Baked Chicken Breast

Tender, juicy baked chicken breast seasoned with paprika and garlic powder is one of the easiest ways to cook chicken breast. The chicken comes out perfectly every time making dinner time a breeze.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword Baked chicken breast, baked chicken breast ideas, oven baked chicken breast

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 16

Total Time 21

Servings

Calories 241kcal

Author Alida Ryder

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts the chicken breasts I used were around 5oz/150g each.
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 430°F/220°C.
Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels then place in a baking dish/casserole dish.
Combine the spices in a small bowl.
Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over the chicken then season generously, making sure both sides of the chicken is covered in the seasoning mix.
Place the chicken in the oven and allow to bake for 15-17 minutes, until the outside is golden brown and caramelized and the chicken is cooked on the inside.
Using a meat thermometer is the best bet to making sure your chicken is perfectly cooked. Remove the chicken from the oven when the temperature reads 160°F/70°C on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast.
Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes then serve.

Video

Notes

Be generous with the seasoning. Let's face it, chicken breasts tend to be a little bland. Luckily, they are a very versatile source of protein and can be seasoned with absolutely any seasoning you have and love. Keep it simple by using salt, pepper and garlic powder or go all-out and flavor them with curry powder, cajun seasoning or taco seasoning. Spices like garam masala, chili powder onion powder, cumin, turmeric and coriander and herbs like thyme, sage, rosemary and parsley are all delicious on chicken.
Use high heat. We want the chicken to be caramelized and golden on the outside by the time it's perfectly cooked, juicy and tender on the inside. Therefore, pre-heating your oven to its highest temperature is key. For most domestic ovens, this is in the range of 430°F-480°F/220°C-250°C.
How long should you cook chicken breasts in the oven? At 430°F/220°C, medium chicken breasts should take between 15-17 minutes to cook. I prefer using a meat thermometer (an instant read thermometer works too) to make sure the chicken is cooked to 160°F/70°C before removing from the oven. The FDA recommends cooking chicken to 165°F/73°C but remember that the chicken will continue to cook while it rests and that will result in over-cooked, dry chicken. Taking the chicken out when the internal temperature reaches 160°F/70°C will result in perfectly juicy oven baked chicken breast, every time.
Even them out. If your chicken breasts are very thick on one end and very thin on the other, it's a good idea to even out the thickness with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Even thickness will ensure even cooking.
Allow to rest. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute into the meat. You know when you cut meat and your chopping board has a lot of juice on it? That's because you didn't allow the meat to rest for long enough. All that moisture loss means your chicken will be dry and unpleasant to eat. Resting your chicken breast for at least 5 minutes after cooking will prevent that and your chicken will be tender and juicy.

Nutrition