My Favorite Oven-Baked Chicken Recipe (Chicken Breasts Recipe) This recipe never lets me down! Thanks to a simple 5-step method, it’s easy to prepare and customize with your favorite seasonings for a delicious meal.
A few weeks ago on Instagram, I asked if you’d be interested in a back-to-basics series about the best ways to bake different proteins—like chicken, pork, steak, seafood, tofu, and more. The response? An overwhelming yes! Many of you shared your questions and stories about cooking proteins, including those times things didn’t go quite as planned. Trust me, I get it. My kitchen has seen its share of overcooked steaks, dry pork chops, salmon skin stuck to pans, and tofu that just wouldn’t crisp up—none of which are fun, especially since proteins can be expensive and often saved for special meals.
But that’s part of the learning journey. After plenty of trial and error, I’ve developed a handful of reliable and delicious baking methods that have become kitchen favorites. Over the next two weeks, I’ll walk through each one with you, starting today with the most requested protein here on Gimme Some Oven: baked chicken, specifically, chicken breasts.
Over time, I’ve gotten countless requests for new chicken breast recipes and tips on how to bake them perfectly. Anyone who’s worked with chicken breasts knows they’re incredibly versatile but can be tricky—bake them wrong, and you risk dry, rubbery, tough, and bland results. But bake them right, and you get juicy, tender, flavorful chicken breasts that you’ll absolutely love.
The best part? This method is super simple and easily adaptable with your favorite spices or sauces. Thousands of readers have tried it and said it changed the way they cook chicken forever.
So, if you haven’t tried it yet, let’s make some perfectly baked chicken breasts together!
Baked Chicken Breast Ingredients
What You’ll Need for This Baked Chicken Breasts Recipe
- Cooking thermometer (highly recommended): If you bake chicken or other proteins regularly, having an instant-read cooking thermometer is invaluable. It’s the most reliable way to make sure your chicken is cooked perfectly—not undercooked or overdone. I personally recommend using one such thermometer (specific models can be linked or suggested as per your choice).
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Fresh chicken breasts are ideal (my personal favorite), but you can also use frozen ones—just make sure they are fully thawed before cooking. Some chicken may come pre-brined, in which case you can skip the first step below.
- Butter or olive oil: Either works great! Butter adds a rich flavor, while olive oil is a healthy and flavorful alternative.
- Kosher salt: An essential ingredient for the brine, and we’ll also use it to season the chicken before baking.
- Seasonings: The recipe below uses a simple all-purpose blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper, which pairs well with almost any flavor profile. Feel free to swap in your favorite dry seasoning mix.
Cooking thermometer (highly recommended): If you bake chicken or other proteins regularly, having an instant-read cooking thermometer is invaluable. It’s the most reliable way to make sure your chicken is cooked perfectly—not undercooked or overdone. I personally recommend using one such thermometer (specific models can be linked or suggested as per your choice).
- 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 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.
- Rest
- Brine
- Brush
- Rub
- Roast
Brine (Step 1)
Brining is an essential step when baking chicken breasts in the oven. It’s simple, quick, and makes your chicken extra juicy—best of all, it only takes about 15 minutes!
To brine the chicken, start by filling a large bowl halfway with lukewarm water. Stir in a handful of salt until it mostly dissolves. Next, add ice cubes or cold water to cool the brine until it feels cool to the touch. Place your chicken breasts into the saltwater and let them soak for at least 15 minutes.
If you plan ahead, you can cover the bowl and refrigerate it for up to 6 hours. Avoid brining for much longer than that to keep the best texture.
When ready, remove the chicken from the brine, rinse it well under cold water to wash away excess salt, and pat it dry thoroughly with paper towels. And just like that—your chicken is perfectly brined!
Don’t skip this step—it truly makes a huge difference in the juiciness and flavor of your chicken.
