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My favorite oven baked chicken breasts recipe! It never fails me, thanks to this simple 5-step method that is easy to make and customize with your favorite seasonings.
A few weeks ago on Insta, I asked if you all might be interested in a back-to-basics series about the best ways to bake proteins (i.e. chicken, pork, steak, seafood, tofu, etc.) in the oven. Your answer? A resounding yes, please. Many of you had requests and questions about methods for cooking various proteins, plus more than a few tales to tell about proteins gone not-so-right over the years. And oh boy, I hear ya. My little kitchen has seen more than its share of overcooked steaks, completely dried out pork chops, salmon skin glued to pans, and not-so-crispy tofu over the years too. Which are never fun, especially since proteins can be pricey and intended for special occasions. But hey, it’s all part of the adventure of learning how to cook. And eventually, I’ve trial-and-errored my way to some basic methods for baking proteins that have become super-reliable, super-delicious staples in my kitchen.
So over the next two weeks, I thought we could work our way through each of them, beginning today with the #1 most requested protein here on Gimme Some Oven…
…chicken.
Specifically, boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Over the years, I’ve received countless requests for new chicken breast recipes, and many more for tips on how to bake chicken breasts in the oven. Because anyone who worked with chicken breasts before know that they can be incredibly versatile, yet also incredibly finicky to work with, especially when baked in the oven. Cook them the wrong way and you’ll end up with a dry, rubbery, tough, and flavorless disaster. But cooked the right way?! We’re talkin’ juicy, tender, flavorful, perfectly baked chicken breasts that you will love.
The good news is that they’re also totally easy to customize with your favorite seasonings or sauces. And also, incredibly easy to make with my 5-step baked chicken breasts method. Thousands of our readers have tried it over the years and reported back that this method was a game-changer with cooking chicken. So if you have yet to give it a try, let’s bake some chicken together!
Baked Chicken Breasts Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Baked Chicken Breast Ingredients:
To make this baked chicken breasts recipe, you will need:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: You can either purchase fresh chicken breasts (my preference) or frozen chicken breasts (which you will need to completely thaw before using). Some chicken also comes pre-brined nowadays, in which case you can skip step one below.
Butter or olive oil: Your pick! I like the extra flavor that butter adds, but olive oil will also work well.
Kosher Salt: An essential ingredient in our brine, and we will also use salt to season the chicken before baking.
Seasonings: I included an all-purpose blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and black pepper in the recipe below, which is super-simple and goes with just about anything. But feel free to sub in any dry seasoning blend that you prefer.
Also, if you bake chicken (or any other kind of baked proteins) regularly in the oven, I strongly having a cooking thermometer on hand too. It is the most foolproof way to ensure that your chicken is not over- or under-cooked, and works like a charm. I recommend either this:
Instant-read cooking thermometer(pictured below): which I have owned and used for years when cooking chicken, which retails for about $9.99 on Amazon.
Dual-probe wireless meat thermometer: which I also own and love because it can be used inside of a hot oven (especially helpful for baking steak, salmon and pork), which retails for about $24.99 on Amazon.
How To Bake Chicken Breasts:
Alright, so here’s the secret! To make perfectly baked chicken bbrrreasts, you simply need to follow this 5-step acronym: B.B.R.R.R.
Brine
Brush
Rub
Roast
Rest
Brine (Step 1): I’m telling you — this step is an absolute must for anytime you want to bake chicken breasts in the oven. Brining chicken is super-easy, it makes your chicken extra juicy, and best of all, it can be effectively done in just 15 minutes. Plus, if you brine chicken in lukewarm water, it also helps bring the chicken to room temperature, which makes for more even cooking. Win-win!
To brine chicken, simply fill a big bowl with lukewarm (not hot) water. Stir in a handful of salt until it mostly dissolves. Then add your chicken breasts and let them sit in the saltwater to brine for at least 15 minutes. If you are doing this in advance, you can cover and refrigerate the bowl of chicken and saltwater for up to 6 hours. But you don’t want to let the chicken brine for much longer than that.
When you’re ready to go, remove the chicken from the brine. Give it a good rinse it with cold water to wash off the salt, and then pat it dry with some paper towels. And voila — your chicken is officially brined.
Really, don’t skip over this step! It makes a world of difference.
Note: That said, some store-bought chicken breasts are now sold pre-brined. So double-check your packaging beforehand. And if your chicken has already been pre-brined in a sodium solution, just move onto step two. :)
Brush (Step 2): Brush your chicken breasts with melted butter. Or at least, I highly recommend using butter. It adds great flavor and helps give a nice golden crust on the outside. But if you’d rather use olive oil (or another favorite cooking oil), feel free.
