The juiciest Baked Chicken Breast recipe – it’s tender, delicious, and so versatile! It’s great as a main dish, salad topper, in chicken sandwiches, and for meal prep. If you’re tired of dry and rubbery chicken breasts, you’ll love my fail-proof method for perfectly cooked chicken breasts every time.
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Helpful Reader Review
“This is my go to recipe for meal prepping protein packed lunches for my teenage son! I can whip it up without even reading the recipe, that’s how often I prepare it! Tasty and the chicken remains moist even on day 2 or 3!” – Andrea ★★★★★
Baked Chicken Breast Video
Watch my quick video tutorial and you’ll realize how easy it is to bake the juiciest chicken breasts.
Juicy Oven-Baked Chicken Breast
I used to think the best (or easiest) way to cook up chicken breast was on a skillet, but then I discovered this baked method and it was a total game-changer. Unlike pan-frying, baked chicken breast cooks evenly and is incredibly juicy, and I don’t have to babysit it – no flipping required. Seriously, this is the best way to cook chicken for meal prep or for any recipe that calls for chicken breast, from Cobb Salad to Caesar Salad.
Chicken breast is one of my favorite proteins because it’s relatively inexpensive, easy to work with (no trimming required), and versatile. It’s such a lean protein, it can be tricky to get it right without it overcooking or turning rubbery – that’s where this recipe comes in!
Unless you’re making Stuffed Chicken Breast, breaded Chicken Parmesan, or a saucy Chicken Marsala, the number one mistake that people make with plain chicken breast is overcooking, which can make it tough, dry, and bland, so I developed this go-to method that will always result in ultra-juicy and flavorful chicken breasts.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breast – Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are similar in size, then pound to an even thickness so they cook evenly. Depending on the size of the breasts, you may need to adjust the cooking time (see time chart below).
- Seasoning – it’s a simple blend of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika, which adds color. You can use sweet, hot, or smoked paprika. You can change up the seasonings to keep this baked chicken interesting (see variations below).
- Oil or Butter – Olive oil works great, or you can use a cooking spray. You can also use melted butter for a little more flavor.
Variations
To keep your baked chicken exciting, try adding or substituting the spices in this recipe with these pantry staples:
- BBQ – use your favorite BBQ dry rub seasoning mix
- Lemon-Pepper – zest of 1 lemon, salt, pepper, and garlic powder
- Spiced – Chili powder, Cajun seasoning, or Taco seasoning
- Italian Herb – oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, rosemary
How to Bake Chicken Breasts
- Prep – Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pound the chicken to an even thickness using a meat mallet to promote even cooking, then arrange the chicken breasts on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Oil – Pat dry the chicken and brush or spray on all sides with oil.
- Season – combine the seasonings and sprinkle on both sides of the chicken breasts.
- Bake chicken for 18-22 minutes (or according to the time chart below), or until it reaches 165°F, then rest 5-10 minutes. There’s no need to flip the chicken.
Natasha’s Pro Tip
If you prefer a little more golden color on the outside, broil the chicken breast for a few minutes before it’s fully cooked.
Baked Chicken Breast Time Chart
Cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts. The key to cooking chicken breast without drying it out is to pull it once it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F on a thermometer.
- 1/2-inch thick: 16-18 minutes
- 3/4-inch thick: 20-22 minutes
- 1-inch thick: 24-26 minutes
What is the KEY to Juicy Baked Chicken?
These are my best tips that all work together to make the juiciest chicken breast you’ll sink your teeth into.
- Pound Chicken to an even thickness. A meat mallet tenderizes the chicken and ensures it bakes evenly.
- Use a thermometer to check when the internal temperature has reached 165°F. The biggest mistake with baked chicken is overcooking.
- Pat Chicken Dry – a wet piece of chicken won’t hold the seasonings well and will steam cook.
- Let it Rest – once the chicken is out of the oven, let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes for the juices to redistribute.
Do I Need to Brine Chicken Breast?
You can brine if you want to, but it’s not necessary in this recipe since pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness will naturally tenderize them and ensure they cook evenly for a juicy center. Also, the generous amount of seasoning adds plenty of flavor to the chicken. Brining is definitely beneficial for whole birds (I use my turkey brine) as extra insurance for juicy chicken.
How to Serve Baked Chicken Breast
There are a million ways to serve this tasty, juicy chicken breast. You can chop, shred or leave it whole to use in so many recipes that call for chicken breast:
- On Salad – Add chicken to Greek Salad, or Autumn Chicken Salad. You can also dice it up and make a Chicken Salad or Chicken Avocado Salad.