Note: Some store-bought chicken breasts come pre-brined. So, check the packaging before starting. If your chicken is already pre-brined, you can skip this step and jump straight to Step 2. 🙂
Brush (Step 2)
Brush the chicken breasts generously with melted butter. I highly recommend using butter because it adds wonderful flavor and helps create a beautiful golden crust on the outside. If you prefer, you can substitute olive oil or any other cooking oil of your choice.
Make sure to coat both sides of the chicken breasts well. This not only prevents the chicken from sticking to the pan but also helps the seasonings adhere better. After brushing, place the chicken breasts in a large baking dish or roasting pan.
Rub (Step 3)
If you want to keep things very simple, you can just season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. However, chicken readily absorbs the flavors of whatever you add, so even for a basic dish, I recommend using a straightforward seasoning blend.
My go-to simple chicken seasoning includes salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. This mix adds plenty of flavor without overpowering the natural taste of the chicken.
I prefer roasting my chicken breasts at a high temperature.
Depending on the thickness and size of your chicken breasts, roasting them at 450°F usually takes about 15 to 18 minutes. This method is quick and simple, but what I especially love is how the high heat creates a crispy, golden crust on the outside. This crust helps seal in the juices, keeping the chicken perfectly tender and moist inside. It truly gives you the best of both worlds—crispy on the outside and juicy within.
I strongly recommend using a small instant-read cooking thermometer to check the internal temperature, so you know exactly when your chicken is done. The FDA advises that chicken should reach a safe internal temperature of 165°F. Using a thermometer is much better than cutting into the meat and letting those precious juices escape. Personally, I use an instant-read thermometer that provides an accurate temperature reading in just seconds.
Rest (Step 5)
This step is absolutely crucial—don’t skip it! Always allow your perfectly baked chicken breasts to rest for a few minutes before slicing. This advice applies to all cooked meats. Cutting into the chicken immediately causes the flavorful juices to spill out, leaving the meat drier and less tender than desired. Letting your chicken rest lets it finish cooking gently and seals in those precious juices, giving you tender, juicy, and delicious results every time.
I suggest loosely covering the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil to retain the heat while the chicken rests. After 5 to 10 minutes, your perfectly cooked chicken breasts will be ready to serve and enjoy.
And enjoy every last bite. ♡
Ways To Use Baked Chicken Breasts
Some of My Favorite Ways to Enjoy Baked Chicken Breasts
With Roasted Vegetables: Use your oven to multitask by roasting vegetables alongside the chicken. Roasted asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, mushrooms, potatoes, or zucchini all make delicious and healthy sides!
Sliced Over Salads or Grain Bowls: Top your favorite salad or grain bowl with sliced baked chicken. Great choices include Caesar salad, everyday green salad, or the tasty sweet potato avocado kale salad with chipotle tahini dressing.
Added to Soups: Shred leftover baked chicken to add extra protein to soups and chilies like chicken noodle soup, white chicken chili, or ginger scallion chicken soup.
Mixed into Pasta or Noodles: Dice or slice the chicken and toss it with your preferred pasta or noodle dishes such as fettuccine alfredo, spaghetti marinara, peanut noodles, or chow mein.
Stuffed in Tacos or Enchiladas: Use shredded or diced chicken as the filling for flavorful tacos or enchiladas—try easy chicken tinga tacos or classic chicken enchiladas for inspiration.
Wrapped in Tortillas or Pitas: Slice the chicken and tuck it inside wraps or pitas, like in chicken souvlaki, for a quick, tasty meal.
Baked into Casseroles: Incorporate shredded or diced chicken into casseroles such as broccoli chicken casserole or chicken enchilada casserole for comforting family dinners.
Stirred into Dips: Mix shredded baked chicken into delicious dips like buffalo chicken dip or spinach artichoke dip for crowd-pleasing appetizers.
How To Store Baked Chicken Breasts
After baking, store the chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the chicken for up to 3 months. To make it easier to use later, I recommend shredding, dicing, or slicing the chicken before freezing.
