Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast (Print)

Tender chicken breasts baked with savory spices. Ready in 35 minutes for easy weeknight meals and meal prep.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6-8 oz 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
10 - Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

→ Optional Marinade

11 - 1/4 cup olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons 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

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. 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 approximately 3/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
03 - In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper until well mixed.
04 - Rub seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken breast. For enhanced flavor, optionally marinate in the prepared marinade for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator, then pat dry before cooking.
05 - Place seasoned chicken breasts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they do not overlap.
06 - Bake for 18-22 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion reads 165°F.
07 - Remove from oven and allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
08 - Garnish with lemon slices and fresh parsley or cilantro if desired. Serve warm.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It cooks in about 20 minutes, which means you can have dinner on the table faster than delivery would arrive.
  • The chicken stays juicy instead of turning into rubber because of one simple step most people skip.
  • You can season it a dozen different ways depending on what leftovers youre trying to use up or what cuisine youre craving.
  • Meal prep becomes actually doable when you can bake four servings at once and not hate eating them later in the week.
02 -
  • If you skip pounding the chicken to an even thickness, the thin parts will be dry and the thick parts will still be raw in the middle, which is how I ruined dinner twice before I learned.
  • Letting the chicken rest after baking is not optional, cutting into it immediately makes all the juice run out and you end up with dry meat even if you cooked it perfectly.
  • An instant read thermometer is the only way to know for sure when chicken is done, ovens vary too much to rely on time alone.
03 -
  • If your chicken breasts are really thick, butterfly them by slicing horizontally through the middle instead of pounding, which gives you thinner pieces that cook faster and more evenly.
  • Do not use cooking spray on parchment paper, it can make the paper smoke and smell weird in a hot oven.
  • If you want crispy edges, brush the tops with a little melted butter or oil halfway through baking.
  • Always check the temperature in the thickest part of the breast, not near the edges where it cooks faster.
Go Back