to have this knife to improve my cutting skills.
Ahhh such a beautiful knife from my dream country! Though i hope to go to Japan someday but getting a knife from there till then will be enough for now! –A hopeful momChef! 🙂
P.s. i never look at baked chicken recipes because no matter what they just turn oit sooo dry! But your idea for brown sugar actually looks promising! Im definetly going to try it!! Thankyou!
Oh how I want this 🙏 I’m using my $15 cleaver from my local Asian grocer for everything and there’s no carrot flowers being carved be me with that bad boy 😅
😮😮😮😮
I would dearly love one of these knives.
All of my knives are from either Kmart or Harris Scarfe and never in a million years could I afford something so special.
I could use it to make your Butter Chicken which we live 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Thank you so much for giving us the chance to win one 😊😊😊😊😊
Oh Nagi… I want I want I want the knife! Already getting obsessed! 😁.
Can’t wait to see Dozer in that outfit! Are you saving it for a special occasion? 😁
What a beautifully crafted knife. My daughter is a chef and she would be amazed by this knife
Super recipe!!! Thank you!!!
I have never had a decent knife this would be amazing and I’m definitely trying that chicken recipe
Love love love it 😊
I would love this knife. I love cooking japanese food and with this knife my life will be complete 😊
YES PLEASE!!! I would love to own this knife!!!
Hi Nagi
I’d love to with this beautiful Japanese knife so I can finally fillet my salmon fish using a proper knife instead of the clever my parents have. As a Chinese family the staple in the kitchen is a clever and we basically only have that knife and use it for everything!
I’d like to finally have some beautifully filleted fish if my family does win this knife.
Thanks.
The recipe looks delicious, thanks for sharing it!! And the knife is also fantastic, I would love to have it!!
Thanks!
I would be honored to win such a beautiful knife it is so hard to get good quality knives this would be awesome to have, good luck to all . I’m definitely going to try your recipe looks great and will look for more.
That knife would be fabulous. I have had a Japanese knife for 20 years but the blade has never been the same since it broke on some frozen bacon And I had it repaired … I am a better cook now, so that will never happen again.
Oh my its truly a beautiful work of art.. I would love to own such a stunning knife..
Hi Nagi, thanks for this opportunity! I would love to win this knife!! It looks perfect
Thanks 🙂
I want this knife! It looks superb and I’m sure it would cut down my prep time!!