Brush the breasts liberally on both sides to prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan, and also to help the seasonings stick. Then place the chicken breasts in a large baking dish or roasting pan.
Rub (Step 3): If you’re really wanting to keep things simple, you can simply sprinkle some salt and pepper onto the chicken breasts. But again, chicken will pick up the flavor of whatever seasonings you add. So even if you’re making a simple dish that calls for “plain” chicken breasts, I highly recommend the simple chicken seasoning recipe I have included below that includes salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.
Roast (Step 4): So this is the step that causes some squabbles amongst chicken lovers — how long to bake chicken breasts? And what is the correct temperature to bake chicken? Do you bake it low and slow (as in, 30 minutes at 350°F)? Or do you roast chicken high and quick (as in, 15 minutes at 450)? I have tested out both — and just about every interval in between — dozens upon dozens upon dozens of times. And in the end, I fall firmly in the latter camp when it comes to baked chicken.
I like to roast my chicken breasts on high heat.
Depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts, roasting chicken at 450°F should require a cooking time of about 15-18 minutes (depending on the thickness/size of your chicken breasts). It’s speedy and it’s easy. But mostly I love it because cooking at high heat quickly develops a nice crispier “crust” on the outside of the breasts, which also helps to lock in those juices and keep the oven roasted chicken perfectly tender on the inside. It’s the best of both worlds.
I highly recommend investing in a small cooking thermometer to measure the cooked chicken temp in order to tell if it is ready to go (the FDA says that the safe cooked chicken temp is 165°F), versus cutting into it with a fork, which lets those good juices seep out. I use this instant-read thermometerthat I bought on Amazon for $10, and it will accurately measure your internal chicken temperature in seconds.
Rest (Step 5): This one is a non-negotiable. You must, must let your beautifully baked chicken breasts rest before cutting into them — a tip which applies to cooking any meat, really. If you cut in right away, you will lose all of the amazing juices and some of the tenderness that we’re going for. But if you give your freshly baked chicken breasts a brief rest, it will finish cooking and lock in all of those delicious juices, resulting in the most tender and juicy and delicious baked chicken.
I recommend loosely tenting a sheet of aluminum foil over the pan to keep the heat in while the chicken rests. And thenafter 5-10 minutes, you can finally serve and enjoy your perfectly-cooked chicken breasts.
And enjoy every last bite. ♡
How To Season Baked Chicken Breasts:
Again, I’m a big fan of the classic paprika-garlic-pepper mix in the recipe below. But if you’d like to mix things up, feel free to sub in any of your favorite dry seasoning mixes, such as:
The easiest way, of course, is just to serve these roasted chicken breasts fresh outta the oven. But feel free to also slice, shred, or dice these oven baked chicken breasts for use in another recipe, such as these faves:
Once the chicken has been baked, it can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. (<– I recommend shredding, dicing or slicing the chicken before freezing for easier use.)
Side Dish Recipe Ideas:
Looking for some side dishes to serve with this baked chicken recipe? Here are a few of my faves:
Brine the chicken. (Check the label of your chicken breasts. If they have already been pre-brined in a sodium solution, please skip this step.) Fill a large bowl with 1 quart of warm water and 1/4 cup kosher salt. Stir to combine until most of the salt is absorbed. Add the chicken breasts and let them sit in the mixture to brine for 15 minutes, or you can also also cover the bowl and refrigerate for up to 6 hours. Remove the chicken breasts from the brine, rinse them with cold water, then pat them dry with paper towels.
Heat the oven. Preheat oven to 450°F.
Season the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in a large baking dish*. Brush on both sides (turning once) evenly with the melted butter or olive oil. In a separate small bowl, whisk the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika until combined. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over the chicken on both sides.
Bake. Bake for 15-18* minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts, so I recommend using a cooking thermometer to know exactly when the chicken is fully cooked. The thickest part of the breast should measure 165°F. (If you want the chicken to be a little bit browned and crispier on top, you can turn the broiler on high for the final 3-5 minutes of the cooking time and broil the chicken until it is cooked through and golden on top. Keep a close eye on the chicken, however, so that it does not overcook and/or burn.)
Rest the chicken. Once the chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the oven, transfer the chicken to a clean plate, and loosely tent the plate with aluminum foil. Let the chicken rest for at least 5-10 minutes.
Baking Dish: Please double-check the maximum temperature of your baking dish for this recipe. Glass dishes (such as Pyrex) usually have a maximum recommended temperature of 425°F, so we do not recommend using a glass dish for this recipe. You can also cook this recipe on a thick metal baking sheet.
