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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.
Oh my goodness, this method of baking chicken breast was FABULOUS!! My baked chicken is normally pretty bland and dry, so this was awesome to come across. I’m a beginner meal planner and am starting my weight loss journey, and this made things so easy and yummy! I added different flavorings to each chicken breast (lemon pepper and cajun) but I loved your mixture as well! Keep the wonderful recipes coming!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks JoElle! We’re so happy you enjoyed this! :)
I admit…I was very skeptical about the brine. SO GLAD I tried it!!! The chicken was moist as promised!! Now, I did not add the extra salt to the spice mix (remember, I was skeptical about the brine!!). I probably would not add it in the future either. Didn’t need it. I may even cut back just a bit on the pepper. Everything else….SPOT ON! Wonderful!! I will definitely be making chicken like this again and again. Thanks Ali!!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re happy you enjoyed the recipe Estelle! We’re pretty obsessed with this method! :)
I have baked chicken using these steps tons since seeing this, and without fail, it is always delicious! Thank you for changing my baked chicken dinner routine!!
I don’t normally post comments on anything but this chicken meal was without a doubt one of the best chickens I’ve ever tasted! And I think some praise is deserved for the recipient! highly recommend everyone to make this dish! I give it 99/10!!!!
We have turned out diet around and I am always looking for new ways to enjoy chicken without too much unnecessary ingredients. This looks so good I am starting my brine now.
Tried this today, best chicken I have ever made, full of flavour(used paprika, salt, pepper, garlic and chilli flakes as seasoning) and it felt like the chicken cut itself before my knife even touched it because it was so tender.
Will enjoy chicken a lot more moving forward so thank you very much for this!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed it — thanks for your sweet words! :)
This roasted chicken was A-MAZ-ING!! Very juicy and delicious. I brushed my husband’s with butter, as you suggested. I brushed mine with a little chicken broth to save the calories. I seasoned them how I usually do, but followed your steps other than that. They were both juicy and delicious. The butter does add to the overall taste, no doubt, but for anyone looking to save calories, just use a little chicken broth. Thank you so much for sharing this technique. I will probably never stray from this. No more dried chicken breasts!!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing Becky — we’re so glad you loved the recipe! :D
Ali – do you know if this method is okay if I’m planning to cook, shred and freeze chicken for later use? I only bake my chicken this way now as it comes out FABULOUS every time, but I bought a large quantity that I would like to bake/shred/freeze for dinners after baby arrives. Is this method still good vs. any other method you recommend for not actually eating the baked chicken right away? Thanks again for this fantastic recipe!! :)
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Cyndi! Yes, you can totally shred and freeze the chicken after following this method. We’re so glad you’re a fan! :)
Like you, I have tried so many different temps, times, and preparations. I was never very satisfied with any of them until I FINALLY came across this page. Perfect chicken isn’t that hard after all!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks Jeremiah! We’re so happy you enjoyed this! :)
I always avoided cooking chicken breasts but this was ‘spot on’. I am making this for a second time and using more spices(ground cumin and onion powder).
Forwarded to some of my friend to try out. Next try will be using jerk spice.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe Kim! Thanks for sharing it with your friends as well! :)
I’m hoping someone will respond. I want to make this tonight. When using high heat like this – dos the oven rack stay in the middle or higher like when you broil something?
FINALLY! THANK YOU! Finally I made a moist chicken breast! Followed the exact receipe and the chicken was moist and flavorful. The chicken was somewhat thick but I flattened until the were the same but I had to cook 5-7 more minutes and checked with therometer.
Thanks so much – this will b my go to for chicken breast from now on.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
You’re so welcome Lisa! We’re happy you enjoyed it! :D
I moved out on my own a year ago this month, and this was one of the first things I learned to cook. I had little to no knowledge on cooking when I moved out. I was so scared because as a girlfriend, your supposed to know how to cook SOMETHING. I looked up baked chicken breasts and I found this! I’ve used it ever since :)
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Good for you Brittany! We’re so glad you love this! :D
Thank you for posting this recipe. It was amazing! Very simple and so delicious!! Like you said it keeps the chicken breast nice and moist. I was unsure about the brine but it made a big difference!! Also loved the rub!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for your sweet words Georgia! We’re so glad to hear you loved this! :)
I am vegetarian, and have recently split up with my husband who cooked non-vegetarian things for himself and my 14 year old son. I was searching for a way to use free range chicken breasts that didn’t involve stir frying, and discovered this! It is the first time I have baked chicken, and it came out so great – thank you so much for this great, easy method.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing with us Amanda — we’re so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! :)
I made this last night and it was amazing. I used way more seasoning, and while my kids complained about it being too spicy, I happened to love it. I think this will be a go-to baked chicken recipe instead of using others that utilize mayo to keep them tender.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re so glad to hear that Jennifer – thanks for sharing with us! :)
I do a lot of meal planning and was ending up with nasty dry chicken… and then I found your magical advice!!! I cook 5 chicken breasts each week like this and it never fails!! However I can never get the beautiful golden brown crust you have in your pictures- I’ve tried butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil as well as more red seasonings like chipotle, paprika, and even a red curry blend I got in India- nothing produced the beautiful crust!! Any tips?
