Perfectly baked chicken breasts that are juicy, tender, easy, and super flavorful! This is a recipe everyone should know how to master. All you need is a drizzle of olive oil, a special seasoning mix, and a few insider tips for these super tasty, no-fail chicken breasts.
If you’ve ever struggled with dry, rubbery, and just flat-out boring chicken breasts, you’re in luck, because today’s recipe is about as easy as they come. All you’ve got to do it make my special seasoning mix, rub it all over the chicken breasts, and then bake them the right amount of time. That my friends, is the important part.
Once you read my tips below and master this method you’ll have the most delicious chicken to enjoy for a variety of weeknight dinner recipes. Plus, you can slice and dice any leftovers for chicken meal prep. Leftover chicken is perfect on bowls, salads, in tacos, and so much more!
Baked Chicken Breast Ingredients
Chicken is a blank canvas just waiting to be sprinkled, smeared, and infused with flavor. There’s simply one rule – never under-season chicken. So today, I’ve got a simple seasoning mix (literally the easiest dry rub) that will impress all your dinner guests.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: Always remember to grab chicken breasts that are about the same size for the most even cooking (see tips below).
- Spices & Herbs: A simple blend of paprika, garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper makes the chicken super delicious. Don’t have thyme? Swap in oregano, basil, rosemary, or another herb.
- Olive Oil: A light drizzle of oil coats the chicken to help the seasonings stick.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How to Bake Chicken Breasts in the Oven
This recipe is easy and speedy, which is why I love it. First, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
Mix the spices. Add the spices and herbs to a bowl and mix them until combined.
Coat the chicken. Lightly coat the chicken with olive oil, and then give each chicken breast a generous rub of the spice blend. Make sure to do this on both sides.
Bake away. Place the seasoned chicken breasts in a baking dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Let them rest. Once the chicken is done, make sure to let them rest! Resting allows the juices to redistribute within the meat. Then enjoy!
How Long To Bake Chicken Breasts
The key to juicy chicken breasts is to cook them hot at 425°F (220°C) for the right amount of time. To nail this down, it depends on the size of your chicken breasts and your unique oven (remember, all ovens cook differently). Here’s a general guideline to follow:
- Small Breasts (5oz): cook for 18 to 20 minutes.
- Medium Breasts (7oz): cook for 20 to 22 minutes.
- Large Breasts (9oz): cook for 22 to 25 minutes.
Pro tip: If you have a tendency to overcook your chicken, invest in an instant read thermometer. It’s an invaluable tool in the kitchen. Then keep reading below for the best internal temperature of cooked chicken.
the Best Internal Temperature
Chicken is fully cooked and safe to eat at 165°F (75°C). But remember that if you cook chicken breasts to 165°F (75°) in the oven, they’ll increase in temperature to about 170°F (77°C) once rested. And trust me, that will result in dry, rubbery chicken, devoid of moisture. Dark meat like chicken thighs are much more forgivable when it comes to overcooking, but not white meat chicken breasts.
So this is what you need to do. Take the chicken breasts out of the oven once they reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Then, let them rest for a couple of minutes. The chicken will naturally reach the perfect 165°F (75°C) temperature, thanks to carryover cooking. And you will have succulent, juicy chicken breasts to enjoy. You’re welcome!
Tips for the Juiciest Chicken Breasts
Before you get baking remember these three important tips for tender, juicy chicken.
- Bring chicken to room temperature: When you cook cold, straight from the fridge chicken it’s more likely to cook unevenly, with an overcooked outside and undercooked inside. So let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before cooking.
- Grab similarly sized chicken breasts: If you bake a 5-ounce chicken breast alongside an 8-ounce chicken breast, your smaller chicken breast will likely turn rubbery by the time your bigger one is done.
- Pound them to an even thickness: Because chicken breasts naturally have one end that’s thicker than the other, you can gently pound the thicker part of your chicken breast for a more even thickness, which translates to more even cooking.
STorage Tips
- To store: The chicken will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Perfect to enjoy throughout the week!
- Freeze for later: I recommend slicing, dicing, or shredding your chicken before freezing, to make the reheating process easier. The chicken will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Reheating tips: Chicken breasts can get a bit dry when you reheat the following days. So here’s a little tip – add a teaspoon or so of water to the top of your chicken, then cover with a microwave-safe lid before reheating in the microwave. It will steam a little, helping the chicken absorb some of the moisture, and bring it back to life!
Delicious Chicken Breast Recipes
I can’t deny my love for boneless skinless chicken breasts! They also take center-stage in these delicious recipes:
- Greek Chicken Kabobs
- Ultimate Chicken Salad
- Chicken Fajitas
- Coconut Curry Chicken
- Herb Baked Chicken Breast
- Cobb Salad
I hope you and your family love this baked chicken breast recipe. If you make it, let me know how it turned out! I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.
Description
Video
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil , or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme, or oregano, parsley or other herbs
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Lightly coat the chicken breasts in olive oil, and then generously rub the spice mix on both sides of the chicken.
- Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on size (see chart above). Let the chicken rest for a few minutes to allow the juices to redistribute within the meat, then serve.
Lisa’s Tips
- I love to use these white baking pans for this recipe, and other baking recipes!
Nutrition
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Recipe originally published January 2021, but updated to include new information for you benefit!
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Glad this has become a go-to chicken recipe, Mary!
Lisa – This recipe was so easy to follow and came out amazing, as all your recipes!!! Such a good, flavorful rub and the cooking instructions make this foolproof!!! The chicken is still juicy two days later!!! Yum!!! Thank you!!!
Thrilled to hear you’re loving this baked chicken breast recipe, Renee!
This truly is the best baked chicken breast I’ve ever tried. So juicy, so delicious. Thank so much for this recipe!
I’m glad you found the perfect baked chicken recipe to follow, Joyce!
Best chicken recipe! This is our go to – make it weekly!!!!
We often pair it with your roasted garlic potatoes :)
This chicken breast with roasted potatoes is the perfect dinner combo! Glad you’re loving this recipe, Kim.
The simple spice blend with oil is quick and easy. The temperature and cooking tips advice are what I needed to make sure my chicken is always juicy and tender. This is now my go to recipe for baked chicken breasts. Thank you!
Glad the tips in this post were helpful to create the perfect chicken dinner, John!
I cook this recipe every 1-2 weeks and it never fails me! I’ve been afraid of cooking meat because my partner’s a vegetarian and I could never tell whether the chicken was cooked if the middle wasn’t pink. The instant thermometer is the perfect way to ensure it’s always cooked to perfection! Thank you so much for all your delicious recipes that I keep coming back to again and again! ❤️
It’s always a good idea to check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer! But, I’m glad this recipe has become a staple now, Mihaela. Enjoy!
Yummy! Best and easiest way to make perfect boneless skinless chicken breasts. Juicy and tender. My guy is hard to please and he approved this recipe :).
Glad this baked chicken recipe satisfied the picky eater, Laurie!