Storage instructions: Cooked chicken can be stored in a sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Just wanted to say thanks so much for sharing this! I have struggled many YEARS on baking chicken and these instructions turned that around for me tonight! Its delicious!
You could use thinly sliced chicken breasts, but will definitely not need to cook them as long. I would keep a very close eye and remove them once they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
I cook all the time and I’ve been trying to switch to breasts rather than thighs cuz I’m on a diet (ugh). On a whim I decided to do something different tonight and these were just perfect! I’m a high and quick roaster already, especially for white meat, but the quick brine was amazing. I brine often and had no idea it could be done so quickly! Thanks for the tips!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing Maroline, we’re happy you liked these — brining is such an amazing thing, isn’t it?!
I made this last night.It was extremely juicy and totally delicious! I upped the paprika to 1 tsp and added 1/2 tsp of curry to the rub. We all loved it. Thank you for the recipe and the beautiful photos!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Donna, we’re so happy you enjoyed the recipe, and we bet that curry was an awesome addition to the rub – good thinking! :)
Trying this tonight as I type chicken breast are in the brine! Can’t wait to see how it comes out also I have a clay baking dish I am cooking it in hope it comes out amazing!
I am a vegetarian but do cook meat for my husband. I have made this recipe a few times with different spice rubs for my husband and he LOVES it. I often find it tricky to cook meat for him because I cannot taste it but this recipe is foolproof if you follow it exactly. I was even able to heat up a couple of the breasts in the following days in the microwave by sprinkling a little water on the chicken and covering with a damp paper towel and he still found the chicken to be very juicy. The butter works really well and keeps in the moisture that the brine creates. I brined for two hours and used the thermometer per your instruction. Thanks so much!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
You’re welcome Jennifer! We’re so happy you and your husband enjoyed it!
Juicy, tender, full of flavor. One of the best chicken breast I ever cooked. That’s the first time I “Brine” something, what a nice idea, we’re not fan of Turkey here in Québec so it was a first for me to “Brine” anything.
Thanks it was delicious.
I let the chicken breast in the salted water like 2 hours and it was just perfect.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Awesome, we’re so happy to hear this, thanks for giving the recipe a try! :)
So this is the easiest recipe i’ve ever cooked as far as chicken goes. my one and only complaint is that my chicken didn’t brown like the photos. what gives?
Different ovens definitely brown differently. If you would like the extra crisp on top, feel free to turn your oven onto the broiler setting for the final minute or two, and let the tops brown up. Just keep a very close eye on them so that they do not burn. :)
I’m trying this now! Can’t wait for the turnout. However, I’m using this as a 3-4 day meal prep. Any advice on storage to keep the moisture of the chicken? Thank you!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Awesome Josh, we hope you enjoy! We just store ours in a tupperware container, and when we are ready to reheat in the microwave, we just cover it with a damp paper towel. This recipe yields super moist chicken though, so you shouldn’t have a problem. We hope this helps!
Hi, Ali! My 13 month old daughter’s name is Ali (Alison) too! Speaking of which, I was struggling on what to make for dinner tonight, and decided to find a chicken breast recipe on Pinterest, since that’s about all we have in the house right now for food. And I came across your recipe here. It sounds like an absolute winner to me. I’ve never brined anything before, but never too late to start, right? Have the chicken breasts in the brine in the fridge now, and going to bake these as soon as my husband gets home from work. Your photos are amazing, and this looks like the kind of chicken I would want to make for salad toppings too! I hope we have leftovers. :D
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Kendall! Thanks for your sweet words about the blog! We hope you and your family enjoy the chicken (brining is such an amazing tool, we’re pretty obsessed)! :)
Made this chicken for dinner tonight and it was delicious. I actually learned something: Never thought of brining chicken, but it works well. Perfectly tender, juicy, and tasty as promised. Thanks! This ones a keeper.
Is it okay to prep this early and then bake it when ready? I’m brining my chicken now and wondering if I can put the butter and dry rub on and put it in the fridge in a dish ready to pop in the oven when I get home from work.
I think I need some help here, tonight I found your blog and followed all steps perfectly. I brined, I patted dry, I brushed, I roasted..well this is where I ran into trouble. I set my oven at 450 and roasted for ever. I checked after 20 minutes, it was still pink in the middle, so I added another 10 minutes, still a little low on temp, so I added another 5 minutes. So then the chicken was done, however the top was not browned at all, so I added another 5 minutes. Finally I just gave up. Well what happened was the chicken was over done and dry, and the top was still not all that brown. I used a mixture of butter, light olive oil, and some garlic. I coated the fresh patted down chicken breasts with the mixture, then I added salt pepper and galic powder. I use a gas oven. I have to wonder if my altitude is a problem. Any suggestions? Oh and I let it rest for 5 minutes.