Hey Katie! YAY, I’m glad the method has been magical! :D
Yeah, sometimes mine has more of a crust than others. You can spray it with some cooking spray (or brush with oil) before baking, which will help. Or if you really want the crust and it’s not happening, you could cook the chicken until it’s nearly done, and then pop it under the broiler for a minute or two. That’ll definitely help it get a nice crust. Hope that helps!
If I were to make a big batch and freeze some, what would be the best method to reheat the breasts?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Jennifer! Yes, you should be able to do that. As far as reheating, make sure your chicken is thawed completely (we just thaw ours in the fridge overnight), then reheat in the oven, in a baking dish with a little bit of water. Just make sure their internal temp reads 165. We hope you enjoy!
Great Recipe! My comment; however, …I can never, EVER get my chicken to brown this beautifully. I’ve tried every spice, butter, paprika..etc. Really, what’s the secret???
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks Cynde, we’re glad you like it! :) And yeah, sometimes ours has more of a crust than others. You can spray it with some cooking spray (or brush with oil) before baking, which will help. Or if you really want the crust and it’s not happening, you could cook the chicken until it’s nearly done, and then pop it under the broiler for a minute or two. That’ll definitely help it get a nice crust. We hope that helps!
Hi Gimmeesomeoven! I tried your chicken recipe today and it is the best boneless chicken breasts I have ever cooked!! I have never eaten boneless chicken breasts without needing cranberry sauce due how dry the meat usually is!! They were amazing! Thank you so much and God Bless!!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
What a sweet compliment Nancy — we’re so glad you loved it! :)
This sounds wonderful, so simple too. One question… why do you not add sugar to your brine mixture as most brines use?
I’m making this tonight with mashed broc-o-tatoes and a gouda white wine sauce.
Thank you Haley… you’ve gained a fan!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi there! We just found it didn’t need any sugar. :) This is actually Ali’s recipe and blog though (I just help out with comments). :) And those mashed broc-o-tatoes and gouda white wine sauce sound so incredible – yum!!
Thank you so much for this wonderful and simple recipe!!! It has become a staple in our household. I usually bake 6 breasts at a time, dividing the batch into two dinners. This chicken is amazing as is, pulled apart for chicken tacos or enchiladas, and so many other variations! Thank you! Happy eating!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
You’re so welcome Rachel — we’re happy you and your family enjoy it! :)
Best chicken I’ve ever had in my life! I hate posting comments but this deserved it. I didn’t pound my chicken is the only stray from the recipe and it turned out great. I put on the same amount of seasoning I usually do but the chicken takes in so much flavor that I’ll lighten it way up next time. The seasoning I used was salt pepper and Mikes (found only in Watford City ND) pretty much an all purpose seasoning. Perfect.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you for sharing with us — we’re so happy you love this! :D
I love this simple recipe for chicken beasts that you can use everyday! I’m sure the brining and high temperature roasting with ensure juicy chicken every time :) I can’t wait to try this!
Thanx so much for an awesome method for the ultimate perfectly moist Chicken Breasts. Any more secrets for any other meats??? Have a great night, Patricia
I give this recipe 4 out if 5 stars. It was close to making 5 stars but there’s 2 things about this recipe that needs slight altering. Of course it’s always a matter if preference and taste, but I’m positive most people would also agree that the amount of salt the recipe calls for is definitely too much. Salt is so basic, but so essential for cooking. I would never be without salt in my home. However, as much as I am a fan of salt this chicken was very salty. Don’t get me wrong, it came out delicious and bursting with flavor, but when I make this again in the future I will most definitely be cutting the salt in half for the brine as well as when seasoning the chicken. The second thing that kept this from being 5 stars was the amount if paprika the recipe calls for. I don’t handle spicy foods well. Can’t handle even a little bit if spicy. Too much paprika made this chicken a little on the spicy side. Not too much that I was unable to eat it. I’ll have to make sure I’m by myself when I cook this again, so no one will see me profusely sweating from the spiciness. Lol. It came out super juicy. Overall this turned out delish and I would definitely recommend it to others.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for taking the time to share this with us Karen!
