This Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipe uses very simple techniques to create ultra juicy chicken breasts with an incredible spice rub.
I love to pair this easy baked chicken breast with my Parmesan Roasted Broccoli and Baked Potatoes for a complete meal.
This recipe is my tried and true method for cooking the BEST chicken breasts in the oven every time. You’re going to fall in love with this easy technique.
Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipe
Yes, it’s true, you CAN have tender and juicy white meat chicken that’s BAKED in the oven!
Ingredients Needed For Baked Chicken Breast
Chicken breast consists of all white meat, which is very lean and, if not cooked properly, can become tough and dry. Here’s what you’ll need in order to whip up some juicy chicken breasts in the oven. You can find the full list of ingredients located in the recipe card below.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – check out my baked chicken thighs here!
- Olive oil
- Seasonings – I’m sharing my favorite chicken rub in the recipe, but you can ultimately season with whatever you like.
How To Bake Chicken Breasts
The trick to mastering ultra tender chicken (whether baked, grilled or cooked on the stove top) is all thanks to these 3 easy steps…
- Even Thickness
- High Heat
- Resting
By following these simple steps you’ll be enjoying juicy baked chicken breasts right out of your oven every time.
POUND CHICKEN
Start by using a heavy rolling pin or meat mallet to pound your chicken breast to an even thickness.
SEASON
Season liberally with my special seasoning blend (in the recipe card below).
BAKE
Bake chicken breast for just 20 minutes at 425 degrees F, then let rest for 5 minutes under foil before slicing.
Do I Need To Pound Chicken?
Is it necessary to pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before baking?
Yes!
It is absolutely necessary if you want juicy oven baked chicken. Here’s why…
The natural shape of a chicken breast is teardrop, with a thicker, meatier portion at the bottom of the teardrop. Chicken must be cooked to 165 degrees F before safely consuming. If you do not pound the chicken down, the thicker portion will take longer to cook to the safe temperature, while the thinner section of chicken breast will get overcooked and result in a dried out, choke-it-down chicken breast.
The BEST Chicken Seasoning
I spent many, many years working on perfecting my go-to chicken seasoning. It’s both sweet and smoky, while not being too overpowering. The simple, yet complex flavors blend perfectly together and are great served alongside any side dish you’re serving with your baked chicken.
Chicken Seasoning Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make your baked chicken taste like a million bucks!
- Brown Sugar – the sugar helps to tenderize the chicken, trust me, it’s a good idea.
- Chili Powder – adds a delicious smoky flavor, plus gives great coloring to chicken
- Parsley – great for adding a balanced herb flavor
- Salt – the seasoning of life
- Pepper – because it goes with salt
- Garlic Powder – adds delicious flavor
- Onion Powder – compliments the garlic powder
- Cumin – this really gives the chicken something special
Combine the spices together and rub generously into the chicken breast before baking.
PRO TIP: I will usually double or triple the seasoning blend and store any extra in a zip close bag or spice jar for the next time I’m baking chicken.
How Long To Bake Chicken Breasts in The Oven?
Make sure your oven is preheated to 425 degrees F before baking. Cooking at a high temperature will help to lock in those juices, resulting in tender, juicy chicken every time.
Cooking Size Chart
- 4 to 6 ounce chicken breasts – 18 minutes
- 7 to 8 ounce chicken breasts – 20 minutes
- 9 ounce and above – 22 minutes
Remember to use an instant read meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
How Long To “Rest” Chicken Breast
One of the biggest rookie mistakes when baking chicken is to immediately slice right into it after it’s done cooking. Chicken breast is a muscle and what happens to a muscle when it gets cooked? It tightens up!
If you cut into the chicken right away it will be tough and chewy, and all the juices that you worked so hard for will immediately run out… resulting in dry, tough chicken.
Let chicken breasts rest for 5 minutes under a loose sheet of foil before slicing.