Hmmm, different ovens (and different altitudes) definitely cook differently. If the tops don’t brown, you might try baking them on a higher rack in the oven. But otherwise, I’d recommend just turning your oven to the broil setting for the final 1-2 minutes of cooking, and let it crisp and brown up the tops of the chicken to your liking. Just keep a very close eye on them so that they do not burn. Hope they turn out better next time!
I’m not a great cook and my boyfriend never lets me cook chicken because I ALWAYS overcook it and make it dry. This recipe saved me! Absolutely fantastic!
This was great and very moist and flavorful! Made a side of fresh pesto to go alongside it with some oven baked veggies, salad, and baked potato. Was VERY delicious with the pesto! Thanks for the recipe! :)
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re glad you enjoyed it, and great idea with the pesto!
This recipe looks awesome, but your ad provider is terrible on mobile. It keeps sending me to the app store to buy words with friends or whatever.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Jake, Ali and I are so incredibly sorry that this is happening. We’ve been experiencing some major technical difficulties with ads this month and are working quickly to try and fix thing, but in the meantime, our complete apologies for any frustrations that they are causing. We hope to resolve the issue asap. But in the meantime, a million thanks for your patience!
This was the PERFECT recipe for my sweet 8 year old to make. Livia was so proud of her delicious chicken breasts thanks to your awesome hints. Thank you!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks Desiree, we’re so happy you and your kiddo enjoyed this! :)
This is the first time I did anything with chicken in an oven ( as I wasn’t familiar with baking all that much) and iam so glad I stumbled upon your recipe. It is great. Just like you described, easy and quick. This is on my repertoire. Thank you.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you Surabhi, we’re happy it worked out well for you, and that you enjoyed it! :)
I followed this recipe & it was awesome, thanks so much for posting it, but also took a few shortcuts. Used chicken thigh fillets and unrolled them, so b/c they were thighs, I didnt have to pound them. Turned out great but cooking time might have been abit longer (not sure for this sized batch b/c I fixed a larger batch). Also just put seasoning on one side & it worked real well. But next time, I’m gonna try generously oiling the pan instead of individually oiling the bottom of every chicken.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
You’re welcome Alicia, we’re happy to hear you liked it! Thanks for sharing your tips! :)
OMFG this is the only way to cook chicken EVER. I just got done having a piece and it is the best thing I have eaten in a long time. The smell in my apartment is heavenly. I’ve always had a problem with dry chicken, problem solved! It’s just perfect. I actually combined this recipe with one that was very similar except that it was made with chicken thighs, but basically the same seasoning. So I did everything according to this recipe, but added onion powder to the seasoning and used the drippings with sour cream to make a gravy. Just amazing.
Also thought I’d note that I use the same spice combo for my homemade baked french fries.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks Dani, we’re happy you liked it! Also that gravy you made sounds AMAZING! Smart woman. :)
Made this tonight using some very plump chicken breasts. I must say I am familiar with the brining technique but never tried it until now. I will continue to use this method as the chicken was very moist and just plain awesome! Will mix up the seasoning for different dishes, but the first step of brining is a must. Thanks for posting this recipe. The process is simple and can be prepared on a weeknight when you don’t want to spend hours in prep time.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Laura, we’re so happy you liked this recipe and that the chicken turned out so well! Thanks for giving the recipe a try! :)
I have made this recipe twice before without reading the complete instructions. I didn’t brine the chicken breast, but enjoyed the chicken enough to prepare it again. It was very flavorful and moist to me. I read the complete recipe today and will brine the chicken per the instructions. I cannot imagine this chicken being better the third time around. I am going to eat, freeze and maybe even share some this one time.
