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
Hi Natasha! It’s the third time I use this method for cooking chicken breast and it is the best method for having the juiciest chicken brest ever!!! Either hot, cold, in sandwiches or salads…the best!!! I used a thermometer. Thank you Natasha !!!
That’s so great to hear, Ginette!
This is my ‘go to’ recipe for chicken to make
Curry chicken salad with cranberries. It’s a weekly favorite.
Yay that’s lovely to hear!
Hi Nathasha
Were can I get the garlic parsley salt??
Thanks Madeleine
Hi Madeleine! I usually find this at Costco, or in the seasoning section at our local grocery stores. You may also be able to order online like, Amazon.
I found the garlic parsley salt at Target. It’s the Lawry’s brand.
I’ve used this recipe several times and each time it’s perfect. now going to try some variatiions. Using a thermometer is key.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Mimi! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Made this for dinner tonight, so easy and yummy. My husband loved it.
Wow, so simple yet so delicious! Thank you! I added some other spices (chili powder, onion powder, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley) and sprinkled it with chopped green onions about 5 minutes before it was done, it was incredibly juicy! My 9 year old eats nothing BUT chicken 🤣😂😂 and he approved! This chicken is amazing Dad!
I cannot cook so I was looking for something easy but tasty, and this hit the spot
That’s great, thanks, janet!
Simple and Delicious! I didn’t change a thing. Just remember to let the meat rest for about 10 minutes after pulling it from the oven and avoid the temptation to cut in before it’s plated! 😋
Thank you for this great feedback and tip!
This was so easy! I couldn’t believe there was no pounding or marinating required. The flavor was wonderful. Using a meat thermometer ensured the chicken was perfectly cooked. I rested the chicken 20 minutes. My daughter commented, “Best chicken I’ve ever had.”
I’m glad it was a hit, Tami! Thank you for the feedback.
Just made this. Easy and very yummy. Will be adding this to our weekly dinners.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Christine! Don’t you just love finding a good new favorite!
Simple and Delicious! I didn’t change a thing. Just remember to let the meat rest for about 10 minutes after pulling it from the oven and avoid the temptation to cut in before it’s plated! 😋
Thanks a lot for your great comments and tip too!
Very good basic guidelines, but for me, 20 min at 400F was just a little more than half of the time needed, and my oven runs a little hot. This held true for my thick pieces & medium pieces, too. Next time I will experiment with 425F for 25-30 min.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Elizabeth. Ovens do vary, so adjustments may be necessary. I recommend using an In Oven Thermometer (affiliate link) to ensure your oven is calibrated OR this Instant Read Thermometer (affiliate link) to check your food for doneness.
This was so simple yet so tasty!!! Thank you for delicious recipe 🙂 used thighs and it was so yummy!!!
Hi Mariana! You’re very welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
I made this with chicken thighs and it came out great. I didn’t have garlic salt, so I used one tblsp garlic, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp paprika. I also didn’t have parsley 🙁 Overall, all my picky eaters were happy and ate it! 🙂 Win/Win!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Venus. Great to hear that this recipe was a huge hit even with your picky eaters!
I cooked this recipe as per the instructions and it turned out really great! I’ve tried other recipes that claimed the chicken breast will come out juicy, but I have to say nothing as good as this one. It was simple, easy to cook, and delicious. Thank yoj for sharing it.
That’s wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing, Monica. I’m so glad that you loved our recipe so much.
Looks delicious, I need a failproof recipe for making tender, juicy chicken breast. This looks like the one! Quick question: Which kind of chicken breast will give the best results? Regular or organic, fresh or frozen, huge chicken breasts, or the smaller ones? What kind do you buy? I usually buy from Costco. Thanks so much!!
Hi Deb! Any will work. But generally
I looked for quality meat and labels that mention things like organic, antibiotic-free, air-chilled, free-range chicken. I hope you love the recipe!
I did not have garlic parsley salt so I just eyeballed some garlic, parsley, and salt! Anyhow, my family gobbled it up and my husband seemed surprised with how moist it was since it was such an easy, quick dinner. thank you! Will make this again!
That’s wonderful, Emily! So glad it was a hit with the family.
This is a perfect quick meal…tender, flavorful, easy to make and quick clean up! Mrs. Natasha, your recipes never disappoint!!!
Thank you, Jaime! I’m glad you loved it.
Great recipe! added a roasted garlic clove to each breast along with the spices recommended. Turned out nicely moist & flavorful in only 22 mins. Husband said my cooking was much better than his as his chicken is usually too dry…
Yep, nice & moist!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Wendy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Just finished making this…chicken turned out perfect and honestly that’s saying something because I am a terrible cook…like the worst but both my kids devoured it and asked if we could make it again…thank you for this very simple yet delicious chicken recipe!
You’re welcome! Happy to know that the recipe was a huge hit.
This is the worst recipe ever , I’m frustrated because I accidentally made it a second time because it looks good but it’s flat , it has NO Flavor what do ever. Blah ! Something is missing from this recipe. The chicken taste like cardboard !
HI Debbie, this chicken breast recipe is normally very flavorful. Could you have possibly added a teaspoon of garlic salt rather than a Tablespoon? That is a common mistake and would taste rather bland since it isn’t enough salt for that much chicken. Another flavor add-in that we enjoy is lemon pepper if you want to pump up the flavor even more, but it really depends on how you are serving the chicken and what you are pairing it with.