You are going to love this easy recipe for oven baked chicken breast! This recipe creates tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken breast. Say goodbye to dry chicken for good!
Why this recipe works:
- In under 30 minutes, you get juicy, tender, moist chicken breasts from the oven
- This recipe is great for meal prep and you can easily make chicken for 2 or 6 using the same method
- Boneless skinless chicken breast is low in fat and high in protein, making them the perfect addition to almost any meal!
- This healthy preparation is Whole30, low carb, and super simple to make!
- Make ahead and serve over salads like this cruciferous crunch salad or serve it with a simple side dish like this instant pot cauliflower mash for a quick and easy dinner!
Tips to make the juiciest chicken breast in the oven:
Chicken breast is not very forgiving. It dries out quickly and can become dry, rubbery and dull. To avoid this, you want to make sure you don’t overcook the chicken.
- The thickness of your chicken will determine the cooking time. For thicker breasts, you may need up to 30 minutes. Start checking around 25 minutes.
- Be sure to coat the chicken in oil and spices before baking. This helps seal in the flavor and gives the chicken a crust to hold in the juices!
- Don’t immediately cut the chicken breast. All the juice you worked so hard to preserve will come spilling out!
- Slice the chicken against the grain (against the fibers of the muscle) to get the most tender cut.
How to bake chicken breast:
- Step 1: Start by preheating the oven to 375F. Combine the olive oil and spices to form a paste.
- Step 2: Brush the paste over both sides of the boneless, skinless chicken breast. Alternatively, you can add the spices and olive oil to a bowl and coat the chicken but I find brushing the chicken to be much easier and requires less clean up.
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- Step 3: Bake the chicken for 25-30 minutes at 375F depending on how big each breast is. Make sure the chicken reaches 165F.
- Step 4: Take the chicken out of the oven and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes (you can tent it with foil to retain the heat). Thinly slice the chicken (against the grain if possible) to easily use it for meal prep during the week.
What seasonings are best for oven baked chicken breast?
To make the most flavorful chicken breast that will go with almost any dish, here are the spices that work the best:
- Paprika
- Dried Thyme
- Salt
- Garlic olive oil or garlic avocado oil
NOTE: I use garlic olive oil as an additional way to add flavor to the chicken. If you don’t have garlic olive oil, use olive oil + ½ tsp of garlic powder.
What other spices could you use?
More easy ways to prepare chicken
- Slow cooker shredded chicken
- Instant pot Shredded Chicken Thighs
- Baked Chicken Drumsticks
- 10 minute Ranch Chicken Skillet
- Oven roasted chicken thighs
How to store/freeze baked chicken breast
Once cooled, store the chicken breast in an airtight container for 3 (max 4 days) in the refrigerator.
To store the chicken breast in the freezer, slice the chicken first and portion it into individual servings. Store in an freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
Meal Prep Tip:
Usually, I slice all the chicken after it’s rested for 5-10 minutes so I can pack it away for the week and forget about it. However, if you have the time, the chicken is even juicier if you can allow the chicken to sit overnight before slicing.
Substitutions and FAQ’s
Can you use chicken tenders instead?
Yes, however since chicken tenders are smaller, you will want to reduce the cooking time. Chicken tenders should be ready in 14-16 minutes at 375F.
How to speed up cooking time of boneless skinless chicken breast:
- Pound the chicken thinner (use a plastic bag and a meat mallet or a rolling pin)
- Increase the oven temperature. You can increase the oven temperature to 450F and cook for 16-18 minutes, be sure the chicken reaches 165F).
- Cut the chicken down into chicken tenders
How do you know if your chicken breast is done?
The best way to tell if chicken breast is fully cooked is to use an instant read thermometer. Stick the thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken (make sure you don’t go all the way to the pan) and check the temperature. It should read 165F.
Chicken also has some carry overcooking, so if you take it out and the temperature is about 162F, it will likely reach 165F as it’s resting on the counter waiting to be sliced.
Can you use frozen chicken breast?
To get the best texture and juiciest chicken, it’s best to fully defrost chicken breast before baking in the oven. If you need dinner quick, try using your instant pot with frozen chicken breast.
What side dishes would go well with this juicy oven baked chicken breast?
- Whole30 Cauliflower Potato Salad
- Shaved brussel sprouts with creamy balsamic dressing
- 5 minute Creamy Kale
- Creamy Garlic Butternut Squash Noodles
- Sriracha brussel sprouts
Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp garlic olive oil - see notes
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F
- Mix together the garlic olive oil and spices.
- Place the chicken breast on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Spread half the olive oil spice rub on the chicken breast. Flip and coat the other side
- Bake the chicken in a 375F oven for 25-30 minutes (depending on thickness)
- Remove from the oven an allow to rest for 5-10 minutes
- Slice thin.
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Notes
Nutrition Information
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Annie
I have made this chicken 2x and it has been REALLY good – I added a bit of garlic powder and about 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper. This is totally something you can stick in the oven and walk away from – it takes a bit longer to cook in my oven which is a bit funky but I budget time accordingly!