Thank you for this recipe.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
You’re welcome Aurelia, we’re glad you enjoyed it!
it was a hit with my chicken-master husband and my picky, picky 13 year old. cant find my thermometer (thanks to a 15 month old digging through drawers), so i had to cut into it but it was just perfect! great, delicious, easy. THANK YOU! :)
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Yay, we’re happy to hear that Alexi! Thanks for giving the recipe a try. :)
I am making this tomorrow night! I am a law student who lives alone and has never really had to cook nor do I know how. I love how basic this is and even learned what brining meant. Thank you for taking a step down to fully explain. I was just dignosed with a full on gluten and diary (all proteins) intolerance and would love more recipes like this. I am coming from Pinterest but plan to be making my way through your website so I can continuously become more domestic! Thanks again.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Kimberlee! You’re so very welcome, we’re glad we could help! We’re sorry about the gluten and dairy intolerances :( We’ve got quite a few gluten-free and vegan recipes on the site. Thanks for stopping by, and we hope you love the chicken! P.S. You might also like our friend Kate’s blog – she has a lot of great gf and vegan options (we know you’re not vegan, but at least those recipes wouldn’t have the dairy).
I tried these chicken breasts for lunch today. Very easy to make. I used Italian Bread Crumbs as my seasoning. I didn’t think baking at the higher temp for a shorter period of time would work, but it did very well and all the juices stayed in the chicken breasts. Hubby said these were the best he’s ever eaten. Very tender and moist. Just use the basic steps and then use any kind of seasoning that you prefer. I’ll try something different next time for a change of taste.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing Linda, we’re so glad to hear that! :)
Hiya. I researched a number of recipes before finally settling on your one. We have just enjoyed a superb meal. The chicken was so tender and juicy. I used a Peri-Peri rub. Thank you so much for sharing your tips. Ms Katykins
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you dear, we’re so happy you enjoyed this! :)
This is definitely my new go-to chicken breast recipe. I hated having chicken breast before because it was always so dry. I followed your instructions exactly and the chicken came out moist and perfect! Thanks!
Like so many others, I am SOLD on this recipe. I made exactly as written and it is delicious. Would like to try with tarragon for chicken salad, and with curry for curry chicken salad.. Thank you for a delicious and effective technique for most and tender and tasty chicken breasts. Think I better check out ALL your recipes!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks Laurie, we’re happy to hear that! And both of those chicken salads sound like an awesome way to use this chicken! :)
Thanks for this. DH and I are embarking on a high protein, low carb (no sugar) diet and this has SAVED us. Our dinner choices are usually chicken…or chicken. Of the boneless skinless variety. So I’ve been experimenting with my seasonings and have to say that this is the BEST chicken I’ve ever made in the oven!!!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
You’re so welcome, we’re glad you two love this! :)
This recipe saved my life! I am an avid cook, but it is difficult for me to follow recipes as I learned from overseeing my mothers/grandmothers cooking and picking up tricks and ideas wherever I go. I followed your recipe to the T and my chicken came out perfect! Your pictures were extremely helpful and I will definitely be sharing this!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you for sharing this with us Michelle, we’re so thrilled that you loved this recipe! :)
Cheers Hayley, we liked it so much that I have just made it again to accompany an Italian style veggie pasta sauce. This time I stuck with the olive oil again and sprinkled basil and oregano over it. Delicious. Definitely going to follow your site. Thanks. :)
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hey there! It’s actually Ali’s recipe, but thanks for sharing with us, we’re so happy you love the recipe! :)
I made this 3 nights ago an I seem to be telling everyone I run into about this brine an how moist my chicken breast was. Deff my new go to recipe for chicken breast. Thank you so much for the info!
Just wanted to say thanks so much for sharing this! I have struggled many YEARS on baking chicken and these instructions turned that around for me tonight! Its delicious!
Just wanted to say thank you so much for sharing this! I’ve struggled with baked chicken for years but that ended tonight. It was delicious!!
Thanks for sharing CC, we’re so happy you liked this recipe! :)
GREAT recipe! My chicken breasts always come out dry and flavorless. Made this for dinner tonight and it came out amazing. Sooo simple and delicious!
Yay, we’re so happy you enjoyed this Tiffany!
I only have thin sliced chicken brest. Would the high heat dry it out or turn it into jerky? Should I try to bake @ 400?
You could use thinly sliced chicken breasts, but will definitely not need to cook them as long. I would keep a very close eye and remove them once they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
I cook all the time and I’ve been trying to switch to breasts rather than thighs cuz I’m on a diet (ugh). On a whim I decided to do something different tonight and these were just perfect! I’m a high and quick roaster already, especially for white meat, but the quick brine was amazing. I brine often and had no idea it could be done so quickly! Thanks for the tips!
Thanks for sharing Maroline, we’re happy you liked these — brining is such an amazing thing, isn’t it?!
I made this last night.It was extremely juicy and totally delicious! I upped the paprika to 1 tsp and added 1/2 tsp of curry to the rub. We all loved it. Thank you for the recipe and the beautiful photos!
