Over the years I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, and become somewhat obsessed, with making juicy, tender, and perfectly Baked Chicken Breasts. They’re just so simple to make and they pair nicely with almost any side dish for a quick & easy dinner meal. They’re also great for meal prep during the week! And if you follow these tips and tricks that I share in this recipe, you’ll be making perfectly cooked baked chicken breasts in no time!
Originally posted 11-20-20, completely refreshed & updated 10-6-24.
Ingredients You’ll Need
It doesn’t take much to make this tender, juicy, and super flavorful oven baked chicken breast recipe. Here’s what you need:
- Chicken Breasts: I am using three boneless, skinless, chicken breasts. Feel free to scale this recipe up or down depending on how many servings you want to make.
- Olive oil: Olive oil helps keep the chicken moist and helps the seasoning adhere to the chicken breasts.
- Seasoning: This is where you can have fun and mix things up. I’ve tested several different combinations and my go-to is a mix of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and black pepper. It gives the chicken amazing flavor! If you have a favorite store-bought seasoning mix you can use that too. What’s most important are the cooking techniques and recipe tips I’ll share down below.
How To Cook Baked Chicken Breasts
Step One: In a small bowl combine all of the spices and seasoning for the chicken and mix them together. Then stir in the olive oil and mix until it's well combined. You should end up with a thick paste.
Step Two: Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Cover them with plastic wrap. Carefully pound the chicken breasts on the thicker end with a rolling pin or by using the flat side of a meat tenderizer to even out the thickness.
Step Three: Next spread the seasoning mixture on both sides of the chicken breasts until each one is evenly coated.
Step Four: Place the seasoned chicken breasts in a baking dish or on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven according to the times below or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
How Long Does It Take To Bake Chicken Breasts?
The time it takes to bake chicken breasts will vary slightly based on the size and thickness of your chicken. Chicken breasts that have been pounded to an even thickness should only take between 18-20 minutes at 425°F. Check the internal temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer at approximately 18 minutes. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F with a digital thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast. Digital meat thermometers are inexpensive and simple to use, so I highly recommend investing in one.
Recipe Tips For Success!
I’ve been making baked chicken breasts for years and these tips are the key to perfectly cooked chicken every single time:
- Don’t skip pounding the chicken breasts to even out the thickness. Chicken breasts are naturally very thick and pounding the chicken to flatten it a bit helps the chicken cook evenly all the way through. Be sure to focus most of your attention on the thicker end of the chicken breast. I like to pound chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat tenderizer or with a rolling pin until the entire breast is about 1/2 inch thick
- Mix the oil and seasoning together. I used to brush cooking oil over chicken breasts first, then add the seasoning on both sides. After lots of testing I now prefer making a “seasoning paste” instead of just using dry seasoning. With a seasoning paste the oil really soaks into both the seasoning and the chicken and creates amazing flavor! Just make sure you mix all of the spices together first before mixing the oil in.
- Don’t overcook the chicken breasts. Remove the chicken promptly from the oven when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Then promptly transfer them to a clean cutting board or plate, to stop the cooking, and continue to let them rest for 5 more minutes.
- Resting is important! Letting the chicken rest for 5 minutes allows the chicken to retain most of its juices and results in tender, juicy chicken breast meat. Don’t skip this step!
- Try out different seasoning blends. Depending on what you are eating with these chicken breasts, you can always switch up the seasonings. Try out a taco seasoning, then shred the chicken for easy chicken tacos. Or use a chili seasoning to make a quick batch of hearty chicken chili. And of course there are several popular store-bought seasoning blends at your local grocery store. So don’t be afraid to find your favorite combo 😉
Storing Leftovers
Baked chicken breasts are absolutely perfect for meal prep! You can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
These chicken breasts can be served with lots of different side dishes. Here are a few of my favorites:
Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1.75-2lb.)
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board, cover them with plastic wrap, then use a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat tenderizer to gently pound the thicker side of the chicken breast until the entire breast is an even thickness from one end to the other (about 1/2 inch thick).
- In a small bowl mix the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper together until well combined. Now add the olive oil to the seasoning and mix well. You should have a thick paste.
- Spread and rub the seasoning paste on both sides of the chicken breasts until they are evenly coated.
- Place the seasoned chicken breasts in a 9x13-inch baking dish or on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. My chicken breasts were done right at 18 minutes.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the oven, take them out of the baking dish or off of the sheet pan, and rest them on a plate or a clean cutting board for 5 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to settle and redistribute throughout the breast, keeping them tender and juicy! Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy.
Susan Grove
Very tasty and easy! Just what I was looking for! Will slice and dice leftovers to add on top of a salad or use in my "grilled chicken wraps"! Very versatile!
Catherine
Made this for my chicken breasts and it was so delicious. I've now decided to use the seasoning on my drumsticks. I know it will be great!!! Thank you so much for this.
Mayela Isufi
Came out Delicious! Thank you ❤️
Joann
Tried the recipe it was delicious
Will make it again
Jackie Hull
Just tried your recipe and it turned out great! Love the seasoning mix, will make again! Thank you for sharing!!
Jackie 🙂
Marsha
Hi Jackie, great! I'm so glad you loved it!
Christina
Great easy recipe for flavorful chicken breasts!
Marsha
Thank you!! 🙂