Baked Chicken Breast

Say goodbye to bland and boring chicken. These baked chicken breasts are juicy, tender, and perfectly seasoned – and they’re so easy to make!

Oven Baked Chicken Breasts on a wooden board

Flavor: Perfectly seasoned and juicy, oven-baked chicken is an easy go-to anytime. This chicken pairs well with almost any side dish.
Skill level: Season, bake, and serve with only one dish to wash.
Prep note: Double the recipe and meal prep to use all week long.
Recommended tools: An inexpensive meat thermometer is my number one kitchen recommendation for perfect proteins, especially chicken.

chicken , oil , paprika , italian seasoning , seasoned salt , pepper with labels to make Oven Baked Chicken Breasts

Ingredient Tips For Baked Chicken Breasts

Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are similar in size so they cook evenly. In this recipe, I use 5-7 oz breasts.
Oil: Olive oil helps the seasonings stick and helps with browning. Any light tasting oil can be used.
Seasonings: In the recipe below, I use a simple seasoning mixture; you can use your favorite purchased mixture or a blend from your spice cabinet.

Seasonings For Chicken Breasts

This chicken is versatile, you can use your favorite seasoning blends like Greek Seasoning, Cajun Seasoning, or a simple lemon pepper blend.

Make it a meal: Add whole mushrooms, thinly sliced onions, sliced zucchini, and strips of colorful bell peppers to the sheet pan and bake up an instant veggie side dish.

adding seasonings to chicken to make Oven Baked Chicken Breasts

seasoned chicken on a sheet pan to make Oven Baked Chicken Breasts

Tips for Juicy Chicken

Cooking time: My number one tip is to ensure the chicken isn’t overcooked, as it’s very lean. Using a meat thermometer, cook to 165°F.
Cooking temp: I cook at a high temperature to get nice browning on the outside while keeping the meat tender. Bake chicken breasts at 400°F for 21 to 26 minutes.
Rest time: Let the meat rest after cooking to allow the juices to recirculate back into the meat, keeping it extra juicy.

tender Oven Baked Chicken Breasts on a sheet pan

Serving Suggestions

This baked chicken breast recipe pairs with almost anything from Oven Roasted Potatoes to Seasoned Rice! They’re perfect served as is, over a simple tossed salad, or for meal prep all week.

Leftover Chicken Breasts/Meal Prep

Store leftover baked chicken breasts in an airtight, covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Chicken can be sliced or chopped and frozen for meal prep.

Enjoy cold chicken on a cobb salad, or in a chicken salad. Reheat leftovers in the microwave, in a pan on the stovetop, or wrapped in foil in the oven. Add chicken to a baked mac and cheese or chicken pot pie.

More Chicken Breast Recipes

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Baked chicken breasts are a simple and delicous – they’re perfect for dinner or meal prep!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes

Resting time 5 minutes

Total Time 32 minutes

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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a rimmed baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, combine chicken breasts, olive oil, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, paprika, and black pepper. Mix well to coat.
Transfer the chicken to the prepared pan and bake uncovered for 21 to 26 minutes or until the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Transfer to a plate or cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Cut into slices and drizzle with the juices.

Smaller chicken breasts will take closer to 21 minutes, larger chicken breasts will take closer to 26 minutes. For best results, use an instant read thermometer.
Chicken breasts can vary in size from 5 oz to 10 oz. The cooking time listed is for average-sized boneless breasts, 5oz to 7oz each.
If the chicken breasts are very thick on one end, pound with a meat mallet to a more even thickness.
Store chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven, on the stovetop in a pan, or in the microwave. Or, chicken breast can be added to soups, salads, or casseroles!

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Chicken, Dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine American

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