Easy Side Dishes To Serve With Oven Baked Chicken
Chicken is one of the most versatile proteins. It pairs perfectly with just about any side dish. Serve it sliced up, shredded, or whole for a pretty presentation. We usually slice all the chicken up before serving so it’s easy for my kids to eat.
Here are my go-to sides for baked chicken…
- Parmesan Roasted Green Beans
- Baked Potatoes (oven) or (instant pot)
- Cucumber Tomato Salad – perfect for a light dinner on a warm day
- Creamy Corn Salad
- Vegetable Rice Pilaf
- Caesar Pasta Salad
Easy Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipes:
I have so many delicious baked chicken recipes that I’m sure you’ll find one you really enjoy!
- Broccoli Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- Salsa Chicken and Rice
- Chicken Caprese Skillet
- Spinach and Herb Baked Chicken Breast
I’m confident that you’ll get fantastic results with this recipe as long as you follow the tips and method I’ve shared here.
Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 (7 to 8oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp brown sugar, light
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp parsley flakes
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp cumin
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non stick spray.
- Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper and pound to an even thickness. Drizzle both sides of chicken with olive oil.
- Combine seasonings and sprinkle generously over both sides of the chicken breasts. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cover loosely with foil for 5 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PIN THIS IMAGE TO SAVE THE RECIPE
Tres Leches Cake Recipe
Allison
This might be my new quick and easy signature dish! Can you please recommend a side to make with this for a romantic birthday dinner for my guy?
Danny
Need a veggie to pair this with White Rice!
Shawn
Ohhh, so many options! My personal favorite would be this Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Broccoli!
Shawn
I would try these Bacon Wrapped Asparagus and my Classic Mashed Potatoes or Garlic Parmesan Rice! YUM!
Lori Rumsey
This was so so good, even though I used white sugar. Called two neighbors for brown sugar and both were not home. I can’t wait to use brown sugar. Thank you, I will make this again and again. Bravo.
Shawn
Good to know it was still enjoyable with white sugar! Hope you enjoy it with the brown sugar too!
Shirley
5 stars!! Juicy, easy to make. I’ll make this again.
Shawn
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed it Shirley!
Erin Drummond
If you’re ever out of brown sugar you can add a tad molasses in addition to your white sugar to make brown sugar! That is, if you have molasses on hand 🙂
Shawn
Great tip Erin! Thanks!
Jeanna
We tried this recipe tonight. It was very juicy, but my family didn’t like the blend of spices 🙁 I plan on tinkering with the spices and trying it again.
Shawn
Feel free to tweak the spices as you like, but keep the cooking method the same and you should still have a great piece of chicken!
Jade
Really enjoyed this chicken. I was very surprised by how juicy and tender it was! This will be going into my weekly rotation. Paired nicely with arugula and balsamic vinaigrette for a healthy dinner.
Shawn
Woot woot! So glad you enjoyed it Jade!
Allison
So delicious. The cumin is the kicker that makes the chicken something special! Thank you. Will be a repeat for my family.
Shawn
Yessss! I love adding that cumin in there. It totally takes it to the next level. 😉
Sarah
Holy cow this was delicious!! Thank you so much!!
Shawn
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!
Sofia
I’m going to try this recipe today but can I skip the brown sugar
Shawn
You can skip the brown sugar, but it really does bring a nice balance to the chicken.
dj
I’ve got the chicken in the oven!! Do I need to flip the breasts over?
Shawn
Sorry I didn’t get to this sooner, but no, you do not need to flip the chicken! Hope you enjoyed it!
Kim
Hello, can I marinade this the night before? Going on a trip and want to prep at home before.
Susan
Making this now and it smells amazing. Used cilantro instead of parsley.
Shawn
Nice! Thanks for sharing!
Shawn
You can definitely season them the night before! Enjoy!
Chuck Coker
This was off the hook! I’m not big on chicken, but it was on sale. And yes, its usually very dry. But this, not only moist but the flavor just exploded! This old, divorced man usually just goes for the same, simple stand-bys, but I just produced a masterpiece! Thank you so much for a recipe I can brag about!