- Chicken Sandwiches & Wraps – Use baked chicken breast for a healthier Chicken Sandwich, or in Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Chicken Fajitas, or Chicken Sandwich Melts. You can also shred leftover chicken for Chicken Patties.
- Soups – shred baked chicken breast and put it into Chicken Tortilla Soup, Chicken and Rice Soup, or Chicken Noodle Soup.
- In Casseroles – add shredded baked chicken breast to Chicken Lasagna, Chicken Enchiladas, or Chicken Tetrazzini.
I hope you love this juicy baked chicken breast – it’s not only juicy, tender, and perfectly seasoned but also super versatile and can be used in so many dishes. It’s also easy to scale the recipe up or down and keeps well for meal prep, so you can quickly add protein to your menu throughout the busy workweek.
Storing and Reheating
- Make-Ahead: Oil and season the chicken breasts, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
- Refrigerate Leftovers: Transfer cooled chicken breasts to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: Transfer the chicken to freezer-safe containers or airtight packaging (we love our food saver bags to prevent freezer burn) and store up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To Reheat in the oven: Set the chicken breasts in a casserole dish, add a few tablespoons of water, cover with foil, and bake at 325°F for 10-15 minutes until the internal temp reaches 165˚F according to the USDA.
- Reheating in the air fryer: Brush with olive oil and air fry at 350˚F for about 2-3 minutes per side or until hot.
Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, about 4 medium pieces
- 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or added to taste
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, avocado oil, or melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center of the oven. Pound the chicken breasts between plastic wrap to an even thickness. Place the chicken breast on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between them for the air to circulate.
- Brush with oil – Pat dry the chicken again if needed, then brush all sides with oil, melted butter, or use an oil spray.
- Season – in a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic powder, paprika, and ground black pepper. Sprinkle the mixture all over the chicken.
- Bake at 400˚F for about 18-22 minutes (*See time chart below) or until chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- 1/2-inch thick: 16-18 min
- 3/4-inch thick: 20-22 min
- 1-inch thick: 24-26 min
- BBQ – use a BBQ dry rub seasoning mix
- Lemon-Pepper – zest of 1 lemon, salt, pepper, garlic powder
- Spiced – Chili powder, Cajun seasoning, or Taco seasoning
- Italian Herb – oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, rosemary, or Italian seasoning
- Make Ahead – chicken can be oiled, seasoned and refrigerated up to 24 hours ahead. Bring to room temp 15 min before baking.
- Refrigerate cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Baked Chicken Recipes
- Pizza Chicken
- Monterey Chicken
- Spatchcock Chicken
- Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs
- Lemon Pepper Wings
- Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Baked Chicken Tacos
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Ok I always make chicken breasts, baked, poached, pan seared, and grilled. I should cluck I eat so much chicken! I just made your juicy oven baked chicken recipe, it couldn’t be easier to prepare and is my new go to recipe! It was so flavorful and juicy.
THANK YOU!!!
Hi Deb! I’m glad you found a new go-to. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Natasha..This Came out gr8.
whole fly loved it.
Thank you ❤️
That’s just awesome, Sherry! I’m so happy you loved it!
Cooked 3 chicken breasts at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Chicken is raw in the middle 😞 putting back in for another 20………glad I started early for supper 🤦🏼♀️
Hi Susan! The cooking time can vary depending on how thick the chicken breasts are. If they are thinner, reduce the cooking time, and if they are thicker adjust it upwards accordingly. Also, be sure to fully preheat your oven before you start baking them.
I had to too…. I cooked mine for 30 in the first place for them being 2.5 lbs. Just to be sure. And they still came out pink.
Hi Anon! Once again, the cooking time can vary depending on how thick the chicken breasts are.
I am about to cook this recipe for Sunday dinner, with a bean salad, garden salad and roast beets.
Wondering if it will be easier and crispier to cook in the air fryer.
Hi Brian! I’m sorry, I don’t have instructions for air-frying this.
I was looking online to find a recipe for baked chicken breast and found this recipe. I made this tonight and it was delicious! I can’t believe how juicy and tasty the chicken is. I have bookmarked this is will look at more of your recipes to make. Thank you!
Yay! I’m happy that you chose our recipe for Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast! Glad that you also loved it a lot, thanks for sharing that with us,
The recipe that I’m looking at says, 1TBSP garlic parsley salt. In your comments you say it should be 1 TSP. Which is it? I’d like to know before I try your recipe.
Thank you.
Hi Jer we used 1 tbsp garlic parsley salt, the 1 tsp comment was in response to the pepper ingredient (1 tsp black pepper, or added to taste).
Thank you again for this quick and tasty chicken recipe! My toddler ate it too!
I made it twice so far and the second time the only change I made was adding a tsp of onion powder!
