Oven Baked Chicken Breast (Print View)

Tender, juicy chicken breasts seasoned with aromatic spices and baked to golden perfection. An easy, high-protein main dish ready in under 40 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6 to 8 ounces each

→ Seasoning

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
05 - 1 teaspoon paprika, smoked or sweet
06 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

09 - Lemon slices, optional
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped, optional

→ Simple Marinade

11 - 1/4 cup olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
14 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 clove garlic, minced
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a baking dish.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Place between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and gently pound to even thickness of approximately 3/4 inch using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
03 - In a small bowl, mix olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - Rub seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken breast. Alternatively, marinate chicken in the Simple Marinade for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator and pat dry before seasoning.
05 - Place chicken breasts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are not crowded.
06 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
07 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
08 - Garnish with lemon slices and chopped parsley or cilantro if desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It turns out tender and juicy every single time, even if you've sworn off baked chicken forever.
  • You only need one bowl, a baking sheet, and about five minutes of actual work.
  • It's perfect warm from the oven or cold on a salad the next day, which means less thinking during the week.
02 -
  • Do not skip pounding the chicken to an even thickness, thick spots will stay raw while thin edges dry out.
  • Let the chicken rest after baking or all those juices will run out onto your cutting board instead of staying inside.
  • Always use a thermometer, guessing by time alone is how you end up with rubbery or undercooked meat.
03 -
  • Bring the chicken to room temperature for 15 minutes before baking so it cooks more evenly from edge to center.
  • If your oven runs hot, start checking the temperature at 16 minutes to avoid overcooking.
  • Save the seasoning mixture recipe and double it to keep in a jar, it works on pork, fish, and roasted vegetables too.
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