Shawn
Haha! That’s awesome Chuck! I’m so glad you enjoyed it… keep cooking! 🙂
LaReina Hall
The juiciest chicken breast I have ever made. Thank you so much for the perfect recipe.
Shawn
You’re very welcome LaReina! So glad you enjoyed it!
Beth
I made this last night because I was looking for a fast, easy chicken recipe that was different from the things I usually make. The seasonings in this recipe work together really well and my family all liked the sweet/savory thing going on! I had to sub basil for the parsley because I didn’t have any. I will definitely make this again but make more because there were no leftovers for my lunch:(!!
Shawn
Sweet! I love using the leftovers for topping salads and throwing into quesadillas! So glad you enjoyed it Beth!
Marisa
Hi… I’m going to try this recipe tonight for dinner. I’m soooooooo excited!
Shawn
Hope you enjoy it Marisa!
Jenna J
Hi, Do I have to use parchment paper and can I use regular sugar instead of brown sugar? Trying to see if I can make this without having to go to the grocery.
Shawn
I would not use regular sugar in place of the brown sugar. But you can definitely use something other than parchment paper to pound the chicken. Plastic wrap would work too.
Ken
I just made this following the recipe exactly. It was very easy to put it all together. The chicken was very juicy and tender. The seasoning was a combination of sweet and savory with a little spiciness from the chilli powder.
Very delicious. My entire family loved it. I’m sure I’ll be making this a lot in the future.
Thanks for a great recipe.
KC
Fort Worth TX
Shawn
Awesome! I’m so glad it worked out for you! 🙂
Jermecia Robinson
This was the best chick I’ve made! Especially without any onions and peppers! My husband ate quite a bit and gave compliment after compliment! He loved that this was different and flavoring was over the top! I truly look forward to making this again!!!Thank you for the recipe!!!!!!!
Shawn
Fantastic! What a great compliment. Thank you!
Teresa J. Willis
This was absolutely divine. Oh the flavor! WOWZA. I served it with Green beans and Mac n Cheese. Perfect blend of flavors. This one keeps a front page in my collection. The only one stamped with E for EXCELLENT.
Shawn
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed it!
colleen
This was delicious! Had to make a couple of changes for lack of ingredients, Italian seasoning in place of parsley flakes, no brown sugar… WHAT?! Seriously, an ingredient I usually have an abundance of… I used coconut palm sugar instead.
Absolutely loved this chicken! Thank you for sharing
Shawn
Awesome! I’m so glad you were able to make it work with what you had on hand!
Mendi Davis
I think I might have missed the ratio of each of the spices?
Fred Rogers
Specified in the ingredients list.
Kristen Dougherty
Wow wow wow! This was absolutely amazing! My pickiest eater ate his dinner within 5 minutes! The flavor is unbelievable. Thank you!
Shawn
Nice! That’s definitely a mom win! So glad you guys enjoyed it!
Cory Kustermann
Does the chicken get placed placed on the foil and paper?
Shawn
You’ll loosely cover the chicken with foil AFTER it’s been baked. Enjoy!
Valerie
Hello I just did this, but my chicken didn’t end up with that pretty roasted color like yours is was, could you tell me what I did wrong
Shawn
Hi Valerie, the color comes from the chili powder. If you didn’t use as much chili powder that could be why it isn’t as dark?
Antoinette Randolph
Tasty, savory, good, well-seasoned, succulent, exquisite, mouth-watering, awesome, luscious, flavorful, palatable, easy to prepare, moist, aromatic and delicious! PERIOD!! Mic drop!!
Shawn
Ha! Love it!! So glad you enjoyed the chicken!!
Bob N.
Did 4 beasts. Pounded, then Jaccarded and marinated for 2 hrs in salt and brown sugar solution, rinsed and dried. Based on other comments, cut the Chili Powder and Cumin in half. Added a half tsp. McCormick “Chicken:” to the spice mix.. Roasted for 20 min to 170 degrees F. Absolutely fantastic outcome.. I would normally Sous Vide chicken breasts to keep them moist but this recipe has that beat by a mile.