This sounds delicious. I am always needing cooked chicken breasts for recipes (although this sounds yummy enough to eat as is!). I would like to cook a bigger batch and freeze it. How do you freeze these? The last time I froze cooked chicken it got freezer burn, so I did something wrong.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Misty! We would recommend shredding the cooked chicken breasts and then freezing them (they’ll thaw faster), but you can also freeze them whole. To avoid freezer burn, we’d recommend wrapping them really well (and tight) with plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer ziploc bag or a well-sealed container. The more layers of protection you add, the less likely the chicken is to get freezer burn. Just remember to label and date the chicken, and use it within a month or two, ideally a month or less. We hope this helps!
I just finished serving this chicken breast recipe for my husband.
He really loved how tender the chicken was!
What I did different:
I cooked 3 good size chicken breast. I followed all of your suggestions, except I cooked mine in a convection toaster oven that was a hand me down. Lol! I’ve only used this toaster oven to toast bread. It was incredibly juicy and cooked it for 40 mins @ 450°F. I also queezed half of a tangerine with raw honey and 7 mins before letting the chicken rest, I brushed it on both sides of the cooked chicken.
Thank you for sharing this easy, delicious and juicy recipe!
God Bless,
Gina
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing Gina — we’re glad to hear this was a hit, and we think that tangerine juice and raw honey sound super yummy! :)
Gg —
Great recipe! Thanks Gina for toaster convection oven tip. I recently got the b&d toaster convection oven but it didn’t come with ANY recipes or instructions re cooking meats fish etc. Hard to find convection toaster oven recipes online, just toaster oven recipes or air fryer recipes so thx again. Cheers!
Geez… After reading all the positive reviews, I am totally bummed… My chicken came out very dry!!!!! Boo hoo… ??I think the thermometer may not have worked properly and so I wound up leaving it in for 18 min. I also wonder if it’s because I bought the thin sliced breasts so it would not need pounding. Your photo looked like the breasts are much thicker. Can you advise on the thickness ? My electric oven tends to get pretty hot as well
Hope you can help me….would love to get this right!!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Jackie! Oh no, we’re sorry to hear that! It definitely sounds like your chicken breasts were too thin (that explains why they got dried out). You don’t want them to be crazy-thick, but you don’t want to buy them thin. If they look thicker than what you see in the photos, simply take a glass or a mallet and lightly pound them just a tad. We hope this helps and that you can give this recipe another try!
I’m new to cooking but after trying out this amazing method, I can say that I’m a pro at cooking chicken perfectly! Thank you so much for this. My husband is super impressed, and maybe even a little jealous because he always thought he was the best chicken cooker. Love this recipe/method and love this cooking blog!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re so glad you and your husband enjoyed this! And thanks for your sweet words about the blog! :)
Chicken was incredibly tender, tasty and moist! We were very pleased and will certainly have this as one of our favorite
recipes!!!!
Thanks Frances — we’re happy you enjoyed it! :)
I just took the pan of chicken out of the oven…. My breast didn’t get brown? The only thing I didn’t do is
Hi Gayle — the rest of your comment cut off — what didn’t you do?
Oh my goodness, this method of baking chicken breast was FABULOUS!! My baked chicken is normally pretty bland and dry, so this was awesome to come across. I’m a beginner meal planner and am starting my weight loss journey, and this made things so easy and yummy! I added different flavorings to each chicken breast (lemon pepper and cajun) but I loved your mixture as well! Keep the wonderful recipes coming!
Thanks JoElle! We’re so happy you enjoyed this! :)
……pound the chicken breast, they were all about the same size. Otherwise I followed the recipe.
I admit…I was very skeptical about the brine. SO GLAD I tried it!!! The chicken was moist as promised!! Now, I did not add the extra salt to the spice mix (remember, I was skeptical about the brine!!). I probably would not add it in the future either. Didn’t need it. I may even cut back just a bit on the pepper. Everything else….SPOT ON! Wonderful!! I will definitely be making chicken like this again and again. Thanks Ali!!
