October 23, 2023
Review RecipeOven Baked Chicken Breast
This easy oven baked chicken recipe is a foolproof method that results in a juicy, flavorful dish every time.
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Table of Contents
Oven-baked chicken is an easy, classic dinner recipe featuring chicken breasts cooked to crispy perfection. With a simple seasoning that gives it so much flavor, it really is the most delicious way to cook your boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Baked Chicken Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
Substitutions And Additions
CHICKEN: It’s best to stick with the boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this chicken dish, but you could substitute legs, thighs, or wings.
If you do, the amount of seasoning and cooking times may need to change.
OLIVE OIL: For a different flavor profile, you can swap olive oil with melted butter or even avocado oil.
These alternatives can add a rich and unique taste to the chicken.
SEASONING: The beauty of this recipe is that once you have the basic technique down of baking the chicken in the oven, you can experiment with adding in different spices or pairing them with marinades.
SALT AND PEPPER: Experiment with flavored salts like garlic salt, onion salt, or even a pinch of seasoned salt.
These additions can enhance the overall taste without much effort.
How To Make Oven Baked Chicken Breast
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 9×13 baking sheet with aluminum foil and set it aside.
STEP TWO: Place the boneless chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover them with a piece of parchment paper.
Use a meat mallet or rolling pin and pound down the thick parts of the chicken breasts so that they cook more evenly while in the oven.
PRO TIP:
You don’t want to disfigure the chicken, just pound them down enough that they are an even thickness.
STEP THREE: In a large bowl, add chicken and olive oil. Flip the chicken over, making sure to coat all sides of the chicken breasts.
STEP FOUR: In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
PRO TIP:
Try this seasoning combination on other cuts of chicken as well.
STEP FIVE: Place the chicken breasts bottom side up on the foil-lined baking sheet. Season them, using half of the seasoning.
Flip the chicken breasts over and season the other side using the remaining seasoning.
STEP SIX: Place in the oven and cook for 18 to 20 minutes. The internal temperature should be close to 165°F at this point.
STEP SEVEN: Turn the oven to broil and let cook for four minutes or until the chicken has a nice browned color on top.
The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer at the thickest part of the breast.
Oven Baked Chicken Temperature
The best temperature to bake chicken is 400°F. Make sure that the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Easy Baked Chicken Serving Suggestions
There are endless options for side dishes to go with chicken as your main course. You could stick to vegetables like glazed carrots or simple homemade Caesar salad.
This dish also goes great with a hearty potato side such as creamy mashed potatoes, or keep it simple with Instant Pot brown rice.
I also love dunking my baked chicken into this chicken finger dipping sauce (trust me, it’s amazing!)
Looking for more easy chicken dinner recipes? Our tasty French onion chicken is delicious. Or try our classic homemade Italian favorite chicken parmesan.
MORE CHICKEN RECIPES
How To Store Easy Baked Chicken
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftovers of this oven-baked chicken breast in an airtight container or Ziploc bag.
The leftover chicken would be perfect to be used in chicken salads or other recipes that call for cooked chicken.
IN THE FREEZER: Leftovers from this simple chicken recipe can also be frozen for up to four months.
Best Baked Chicken Recipe
With this easy chicken recipe, you’ll have a moist chicken breast that is seasoned to perfection thanks to simple ingredients such as cayenne pepper and garlic powder. It goes great with almost any side dish.
Oven Baked Chicken Breast FAQ
Can I use chicken thighs in this recipe?
This easy recipe would also work using chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat over white meat.
If you do use chicken thighs, the amount of seasoning and cooking times may need to change.
How do I know when the chicken is cooked through?
An instant-read thermometer should register at 165°F at the thickest part of the chicken.
The cooking time may vary slightly depending on the size of your chicken breasts.
What to season baked chicken with?
If you want to add different spices into the mix, you certainly can experiment a little bit with this recipe.
Do you have to flip the chicken in the oven?
You do not need to flip the chicken in the oven while baking. It will cook through just fine without being turned.
Do you cover baked chicken in the oven?
You do not need to cover the chicken while baking in the oven.
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Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipe
This easy oven baked chicken recipe is a foolproof method that results in a juicy, flavorful dish every time.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 9×13 baking sheet with foil and set aside.
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover with a piece of parchment paper. Use a meat mallet and pound down the thick parts of the chicken breasts so they cook more evenly while in the oven.
- In a large bowl, add chicken and olive oil. Flip chicken over, making sure to coat all sides of chicken breasts.
- In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Place chicken breasts bottom side up on the foil lined baking sheet. Season using half of the seasoning. Flip chicken breasts over and season using the remaining seasoning
- Place in the oven and cook for 18 to 20 minutes. The internal temperature should be close to 165°F at this point.
- Turn the oven to broil and let cook for 4 minutes, or until the chicken has a nice browned color on top.
- Chicken is done when it reaches 165°F internally at the thickest part.
Notes
Note: You don’t want to disfigure the chicken when using the meat mallet, just pound them down enough that they are an even thickness.
Note: Try this seasoning combination on other cuts of chicken as well!
Nutrition
Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 844mg | Potassium: 836mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
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Comments
Michelle Farr says
I can’t wait to try this for my meal prep for lunches! Looks so delicious