Donna, we’re so happy you enjoyed the recipe, and we bet that curry was an awesome addition to the rub – good thinking! :)
Trying this tonight as I type chicken breast are in the brine! Can’t wait to see how it comes out also I have a clay baking dish I am cooking it in hope it comes out amazing!
Awesome, we hope you enjoyed this Nina!
I am a vegetarian but do cook meat for my husband. I have made this recipe a few times with different spice rubs for my husband and he LOVES it. I often find it tricky to cook meat for him because I cannot taste it but this recipe is foolproof if you follow it exactly. I was even able to heat up a couple of the breasts in the following days in the microwave by sprinkling a little water on the chicken and covering with a damp paper towel and he still found the chicken to be very juicy. The butter works really well and keeps in the moisture that the brine creates. I brined for two hours and used the thermometer per your instruction. Thanks so much!
You’re welcome Jennifer! We’re so happy you and your husband enjoyed it!
What’s the level rack should the breast be placed in the oven?
In the center should be fine. We hope you enjoy!
Juicy, tender, full of flavor. One of the best chicken breast I ever cooked. That’s the first time I “Brine” something, what a nice idea, we’re not fan of Turkey here in Québec so it was a first for me to “Brine” anything.
Thanks it was delicious.
I let the chicken breast in the salted water like 2 hours and it was just perfect.
Awesome, we’re so happy to hear this, thanks for giving the recipe a try! :)
Do you turn chicken during cooking?
I didn’t with this recipe, but you certainly can for more even cooking!
Do you flip these half way thru cooking time??
I didn’t with this recipe, but you certainly can for more even cooking.
Just found and tried this tonight: Fantastic.
Truly juicy, it gave the chicken an entirely different consistency. This is the new go-to recipe/method for cooking breasts in our house.
I’d like to add the site is really well done. Great personality coming through, and a clean and crisp design.
We’re so glad to hear that Scott, and we thank you for your sweet words about the blog! :)
This looks so good. I’m getting hungry. Good tips. Will definitely do this.
Thanks
Thanks Mary, we hope you like the recipe! :)
So this is the easiest recipe i’ve ever cooked as far as chicken goes. my one and only complaint is that my chicken didn’t brown like the photos. what gives?
Different ovens definitely brown differently. If you would like the extra crisp on top, feel free to turn your oven onto the broiler setting for the final minute or two, and let the tops brown up. Just keep a very close eye on them so that they do not burn. :)
I’m trying this now! Can’t wait for the turnout. However, I’m using this as a 3-4 day meal prep. Any advice on storage to keep the moisture of the chicken? Thank you!
Awesome Josh, we hope you enjoy! We just store ours in a tupperware container, and when we are ready to reheat in the microwave, we just cover it with a damp paper towel. This recipe yields super moist chicken though, so you shouldn’t have a problem. We hope this helps!
Hi, Ali! My 13 month old daughter’s name is Ali (Alison) too! Speaking of which, I was struggling on what to make for dinner tonight, and decided to find a chicken breast recipe on Pinterest, since that’s about all we have in the house right now for food. And I came across your recipe here. It sounds like an absolute winner to me. I’ve never brined anything before, but never too late to start, right? Have the chicken breasts in the brine in the fridge now, and going to bake these as soon as my husband gets home from work. Your photos are amazing, and this looks like the kind of chicken I would want to make for salad toppings too! I hope we have leftovers. :D
Hi Kendall! Thanks for your sweet words about the blog! We hope you and your family enjoy the chicken (brining is such an amazing tool, we’re pretty obsessed)! :)
Made this chicken for dinner tonight and it was delicious. I actually learned something: Never thought of brining chicken, but it works well. Perfectly tender, juicy, and tasty as promised. Thanks! This ones a keeper.
We’re so glad you liked the recipe Christy!
Awesome! Very informative and will try this soon. Thanks for sharing!
Is it okay to prep this early and then bake it when ready? I’m brining my chicken now and wondering if I can put the butter and dry rub on and put it in the fridge in a dish ready to pop in the oven when I get home from work.
Sure thing. I would just be sure to wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate them in a sealed container until you’re ready to cook them. Enjoy!
Not sure how to post a pic here. But thanks. I did this with thighs. I would have used the breast but trying was on my mind. Fab! Tender and yummy.
Fantastic! So glad they turned out well for you!