We’re happy you enjoyed the recipe Estelle! We’re pretty obsessed with this method! :)
I have baked chicken using these steps tons since seeing this, and without fail, it is always delicious! Thank you for changing my baked chicken dinner routine!!
Thanks Brooke — we’re go glad you love this! :D
I don’t normally post comments on anything but this chicken meal was without a doubt one of the best chickens I’ve ever tasted! And I think some praise is deserved for the recipient! highly recommend everyone to make this dish! I give it 99/10!!!!
Thanks Donald — we’re so glad you enjoyed it! :D
We have turned out diet around and I am always looking for new ways to enjoy chicken without too much unnecessary ingredients. This looks so good I am starting my brine now.
Thanks Terry — we hope you enjoy!
Tried this today, best chicken I have ever made, full of flavour(used paprika, salt, pepper, garlic and chilli flakes as seasoning) and it felt like the chicken cut itself before my knife even touched it because it was so tender.
Will enjoy chicken a lot more moving forward so thank you very much for this!
We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed it — thanks for your sweet words! :)
This is exactly how I do my chicken breast. It makes the breast mouthwatering.
This roasted chicken was A-MAZ-ING!! Very juicy and delicious. I brushed my husband’s with butter, as you suggested. I brushed mine with a little chicken broth to save the calories. I seasoned them how I usually do, but followed your steps other than that. They were both juicy and delicious. The butter does add to the overall taste, no doubt, but for anyone looking to save calories, just use a little chicken broth. Thank you so much for sharing this technique. I will probably never stray from this. No more dried chicken breasts!!
Thanks for sharing Becky — we’re so glad you loved the recipe! :D
You were right! I tried this tonight, @ 450, and the chicken turned out moist and delicious! SO easy. Thank you!
Thanks Mari – we’re so glad you liked it! :)
Loved it even the kids who hardly ever like the chicken ate every bite.
That’s awesome to hear Mike — we’re so glad it was a hit (especially with the kiddos)! :)
Ali – do you know if this method is okay if I’m planning to cook, shred and freeze chicken for later use? I only bake my chicken this way now as it comes out FABULOUS every time, but I bought a large quantity that I would like to bake/shred/freeze for dinners after baby arrives. Is this method still good vs. any other method you recommend for not actually eating the baked chicken right away? Thanks again for this fantastic recipe!! :)
Hi Cyndi! Yes, you can totally shred and freeze the chicken after following this method. We’re so glad you’re a fan! :)
I forgot to take a photo…
However, we absolutely loved this chicken recipe!!
I would not change anything, it is perfect!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe Laurie! :)
Absolutely worked for me!! Thanks for passing this along!!
Awesome Deanna — we’re glad you enjoyed the recipe! :)
Like you, I have tried so many different temps, times, and preparations. I was never very satisfied with any of them until I FINALLY came across this page. Perfect chicken isn’t that hard after all!
Thanks Jeremiah! We’re so happy you enjoyed this! :)
Hi,
I always avoided cooking chicken breasts but this was ‘spot on’. I am making this for a second time and using more spices(ground cumin and onion powder).
Forwarded to some of my friend to try out. Next try will be using jerk spice.
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe Kim! Thanks for sharing it with your friends as well! :)
How long would you cook it using tenderloins?
Hi Jen! Tenderloins would should be a bit quicker — maybe 12-14 minutes. We hope you enjoy!
I’m hoping someone will respond. I want to make this tonight. When using high heat like this – dos the oven rack stay in the middle or higher like when you broil something?
I have made this twice and it turned out great each time. It’s easy and I really like the spice combination. Thank you for the recipe!
We’re glad to hear that Cindy! :D
FINALLY! THANK YOU! Finally I made a moist chicken breast! Followed the exact receipe and the chicken was moist and flavorful. The chicken was somewhat thick but I flattened until the were the same but I had to cook 5-7 more minutes and checked with therometer.
Thanks so much – this will b my go to for chicken breast from now on.
You’re so welcome Lisa! We’re happy you enjoyed it! :D
I moved out on my own a year ago this month, and this was one of the first things I learned to cook. I had little to no knowledge on cooking when I moved out. I was so scared because as a girlfriend, your supposed to know how to cook SOMETHING. I looked up baked chicken breasts and I found this! I’ve used it ever since :)
Good for you Brittany! We’re so glad you love this! :D
Thank you for posting this recipe. It was amazing! Very simple and so delicious!! Like you said it keeps the chicken breast nice and moist. I was unsure about the brine but it made a big difference!! Also loved the rub!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
Thanks for your sweet words Georgia! We’re so glad to hear you loved this! :)
Awesome. No more dry chicken breasts and I’ve been working at it for a LOT of years. Thanks!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this Sue! :)
Seriously, the BEST baked chicken EVER!!!!! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Misty — we’re so glad you enjoyed it! :)
I am vegetarian, and have recently split up with my husband who cooked non-vegetarian things for himself and my 14 year old son. I was searching for a way to use free range chicken breasts that didn’t involve stir frying, and discovered this! It is the first time I have baked chicken, and it came out so great – thank you so much for this great, easy method.
