Gimme Some Oven

Baked Chicken Breasts

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My favorite oven baked chicken breasts recipe! It never fails, thanks to this simple 5-step method that is easy to make and customize with your favorite seasonings.

Perfect Oven Baked Chicken Breast

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: which I have owned and used for years when cooking chicken, which currently retails for about $14 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) plus it can either beep or send an alert to your cell phone, and currently retails for about $33 on Amazon.

How To Brine Chicken to make Baked Chicken Breasts

Baked Chicken Seasoning Recipe

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.

  1. Brine
  2. Brush
  3. Rub
  4. Roast
  5. 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.

To brine chicken, simply fill a big bowl half full with lukewarm water. Stir in a handful of salt until it mostly dissolves. Add ice cubes or cold water to lower the temperature of the water so that it is cool to the touch. 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 thermometer 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 then after 5-10 minutes, you can finally serve and enjoy your perfectly-cooked chicken breasts.

And enjoy every last bite. 

Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipe

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:

How To Make Baked Chicken Breasts Recipe

How To Use/Serve Baked Chicken Breasts

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:

How To Store Baked Chicken Breasts

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.)

Perfectly Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipe

Side Dish Recipe Ideas

Looking for some side dishes to serve with this baked chicken recipe? Here are a few of my faves:

Baked Chicken Breast with Roasted Asparagus

More Baked Protein Tutorials

Be sure to check out our tutorials for how to bake other meats, seafood and tofu too!

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Baked Chicken Breast Recipe

Baked Chicken Breasts

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 1430 reviews
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

Learn how to make juicy, tender, delicious baked chicken breasts with this simple 5-step method.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter or olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

  1. 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 mixing bowl with 2 cups of lukewarm water and 1/4 cup kosher salt. Stir to combine until most of the salt is absorbed. Add 2 cups of cold water (or a few ice cubes) to lower the temperature of the water so that it is cool to the touch. 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.
  2. Heat the oven. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.)
  5. 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.
  6. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!


Notes

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.

How To Bake Chicken Breasts

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3,588 comments on “Baked Chicken Breasts”

  1. Used this for a recipe that called for pre-cooked chicken. Tried a piece while I was cutting it up for said recipe… this chicken is stupid good. Consider me a convert. I will be using this again, and again, and again. Thank you!

  2. Great recipe! Couple questions: Do I need to increase cooking time for more than 1 chicken breast? Also do I need to flip halfway through? Thanks for posting!

  3. This is ,by far, the best recipe for baked juicy chicken breasts!!!

  4. This made me love chicken breast! I had avoided it because it dried out so bad, but dark meat became unappealing, and I tried this. The first one I made I ate the entire thing that night. I had intended on leftovers, and I didn’t even eat other things with it. I scarfed that puppy down like I was starving! Thank you!!

  5. 🙏Thank you for this recipe.
    You’ve actually made my life better.

    I’ve made this 3X’s now.
    It’s been perfect every single time.

    So easy.

    Brine with a handful of salt for 15 minutes plus.
    I usually do a few hours.

    18 minutes at 450 baby!
    Juicy perfection 😋

  6. I’ve never baked a chicken before and this one came out GREAT. I didn’t use paprika.

    Jery Lynch
    81-year-oldd

  7. I never take time to comment or leave a review, but for this chicken breast recipe, I absolutely have to, it really is the beast! I’ve made it a few times now, and it is always perfect, juicy and tasty! Thank you so much for this amazingly easy and delicious recipe.

  8. Absolutely delicious.

  9. I am hosting Fathers Day and would like to serve these smothered in barbecue sauce then finished on the grill. Was thinking to thoroughly cook the cover with sauce and let sit til a quick finish on the grill. Has anyone tried this?

  10. So happy to find your site. The chicken was delicious and will be made again and again. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes

  11. Funny how simple recipes are often the best. Tender, juicy, delicious. Thank you.

  12. I ALWAYS use this recipe for chicken breasts. It wonderful. I pound the chicken breast to make them nice and even then brine and seasoning. They come out perfectly tender and juicy

  13. I love love love this simple recipe! And it came out better than I thought. I used butter, but will try olive oil next time. The flavor was spot on. I ate it sliced with a cold caprese (chickpea) penne pasta salad. So GOOD! Thank you.

  14. Just made this for my Husband & I. DELICIOUS
    The chicken was juicy and moist.

  15. I just tried out this recipe, and it turned out amazing! The flavors were spot on, and the instructions were easy to follow. If you’re looking for more fantastic recipes, definitely check out [Recipe Revelry](https://reciperevelry.com/) – they have a great collection of recipes for all tastes and occasions. Happy cooking! 🍽️✨

  16. Love that this looks so simple, yet has such high ratings. Should I make modifications to try this with skin-on chicken breasts?

  17. She’s right, the absolute best baked chicken!

  18. Absolutely fabulous! I took a bite and was thoroughly Wowed!!

  19. Yep, this is a keeper. Super juicy, and the smoked paprika is so tasty. Thank you.

  20. Hands down THE best chicken breasts imaginable!! They are moist, flavorful, and the timing is perfect!! Everyone in my family, adults and children, loved it! Thank you for this awesome recipe!!

