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Apr
2024

Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipe

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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.

sliced chicken breast on white cutting board

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…

  1. Even Thickness
  2. High Heat
  3. Resting
Chicken Breast on cutting board with rolling pin on parchment paper

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).

Season chicken breast with a simple blend of spices before baking in oven.

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.

White plate with oven baked chicken and juices

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. 

Sliced chicken breast in a rimmed dish.

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…

Slice of juicy oven baked chicken breast on a fork

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! 

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.

Slice of juicy chicken breast on a fork
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4.94 from 482 votes

Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipe

This ultra juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipe only takes a few minutes of prep, resulting in tender, juicy chicken breast every time!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 214 kcal
Author: Shawn

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

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
If your chicken breasts are smaller in size, reduce the cook time to 18 minutes. If the chicken breasts are larger, increase cook time to 22 minutes.
Be sure to check that internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Nutrition

Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 393mg | Potassium: 591mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 441IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
Keywords: Baked Chicken Breast, Juicy, Oven, Tender
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?don’t forget to share a picture and mention @iwashyoudry on Instagram or tag #iwashyoudry!

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pinterest image of juicy baked chicken on plate.

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About Shawn

Shawn is the Owner and Creator of I Wash You Dry. She loves to create and share simple, family-friendly recipes. Mom to 5 adorable children and dwells in the desert of Southern Utah.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bridgette Etuk

    I loved all the ingredients except chili powder. I think it is way better without it. With it, it tastes like there’s something else missing I order to compliment the flavor in the seasoning mix.

    Reply

    • Shawn

      Everyone has their own taste preferences, so I’m glad you found yours! It’s awesome that you can make this recipe your own and still have beautiful juicy chicken!

    • Deb

      So happy to find a baked chicken recipe… hate the grease mess on stove top. Was good, but with the chili powder & cumin, it was Mexican flavored chicken…. which my family liked better than I. Realize I can mix the spice blend up, which I plan on experimenting with.

  2. Gould Mears

    5 stars
    I love this!
    It was so easy I (an amateur that just started learning to cook a couple of months ago) was able to make this and it tastes great.

    So good I bookmarked the site. 🙂

    Reply

  3. Carl Pike

    5 stars
    Husband hated my dry chicken breasts. Googled and found your recipe last night and YAY! Chicken is again allowed for dinner. Thanks for the winner!

    Reply

  4. Sharon

    Absolutely yummy! Husband not a big chicken fan so am always looking for something different. He loved it. Chicken was so moist. Thank you!

    Reply

  6. Cindy A Rose

    5 stars
    I cooked this many, MANY times! Thanks to these tips & tricks, it turns out Perfect every time!! THANK YOU!!
    1 question: I saw a few comments about doing this w/Pork Chops. How long would Pork Chops need to cook, if done the same??
    Seeing that since finding this, I’ve been OBESSED (my Son says )w/cooking chicken this way!! I really want to give it a try w/Pork!!

    Reply

  8. Gina Davis

    5 stars
    I am making this tonight. Our kids are coming over and I wanted to make something different for a change. I an so happy I found your recipe. I will let you know after we eat how the kids and my two year old grandson liked it. Can’t wait.

    Reply

  9. Chiemeka

    1 star
    Horrible. The amount of spices needed for the recipe didn’t match what was actually needed. Tip: double the amount of spices needed for the same amount of chicken to actually get a good turn out.

    Reply

    • Gina Davis

      You were a little rude. I think its nice she post recipes. I think I will stick with what she said on the spices. But have a blessed day.

    • Shawn

      I’m sorry you found the amount of spice lacking. Feel free to increase based on your personal preference.

    • Brandi

      5 stars
      Chiemeka, okay boomer. You don’t have to throw the whole review away and say “horrible.” Some recipes have to be adjusted and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that you may have to add more seasonings to cover the chicken. Lol

  10. Jenny

    Love this recipe! My question is the the pan tends to smoke a lot!- like the seasonings burn on the tray. How can I avoid smoking out my kitchen?

    Reply

    • Shawn

      Spray your baking sheet with non-stick spray before adding the chicken breasts. This should prevent any excess spices from burning.

  11. Cathy Weiss

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe; I followed it exactly as written. I had always been told that in order to have juicy chicken you had to leave the skin on when cooking, and then discard it. This recipe proved that you can have wonderful, juicy chicken without using the skin. Delicious!

    Reply

  12. Kirsten Klueber

    I have never replied to anything online in my life but this was so awesome and so easy I just have to say thanks! It just hit the table and both kids want to know when I’m making it again.

    Reply

  13. Anni

    5 stars
    This turned out great! Usually my chicken breast turns out dry but not this time. It was juicy and full of flavor. My question is do you think I can change up the spices & seasonings? Or is it the brown sugar that makes it so moist? I’m hoping it’s just the baking technique as well as pounding it thin. Wanted to bake this again & try new flavors!

    Reply

    • Julie Phillips

      5 stars
      Wow! Delicious! Easy rub! Mallet the chicken awesome tip! 20 minutes later a very tasty dinner. Loved how the chili seasoning rose to the occasion with the brown sugar right behind!