I think I need some help here, tonight I found your blog and followed all steps perfectly. I brined, I patted dry, I brushed, I roasted..well this is where I ran into trouble. I set my oven at 450 and roasted for ever. I checked after 20 minutes, it was still pink in the middle, so I added another 10 minutes, still a little low on temp, so I added another 5 minutes. So then the chicken was done, however the top was not browned at all, so I added another 5 minutes. Finally I just gave up. Well what happened was the chicken was over done and dry, and the top was still not all that brown. I used a mixture of butter, light olive oil, and some garlic. I coated the fresh patted down chicken breasts with the mixture, then I added salt pepper and galic powder. I use a gas oven. I have to wonder if my altitude is a problem. Any suggestions? Oh and I let it rest for 5 minutes.
Hmmm, different ovens (and different altitudes) definitely cook differently. If the tops don’t brown, you might try baking them on a higher rack in the oven. But otherwise, I’d recommend just turning your oven to the broil setting for the final 1-2 minutes of cooking, and let it crisp and brown up the tops of the chicken to your liking. Just keep a very close eye on them so that they do not burn. Hope they turn out better next time!
Tried the brine for the first time tonight, hoping it works out well. Chicken is in the over now!
Awesome Hallie, we hope you love it!
Mmm that yummy
Super delicious. How do I quadruple the recipe? Well, quadruple plus one. I need to cook 17.
I would just quadruple the recipe as-is, although you’ll probably need a larger baking pan (or two). Enjoy! :)
I’m not a great cook and my boyfriend never lets me cook chicken because I ALWAYS overcook it and make it dry. This recipe saved me! Absolutely fantastic!
Emma, that makes us so happy! :D
This was great and very moist and flavorful! Made a side of fresh pesto to go alongside it with some oven baked veggies, salad, and baked potato. Was VERY delicious with the pesto! Thanks for the recipe! :)
We’re glad you enjoyed it, and great idea with the pesto!
This recipe looks awesome, but your ad provider is terrible on mobile. It keeps sending me to the app store to buy words with friends or whatever.
Hi Jake, Ali and I are so incredibly sorry that this is happening. We’ve been experiencing some major technical difficulties with ads this month and are working quickly to try and fix thing, but in the meantime, our complete apologies for any frustrations that they are causing. We hope to resolve the issue asap. But in the meantime, a million thanks for your patience!
This was the PERFECT recipe for my sweet 8 year old to make. Livia was so proud of her delicious chicken breasts thanks to your awesome hints. Thank you!
Thanks Desiree, we’re so happy you and your kiddo enjoyed this! :)
I wanted to take a picture but everyone ate it too quickly. Thanks for that.
James, we love comments like this one. We’re glad it was a hit! :)
This is the first time I did anything with chicken in an oven ( as I wasn’t familiar with baking all that much) and iam so glad I stumbled upon your recipe. It is great. Just like you described, easy and quick. This is on my repertoire. Thank you.
Thank you Surabhi, we’re happy it worked out well for you, and that you enjoyed it! :)
I followed this recipe & it was awesome, thanks so much for posting it, but also took a few shortcuts. Used chicken thigh fillets and unrolled them, so b/c they were thighs, I didnt have to pound them. Turned out great but cooking time might have been abit longer (not sure for this sized batch b/c I fixed a larger batch). Also just put seasoning on one side & it worked real well. But next time, I’m gonna try generously oiling the pan instead of individually oiling the bottom of every chicken.
You’re welcome Alicia, we’re happy to hear you liked it! Thanks for sharing your tips! :)
Also used silver coated cake pans instead of pyrex or actual baking dishes, but that probably wouldnt affect the outcome of anything.
OMFG this is the only way to cook chicken EVER. I just got done having a piece and it is the best thing I have eaten in a long time. The smell in my apartment is heavenly. I’ve always had a problem with dry chicken, problem solved! It’s just perfect. I actually combined this recipe with one that was very similar except that it was made with chicken thighs, but basically the same seasoning. So I did everything according to this recipe, but added onion powder to the seasoning and used the drippings with sour cream to make a gravy. Just amazing.
Also thought I’d note that I use the same spice combo for my homemade baked french fries.
Thanks Dani, we’re happy you liked it! Also that gravy you made sounds AMAZING! Smart woman. :)
Made this tonight using some very plump chicken breasts. I must say I am familiar with the brining technique but never tried it until now. I will continue to use this method as the chicken was very moist and just plain awesome! Will mix up the seasoning for different dishes, but the first step of brining is a must. Thanks for posting this recipe. The process is simple and can be prepared on a weeknight when you don’t want to spend hours in prep time.
Laura, we’re so happy you liked this recipe and that the chicken turned out so well! Thanks for giving the recipe a try! :)
I have made this recipe twice before without reading the complete instructions. I didn’t brine the chicken breast, but enjoyed the chicken enough to prepare it again. It was very flavorful and moist to me. I read the complete recipe today and will brine the chicken per the instructions. I cannot imagine this chicken being better the third time around. I am going to eat, freeze and maybe even share some this one time.
