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 love to win this knife for my partner. We live in a long distance relationship and during the week I live alone with my sons, doing all the cooking and stuff that needs to be done. And every weekend when we’re together he takes over kitchen duty and pampers me by cooking delicious stuff. He’s a great chef and deserves this wonderful knife.
I’m so excited your giving away handcrafted japanese chef knife Ms.Nagi.I love to cook and i hope to have one of it and to see more of your recipes.Thank you in advance
What a wonderful giveaway. Thanks for the chance to win a knife I will treasure , as I’ll never get to Japan to buy my own.
Hello! Would love the chance for this knife giveaway.!
Cheers!
Pick me!!!
Katiedack@gmail.com
I absolutely loved the way the knife cut through the paper…so smooth, so graceful. Almost like cutting through a softened butter. I watched the video again and again to make my eyes believe.
Honestly, I have loved all your tips. Whether it’s using brown sugar to make chicken breasts sweat or using bicarbonate of soda to make the chicken breasts tender.
All your videos are super helpful. Had tried so many recipes. Not sure you’ll read this comment or not but the best part of your videos are life of dozer at the end. So cute that I share it with my friends everytime.
Thank you, Nagi! And dozer you’re beautiful :-*
Oh yes, I really want the knife. 🙂
May I have this knife please, thank you 😊
Hi, i love your recipe, and i want to try at home.
That knife, i dreaming about it. I wabt that hehe, so i can give my grandma a knife as gift. Japanese knife is a wonderful dream. ❤
This knife is perfection! I’d love to have it!
That’s knifes looks freaking awesome 😎 i have pioneer women’s knife afternoon continuously following it mnemonic food network .. ! But this snacks omen looks great !! I want that knife tin .. email Id: geethaanjali90@gmail.com
I want this knife 😍 i will give that to my grandma, cause she love cooking. And i adore Japanese knife 👍👍👍👍
Hi Nagi
I would love to win this knife please. It can become a great family heirloom .
Pretty please.
Omg I would love this knive. It’s beautiful and would look nice in my hand when making ur awesome recipes. Thanks for the opportunity.
Hi there
I was keen to read your note that a sharp knife is not dangerous. Everyone who ever cooks in my house complains of my blunt knives – I keep then that way as I always say if its a sharp knife I will give myself an injury. Not so says Nagi – it only builds confidence in chopping – well this I would love to try. I have never owned a sharp knife because clearly I wasn’t fully au fait with the principles of a great knife – thanks Nagi for enlightening me
I’d love to have this knife. We’ve started to buy good knives for our kitchen, and this one would be perfect to add in our collection!
Thank you 🙂
Want/NEED/Gotta have it!!! Love love love ur recipes!
✋🏻 A knife like this will surely help me. Cutting and cooking everyday. 😊
i want this knife
This would be a great addition to our kitchen and would be well used between my wife and I . Thank you for the opertunity to win it .
bedfordmarc@gmail.com
Yes Yes Yes I want! 😊