So glad to hear that, Varash! Thank you for the feedback.
I have made this now several times in the oven and it is great BUT I am wondering about all the water/juices in the pan. My chicken comes out almost floating each time. Your picture does not show water/juices. I have read all the comments and don’t see this issue addressed. I know some folks use an air fryer, but I wonder what happens to all of the liquid produced. Any thoughts on the juice/liquid issue? I have used fresh and frozen chicken with the same watery results. The chicken is great –
Hi Charlene, it might be the type of chicken or brand used. Did you possibly use frozen chicken? That could be the culprit. But I also read from one of our readers that chicken breasts can be injected with up to 20%+ of a saltwater solution, which could be released during the cook. I think it may be a good idea to drain some if you have excess water.
wow – thanks for the reply 20% is a lot of extra weight and water!
Such a simple recipe that I did not have great expectations, but it really did it out turn out super moist and tasty! I guess it’s cooking it quick at the high heat helps it to retain the moisture. This will be my go to recipe for cooking chicken breast from now on.
Hi Betsy! That’s amazing. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Hi, my trick for very juicy chicken breasts is to sear them for two minutes (each side) on a very hot skillet, then transfer to a metal tray and to the oven at 400°F. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Take out and let rest (covered) for 5 minutes.
Thanks for sharing, Andre!
Is it better to marinate the chicken overnight before baking? Thank you!
Hi Jessica! You can marinate it overnight if you prefer. 🙂 I hope you love the recipe.
Such juicy chicken! (Mine turned out oversalted at first- I think the garlic parsley salt I used has extra salt in it). No worries, we just scraped the seasoning off and it tasted perfect! Next time I’ll add less of the garlic parsley salt. I’ve never had oven baked chicken breast this juicy before!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Stumbled across this recipe when I googled juicy chicken recipes. Tried it tonight for the first time and it was a hit! My teen daughter even asked for seconds. That’s when you know it’s good. Moist and tasty! Paired well with spicy buttered green beans.
Hello Alex, thank you for your great feedback! We appreciate it and good to hear that your daughter enjoyed this a lot!
chicken was tender but they had WAY too much pepper so that’s all I tasted. Should it be teaspoon instead of tablespoon?
Hi Natalie, I think that was a typo. So sorry about that. I updated it to 1 tsp – I think 1 Tbsp would be quite peppery.
I keep a package of frozen chicken breasts (4 oz portions) on hand for sandwiches, salads, etc. I usually pan fry but tried your recipe tonight and it was so easy and the chicken came out perfect! Especially loved the seaoning mix. Since my pieces were on the small side I checked them at about 11-12 minutes and the temp was spot on! Thanks for another great recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Mindy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Natasha
It was great to finally bake chicken and have it moist inside. It was good to be able to use a thermometer to make sure it was ok to remove it before it dried out.
I used an orange marmalade sauce with Italian herbs and it was yummy.
Cheers
Mary
Thanks for sharing, Mary. I’m glad that you enjoyed this recipe!
For those with paprika allergies, what is a good substitute?
You can just omit it or add another spice/herb of your choice for additional flavor. As for a substitute, possibly something like chili powder or cayene pepper.
I was a bit skeptical about this recipe at first; however, it turned out to be incredibly easy and delicious. My family devoured it! I will be adding this dish to our weekly dinner menus.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Jennifer! Easy recipes are the best!
This should be a good resource for you after doing a google search. https://www.singleingredientgroceries.com/paprika-substitute-the-ultimate-list/
I’m allergic to paprika as well.
Stay away from chili powder and cayenne.
Sumac powder is a good substitute for the reddish color of paprika and adds a lemony flavor.
Honestly, I was bit unsure about this recipe as there are a ton of chicken recipes on the internet but for some reason I wanted to try yours and the chicken turned out really good as my family really enjoyed the food.
Thanks Natasha!
Thank you for sharing that with us and for choosing this recipe! We’re so glad you love it.
Can the Chicken Breast be substituted for Turkey Breast?
And cooked the same way as the Chicken Breast?
Can the Chicken Breast be substituted for Turkey Breast?
And cooked the same way as the Chicken Breast?
Hi Cindy, I haven’t tried using turkey. I’m sure that will work but we’d love to know how it goes if you do an experiment.
Natasha,
Just curious if the recipe has a typo or not. It calls for a tablespoon of pepper however whenever I make this the black pepper seems to be overwhelming. Should it be a teaspoon instead?
Otherwise, it’s very tender, very juicy, and VERY delicious!
Hi Scott, the 1 tbsp is accurate. You are welcome to adjust it to your liking! I hope you love this recipe!