Thanks for sharing with us Amanda — we’re so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! :)
I accidentally forgot to rinse but I patted dry…are they going to be bad?
No, not at all! We hope you enjoy the chicken! :)
One Question, covered or uncovered? I can’t find that little detail!
Uncovered. We hope you enjoy!
Amazing!! I’ll never make chicken any other way!! TY
I made this last night and it was amazing. I used way more seasoning, and while my kids complained about it being too spicy, I happened to love it. I think this will be a go-to baked chicken recipe instead of using others that utilize mayo to keep them tender.
We’re so glad to hear that Jennifer – thanks for sharing with us! :)
I do a lot of meal planning and was ending up with nasty dry chicken… and then I found your magical advice!!! I cook 5 chicken breasts each week like this and it never fails!! However I can never get the beautiful golden brown crust you have in your pictures- I’ve tried butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil as well as more red seasonings like chipotle, paprika, and even a red curry blend I got in India- nothing produced the beautiful crust!! Any tips?
Hey Katie! YAY, I’m glad the method has been magical! :D
Yeah, sometimes mine has more of a crust than others. You can spray it with some cooking spray (or brush with oil) before baking, which will help. Or if you really want the crust and it’s not happening, you could cook the chicken until it’s nearly done, and then pop it under the broiler for a minute or two. That’ll definitely help it get a nice crust. Hope that helps!
Do you pound the chicken before or after brining?
Before — we hope you enjoy! :)
If I were to make a big batch and freeze some, what would be the best method to reheat the breasts?
Hi Jennifer! Yes, you should be able to do that. As far as reheating, make sure your chicken is thawed completely (we just thaw ours in the fridge overnight), then reheat in the oven, in a baking dish with a little bit of water. Just make sure their internal temp reads 165. We hope you enjoy!
Great Recipe! My comment; however, …I can never, EVER get my chicken to brown this beautifully. I’ve tried every spice, butter, paprika..etc. Really, what’s the secret???
Thanks Cynde, we’re glad you like it! :) And yeah, sometimes ours has more of a crust than others. You can spray it with some cooking spray (or brush with oil) before baking, which will help. Or if you really want the crust and it’s not happening, you could cook the chicken until it’s nearly done, and then pop it under the broiler for a minute or two. That’ll definitely help it get a nice crust. We hope that helps!
Hi Gimmeesomeoven! I tried your chicken recipe today and it is the best boneless chicken breasts I have ever cooked!! I have never eaten boneless chicken breasts without needing cranberry sauce due how dry the meat usually is!! They were amazing! Thank you so much and God Bless!!
What a sweet compliment Nancy — we’re so glad you loved it! :)
This sounds wonderful, so simple too. One question… why do you not add sugar to your brine mixture as most brines use?
I’m making this tonight with mashed broc-o-tatoes and a gouda white wine sauce.
Thank you Haley… you’ve gained a fan!
Hi there! We just found it didn’t need any sugar. :) This is actually Ali’s recipe and blog though (I just help out with comments). :) And those mashed broc-o-tatoes and gouda white wine sauce sound so incredible – yum!!
You are a genius! Thanks for the tips!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this method Annie! :)
Thank you! So delicious!
Thank you so much for this wonderful and simple recipe!!! It has become a staple in our household. I usually bake 6 breasts at a time, dividing the batch into two dinners. This chicken is amazing as is, pulled apart for chicken tacos or enchiladas, and so many other variations! Thank you! Happy eating!
You’re so welcome Rachel — we’re happy you and your family enjoy it! :)
Best chicken I’ve ever had in my life! I hate posting comments but this deserved it. I didn’t pound my chicken is the only stray from the recipe and it turned out great. I put on the same amount of seasoning I usually do but the chicken takes in so much flavor that I’ll lighten it way up next time. The seasoning I used was salt pepper and Mikes (found only in Watford City ND) pretty much an all purpose seasoning. Perfect.