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Bob!
Aubriann
I tried this last week, and I’m making it again tonight. My husband visibly dreads when I say we are having baked chicken, but he loved this. It was so simple, but super tasty, thank you.
I was thinking of making the rub in a large batch and keeping it in a jar so my husband can use it in a pinch, but I’m a little wary given the brown sugar. Has anyone made a large batch to store?
Shawn
You can definitely make a larger batch of spice rub and store it. Just keep it in an air tight container and you should be good!
Corie
Hi
Planning to try this recipe today just one question? Do you cook the chicken with it covered with the foil or just left open?
Thanks so much
Shawn
You’ll bake them uncovered and then cover lightly after being baked.
Stacy
Hands down the most moist chicken I’ve EVER made. And so many possibilities with the rub. We loved it!! Leftovers are going into fajitas!
Shawn
Nice!! So glad you enjoyed the chicken Stacy!
Jordan
How do you suggest the baking time if I have thin sliced chicken breasts!?
Shawn
Hey Jordan, If they are thinly sliced chicken breast, you’ll still want to first make sure they’re even thickness. Then I would decrease the cook time to around 15 minutes, check the internal temperature and continue cooking if needed.
M
Did you use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar? Would it matter?
Shawn
I used light brown sugar for this.
Ruth
If it’s chicken I love it.
Shawn
Hope you enjoy it Ruth!
Helena Orstem
You’re awesome SHAWN!
Sarah
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I’ve made this twice in two weeks and use the leftovers for lunches and quick dinners the rest of the week. It’s fantastic cold and totally adaptable for things like quick quesadillas, salads or…anything. Really happy to add this to my rotation of favorite, easy recipes.
Christine
Can you substitute coconut sugar for brown sugar?
Shawn
Hi Christine, I haven’t tried this recipe using coconut sugar so I can’t tell you how that would work. If you give it a try, let us know!
Jessika Hullum
It was a hit I was skeptical because of the sugar .. I used all the seasonings and added sum ..but glad I tried it the chicken was tender and juicy and even my pickiest eater enjoyed it
Lisa
Does it matter if it’s extra virgin olive oil or regular olive oil?
Shawn
Nope, you can use either extra or regular.
Robin L Martin
This was delicious and a keeper for my family. It looks just like the pic, blackens beautifully and taste great.
Shawn
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe Robin!
Andrea Renovato
I tried this with chicken breast and it was delicious! Is it okay to switch it to drum sticks?
Shawn
You can definitely cook drumsticks using this recipe. Just make sure the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
Gwendolyn R Perri
I made this for dinner tonight. IT WAS EASY AND DELICIOUS!!
My husband said “this tastes like something you get in a restaurant”
Great recipe!!
Shawn
That’s awesome!! So glad you all enjoyed the chicken! 🙂
Pam
Tried this tonight. Was great! Have a picky eater and she loved it.
Shawn
So glad your picky eater enjoyed it too! That’s definitely a weeknight win! 🙂
Cat
Your recipe says to sear the chicken is the part where tinfoil is loosely fit for 5 minutes the searing part?
Ebony
I am about to make this delicious looking chicken breast. I just had one question before I began.. when I put the chicken breast in the oven.. am I covering it with foil or just after it’s done?
Shawn
Sorry if I’m too late in responding, but you’ll only need to cover with foil after it’s baked.
Gidget
We made this for supper last night and girl let me tell you! It’s DELICIOUS. Your baked chicken now has a place in our dinner rotation. The whole family was pleased. Thanks for sharing!
Shawn
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed the chicken. I’m happy to be a part of your dinner rotation! 😉
Dale barber
Tried this tonight and it was delicious. Family loved it.
Shawn
Fantastic! So glad you enjoyed it Dale! 🙂