Thank you for this recipe.
You’re welcome Aurelia, we’re glad you enjoyed it!
it was a hit with my chicken-master husband and my picky, picky 13 year old. cant find my thermometer (thanks to a 15 month old digging through drawers), so i had to cut into it but it was just perfect! great, delicious, easy. THANK YOU! :)
Yay, we’re happy to hear that Alexi! Thanks for giving the recipe a try. :)
I am making this tomorrow night! I am a law student who lives alone and has never really had to cook nor do I know how. I love how basic this is and even learned what brining meant. Thank you for taking a step down to fully explain. I was just dignosed with a full on gluten and diary (all proteins) intolerance and would love more recipes like this. I am coming from Pinterest but plan to be making my way through your website so I can continuously become more domestic! Thanks again.
Hi Kimberlee! You’re so very welcome, we’re glad we could help! We’re sorry about the gluten and dairy intolerances :( We’ve got quite a few gluten-free and vegan recipes on the site. Thanks for stopping by, and we hope you love the chicken! P.S. You might also like our friend Kate’s blog – she has a lot of great gf and vegan options (we know you’re not vegan, but at least those recipes wouldn’t have the dairy).
I tried these chicken breasts for lunch today. Very easy to make. I used Italian Bread Crumbs as my seasoning. I didn’t think baking at the higher temp for a shorter period of time would work, but it did very well and all the juices stayed in the chicken breasts. Hubby said these were the best he’s ever eaten. Very tender and moist. Just use the basic steps and then use any kind of seasoning that you prefer. I’ll try something different next time for a change of taste.
Thanks for sharing Linda, we’re so glad to hear that! :)
Hiya. I researched a number of recipes before finally settling on your one. We have just enjoyed a superb meal. The chicken was so tender and juicy. I used a Peri-Peri rub. Thank you so much for sharing your tips. Ms Katykins
Thank you dear, we’re so happy you enjoyed this! :)
This is definitely my new go-to chicken breast recipe. I hated having chicken breast before because it was always so dry. I followed your instructions exactly and the chicken came out moist and perfect! Thanks!
Awesome Tiffany, we’re glad to hear that! :D
Like so many others, I am SOLD on this recipe. I made exactly as written and it is delicious. Would like to try with tarragon for chicken salad, and with curry for curry chicken salad.. Thank you for a delicious and effective technique for most and tender and tasty chicken breasts. Think I better check out ALL your recipes!
Thanks Laurie, we’re happy to hear that! And both of those chicken salads sound like an awesome way to use this chicken! :)
Hey, thanks so much for the help.
You’re welcome, we hope you enjoy the recipe!
Thanks for this. DH and I are embarking on a high protein, low carb (no sugar) diet and this has SAVED us. Our dinner choices are usually chicken…or chicken. Of the boneless skinless variety. So I’ve been experimenting with my seasonings and have to say that this is the BEST chicken I’ve ever made in the oven!!!
You’re so welcome, we’re glad you two love this! :)
This recipe saved my life! I am an avid cook, but it is difficult for me to follow recipes as I learned from overseeing my mothers/grandmothers cooking and picking up tricks and ideas wherever I go. I followed your recipe to the T and my chicken came out perfect! Your pictures were extremely helpful and I will definitely be sharing this!
Thank you for sharing this with us Michelle, we’re so thrilled that you loved this recipe! :)
Cheers Hayley, we liked it so much that I have just made it again to accompany an Italian style veggie pasta sauce. This time I stuck with the olive oil again and sprinkled basil and oregano over it. Delicious. Definitely going to follow your site. Thanks. :)
Hey there! It’s actually Ali’s recipe, but thanks for sharing with us, we’re so happy you love the recipe! :)
I love your website! You have the best recipes for an everyday wanna be gourmet cook!
Thanks Lori, we’re so happy you’re a fan! :)
I made this 3 nights ago an I seem to be telling everyone I run into about this brine an how moist my chicken breast was. Deff my new go to recipe for chicken breast. Thank you so much for the info!
Awesome Jolene, we’re happy to hear that! :D
I made these yesterday. I was shocked at how delicious and JUICY these chicken breasts were. Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes!!
Thanks Melissa, we’re so happy to hear you enjoyed them!
Made this tonight and it was so good. My husband doesn’t usually like chicken and even he loved it!
Thanks for sharing Rachel, we’re happy to hear that! :)