Thank you for sharing with us — we’re so happy you love this! :D
I love this simple recipe for chicken beasts that you can use everyday! I’m sure the brining and high temperature roasting with ensure juicy chicken every time :) I can’t wait to try this!
Thanks Jessica — we hope you love it! :)
Thanx so much for an awesome method for the ultimate perfectly moist Chicken Breasts. Any more secrets for any other meats??? Have a great night, Patricia
I give this recipe 4 out if 5 stars. It was close to making 5 stars but there’s 2 things about this recipe that needs slight altering. Of course it’s always a matter if preference and taste, but I’m positive most people would also agree that the amount of salt the recipe calls for is definitely too much. Salt is so basic, but so essential for cooking. I would never be without salt in my home. However, as much as I am a fan of salt this chicken was very salty. Don’t get me wrong, it came out delicious and bursting with flavor, but when I make this again in the future I will most definitely be cutting the salt in half for the brine as well as when seasoning the chicken. The second thing that kept this from being 5 stars was the amount if paprika the recipe calls for. I don’t handle spicy foods well. Can’t handle even a little bit if spicy. Too much paprika made this chicken a little on the spicy side. Not too much that I was unable to eat it. I’ll have to make sure I’m by myself when I cook this again, so no one will see me profusely sweating from the spiciness. Lol. It came out super juicy. Overall this turned out delish and I would definitely recommend it to others.
Thanks for taking the time to share this with us Karen!
This sounds delicious. I am always needing cooked chicken breasts for recipes (although this sounds yummy enough to eat as is!). I would like to cook a bigger batch and freeze it. How do you freeze these? The last time I froze cooked chicken it got freezer burn, so I did something wrong.
Hi Misty! We would recommend shredding the cooked chicken breasts and then freezing them (they’ll thaw faster), but you can also freeze them whole. To avoid freezer burn, we’d recommend wrapping them really well (and tight) with plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer ziploc bag or a well-sealed container. The more layers of protection you add, the less likely the chicken is to get freezer burn. Just remember to label and date the chicken, and use it within a month or two, ideally a month or less. We hope this helps!
What if I don’t pound them with a malet? Will it make a huge difference?
They will just take a bit longer to cook, that’s all. We hope this helps!
I just finished serving this chicken breast recipe for my husband.
He really loved how tender the chicken was!
What I did different:
I cooked 3 good size chicken breast. I followed all of your suggestions, except I cooked mine in a convection toaster oven that was a hand me down. Lol! I’ve only used this toaster oven to toast bread. It was incredibly juicy and cooked it for 40 mins @ 450°F. I also queezed half of a tangerine with raw honey and 7 mins before letting the chicken rest, I brushed it on both sides of the cooked chicken.
Thank you for sharing this easy, delicious and juicy recipe!
God Bless,
Gina
Thanks for sharing Gina — we’re glad to hear this was a hit, and we think that tangerine juice and raw honey sound super yummy! :)
Great recipe! Thanks Gina for toaster convection oven tip. I recently got the b&d toaster convection oven but it didn’t come with ANY recipes or instructions re cooking meats fish etc. Hard to find convection toaster oven recipes online, just toaster oven recipes or air fryer recipes so thx again. Cheers!
Geez… After reading all the positive reviews, I am totally bummed… My chicken came out very dry!!!!! Boo hoo… ??I think the thermometer may not have worked properly and so I wound up leaving it in for 18 min. I also wonder if it’s because I bought the thin sliced breasts so it would not need pounding. Your photo looked like the breasts are much thicker. Can you advise on the thickness ? My electric oven tends to get pretty hot as well
Hope you can help me….would love to get this right!!
Hi Jackie! Oh no, we’re sorry to hear that! It definitely sounds like your chicken breasts were too thin (that explains why they got dried out). You don’t want them to be crazy-thick, but you don’t want to buy them thin. If they look thicker than what you see in the photos, simply take a glass or a mallet and lightly pound them just a tad. We hope this helps and that you can give this recipe another try!
I’m new to cooking but after trying out this amazing method, I can say that I’m a pro at cooking chicken perfectly! Thank you so much for this. My husband is super impressed, and maybe even a little jealous because he always thought he was the best chicken cooker. Love this recipe/method and love this cooking blog!
We’re so glad you and your husband enjoyed this! And thanks for your sweet words about the blog! :)
Love the way you explained this recipe (so simple to understand and just a few ingredients make this a must try) and definitely trying this tonight!
Thanks Lindsey, we appreciate that! We hope you enjoy! :)