    • Shawn

      You can definitely switch up the seasonings. The brown sugar does help to tenderize it a little, but without it is still delicious and juicy. The main thing is the technique, just like you mentioned. 🙂

    • Reginald Taylor

      5 stars
      Love this recipe. I’ve made it several times now. And it comes out great every time. My wife will take this dish over any other chicken dish. So thank you do much for this recipe…

  15. Debbie Lee

    5 stars
    This was found last minute and what a find – very delicious and easy-peasy I have placed this in my go-to recipe file! I think next time I’d use a bit more spices as once the breasts were pounded down they of course expanded and, as such, I think it could’ve used more spice. You are right the brown sugar does make it! Thanks for the recipe! I’m coming back to you for more:)! Best, Debbie

    Reply

  16. S

    The recipe says “start” chicken at a high temp of 425… do you then turn it down for remainder of cook time? Like you would a roast?

    Reply

  17. Daniel

    5 stars
    I made this recipe last night. I wasn’t expect much from it but it was amazing. I followed the directions as is and also covered it with aluminum foil for after baking. I only made enough for me and my wife wanted some. I am making it again tonight.

    Reply

  19. Cheryl Gilmore

    Loved this recipe. So easy and delicious. Mine was a bit dry, my own fault for not covering after baking. Will make again. Thank you!

    Reply

  20. Celeste

    5 stars
    I have a husband who has been eating the Keto way for almost a year. Dinner time after working 10 hours, searching for something he can eat (that we all will enjoy) is a tiring tiring task. First of all, this tastes amazing and was quick and easy. So thank you. My husband, Sean, really liked it and so did my two teenagers! Its a little on the high side for carbs and I cut the brown sugar down a bit but it passed his approval. Thank you for providing me with a recipe I can add into our rotation.

    Reply

    • Shawn

      Thanks Ronda! I’m wondering what would have made it get the 4 stars instead of 5? I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe at least. 🙂

  22. Lynn Meadows

    5 stars
    Thank you Shawn this baked chicken recipe was delicious and moist =)

    I added it to my salad the other day and it was perfect and healthy.

    Reply

  23. April

    5 stars
    This chicken is fantastic! My husband even liked it, which means a lot. He’s very picky and normally doesn’t like brown sugar on meat. He didn’t even notice… until I mentioned the recipe. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  24. Cat

    4 stars
    Delicious! I substituted garam masala for cumin. Soooo good! But I was wondering if I could add veggies to the baking sheet?

    Reply

    • Shawn

      You can add veggies to the pan, just make sure they’re cut on the smaller side since the chicken doesn’t take too long to bake.

  25. April Thornburg

    5 stars
    It came out amazing I did add ginger to mine. I only added 1/2tsp. I love the taste and I was looking for something different for my husband and I to try. I am glad I came across your recipe.

    Reply

  26. VICTORIA

    I am going to be making this for my parents, grandparents and two siblings but I wanted to ask if this chicken is butterflied or not, it looks it in the first picture, if not would it be the same cooking time if I was to butterfly the chicken?

    Reply

  27. Laura

    5 stars
    Made this last night because I wanted something different for go to baked chicken recipes. So I went and googled baked chicken recipes and found this amazing recipe. My hubby and I absolutely loved it. It is now in my box of favorites. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Jessica

      4 stars
      This was SO delicious! The only issue I had was the cooking time. I had to cook it a little longer than suggested.

    • Keith C

      5 stars
      I am not a cook by any means but lately I’ve been trying various recipes..this one I’ve tried twice so far and my kids absolutely love it!…they even said it’s better than Mom’s chicken…a hit for sure!
      I used chives instead of the parsley

    • Shawn

      I like to serve it with some Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Broccoli and either Baked Potatoes or Garlic Parmesan Rice! Enjoy!

  33. Francis

    5 stars
    Thanks for this recipe. The spice blend (to my surprise) worked very well. We did not have chili powder but it turned out great. Very juicy and tender. About the best chicken breast I have ever made.

    Reply

  34. Stephie Taylor

    5 stars
    This was amazing! My only substitution was herbs de province oil instead of olive oil. Super easy and perfect dinner. I’m saving this one on my phone for sure!

    Reply

  36. liza

    5 stars
    WoW – could not believe how delicious, fast and simple. I will make this often! My super picky family was amazed how great the spice blend worked to make the chicken special – Thanks!

    Reply

  37. Susie Wall

    5 stars
    I really liked this A LOT!! For just cooking chicken in the oven with seasoning, this is really great. I actually tripled the seasoning because I had 5 organic very large chicken breast and I didn’t want to be short. I used organic coconut sugar because it’s better for you and it’s similar to brown sugar. I added in some Italian seasoning too. I cooked them on a cookie sheet because that was the only pan that would fit all of it. Next time I will cook it for 15 minutes. I think 20 min was a tad too long. I do see the adjustments for for amount you are cooking. Maybe it was because I used a cookie sheet. I also liked that there was a lot of juice. My teenagers alway want a “sauce”. One of them did put on BBQ sauce. UGG. No need for that. Hubby loved it and took it to work today for lunch. Thank you!

    Reply

  39. Nikki

    Sold!!!! I’m trying this tonight!!! Fingers crossed they like it. I’m going to make mashed potatoes and maybe broccoli as my sides.

    Reply

    • Cindy Rose

      5 stars
      I’m 53 yrs old, been cooking since I was 8 and I must say, this recipe is the BEST OF THE BEST!! I found it a few months ago, used it dozens of times now! So much so, I actually mixed up all the spices w/brown sugar in a canning jars, ready in my cabinet!! Ready to go I do add more spice but that’s just a personal preference! It’s always perfect, never dry!! Thank you for sharing!!

    • Shawn

      That means so much to me Cindy! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe and that you’ve been able to make extra seasoning for when you need it! I do that too!

4.94 from 482 votes (271 ratings without comment)

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