Oven Baked Chicken Breast (Printable)

Tender, juicy chicken breasts seasoned and baked to golden perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6 to 8 ounces each

→ Seasoning

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
05 - 1 teaspoon paprika, smoked or sweet
06 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

09 - Lemon slices, optional
10 - Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped, optional

→ Simple Marinade

11 - 1/4 cup olive oil, optional
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, optional
13 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce, optional
14 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, optional
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, optional
16 - 1 clove garlic, minced, optional
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, optional

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a baking dish.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Place between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and gently pound to even thickness of approximately 3/4 inch using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
03 - In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper until evenly mixed.
04 - Rub seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken breast. For enhanced flavor, marinate in the simple marinade for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator, then pat dry before proceeding.
05 - Place seasoned chicken breasts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they do not overlap or touch.
06 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F internal temperature.
07 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh herbs if desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It turns out perfectly juicy every single time once you know the thickness trick.
  • You can season it a hundred different ways and it never gets boring.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day in wraps, grain bowls, or straight from the fridge at midnight.
02 -
  • Pounding the chicken to an even thickness is non negotiable if you want it to cook through without drying out the edges.
  • Resting the meat after baking is what keeps all that moisture locked inside instead of pooling on your cutting board.
03 -
  • Use an instant read thermometer instead of guessing, it's the difference between juicy and dry every single time.
  • If your chicken breasts are especially thick, tent them loosely with foil halfway through baking to prevent the tops from browning too fast.
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