  21. Perfectly seasoned, moist chicken breasts. Follow the instructions. Trust the process. Use the damn thermometer!

  22. This is truly a moist chicken recipe! Very easy and very nice spices except too much salt, and I tend to like salty things. Next time we will cut the salt in half.

  23. This was a great recipe :) I loved it! So juicy! So tender!! So easy to make!!!
    This is gonna be a go to when I make an easy dinner :) Thank you

  24. My husband said this was the best way I have ever cooked chicken breasts. I left in an extra 3 minutes. I won’t do that again. Making again tonight.

  25. This recipe is great! I used 2 lb of chicken breast for this recipe, so each serving came out to 40g protein. It tastes pretty good, though I’ve only tried it mixed in pasta with marina sauce. It was a relatively easy recipe, especially since it’s baked so once it’s in the oven you can cook or clean other stuff, and took me maybe an hour with the pasta and store bought sauce combo?

  26. What’s the best way to reheat

  27. Would the baking times be the same for a countertop oven with a convection option?

  28. Cooked for 18 min and it’s still raw below the surface. I’ll check again in 15 more minutes.

  29. My chicken breasts were on the thin side and slightly overcooked at 15 minutes but even so this was the tastiest chicken breast I’ve ever had. I’m going to try brining my chicken fir other recipes now.

  30. Turned out great.

  31. What is the weight (or mass) in oz or grams that the 1x version of the recipe is intended to make? Doing some we searches, I’m finding a boneless, skinless chicken breast can weigh about 4 to 8 oz. I only see “4 boneless skinless chicken breasts” in the recipe.

  32. I love love LOVE this recipe and technique. I’ve made my own chicken seasoning since finding this recipe, but wouldn’t be able to do that without this recipe. My go-to for chicken drummies.

  33. Moist and flavorful. I used more spice since I made 6 breasts. I brined them and then pounded breasts even. 19 minutes 450 rest perfect. I used melted butter and did on parchment paper. Soooo good

  34. Great idea, I like it

  35. I don’t normally leave reviews, but that’s a damn good chicken and my kids absolutely loved it . I did it exactly like the recipe said!

  36. This is a simple and delicious recipe that is easy to follow. I took some liberties of my own by spreading some honey on the chicken after the butter/olive oil step, and also rubbed my spices onto the chicken, including some turmeric and Italian seasoning, along with the salt, freshly ground pepper and paprika. My chicken breasts were thin so I cooked for 12 minutes and broiled for about 3. The result was juicy, flavorful chicken. Will be using this recipe again. Thank you!

  37. Stumbled across this recipe when looking for basic guidelines for baking chicken (temp. and time), so I thought I’d give it a try. I followed the recipe and was a little worried it might come out dry because I had to bake it about 25 minutes, but it came out perfect! So good my boyfriend couldn’t stop commenting on it.

  38. This has been my go to baked chicken recipe for at least 3 years.
    Wife & kids love it.

  39. Tasty Chicken! Thanks for the great recipe. Sadly I was unable to achieve a crispy coating even though I followed the directions to a T. Chicken was tender, but the spices did not go crisp. I even used butter and not olive oil. Any suggestions without having to use the broiler? Thanks.

  40. Easy, simple, tasty, and it will be my go to boneless chicken breast oven recipe forever more.

  41. Did this as a sheet pan with peppers, onions, shrooms; chicken off to the side at 450. Chicken finished first, so tented. Upped the temp to char the veggies. Hubby did rice. Chicken PERFECT. Stellar meal. Thank you!

  42. Rather than brining use Kosher chicken breasts. They have already been salted and are ready to use.

  43. A multi- generational favorite in our family. I made this again last night for Sunday dinner. It was fork tender and leftover was happily accepted to go.

  44. Holy Goodness!! I shouldn’t be this surprised given all the rave reviews, but nothing could have prepared me for this juicy, delicious chicken breast perfection! I fumbled a couple of times along the way, but the finished product still is dynamite. I made the mistake of brining overnight, which yields a way salty dish. I compensated for the saltiness by making super bland sides, which worked out beautifully. Second, my chicken breasts were gigantic, so ended up needing close to thirty minutes with careful monitoring (I think most crucial here was following the instruction to rest the breasts, and account for the carry over). Ultimately, I’m most happy with this method, and echoing so many of you here before me, I will never cook another chicken breast any other way. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

    • What size are these chicken breasts?
      When ever I get boneless skinless chicken breasts they are about 14 ounces each..20 minutes doesn’t touch it!
      Will it work if I cut them smaller?

  45. I gave it a go. My first time with your recipes. Did the baked chicken. I did it the slow way. My wife was MOST IMPRESSED. Flavoursome, cooked all the way through, and SO tender. Definitely going to be a regular in our house!

  46. I LOVE this recipe! I have always baked chicken at 350 for 30 or more minutes. Dry stuff. Will use this recipe again!

  47. I make this every week at least once or twice!!! It really is the best baked chicken!!!

  48. I made this….it’s resting right now. I do not understand. I cooked it for the 15 minutes at 450°. It was not done, so I did another 10 minutes. Still not done. I put it on high broil for 5 minutes. Temperature read done, but no color to it at all, so I let it broil for another 3 minutes. I finally just took it out and let it rest. There is still are any color to it. Just a couple brown edges. It doesn’t look very appetizing, but I’m going to eat it anyway. Wish me luck.