Baked Chicken Breast, Reliably Juicy Weeknight Recipe

Name: Juicy Baked Chicken Breast
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (8 ounces each); Olive oil cooking spray; 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground); 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon paprika; 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

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To make sure your baked chicken breast is juicy, cook it for a short time at a high temperature. Baking it for a short time in a hot 450°F oven helps seal the juices, while prolonged cooking in a moderate 350°F oven can dry it out.

Three baked chicken breasts in a white baking dish.

Chicken breast is easy. I always have it on hand, and there are countless recipes for it. But I usually simply bake it in the oven, making sure not to dry it out. The secret? I cook it for a short time at a high temperature. Baking the chicken for 30 minutes at 350°F will yield dry meat. Baking it for 20 minutes at 450°F will result in delightfully juicy chicken.

Ingredients

Here's an overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.

Chicken breasts: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Here's a recipe for skin-on chicken breast if that's what you have.
Olive oil: You can use olive oil spray or brush the chicken pieces with olive oil.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and dried oregano.

Variations

Instead of olive oil, you can brush the chicken pieces with melted butter. It's delicious!
Experiment with the spices you use. Tasty options include smoked paprika (instead of paprika), chili powder, cumin, and dried thyme (instead of oregano). You can add ½ teaspoon of each additional spice.
If your chicken comes in packages of three (as shown in the photo below), you can use the same recipe, increasing the oil and spices by 50%.

Instructions

Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:

Mix the spices in a small bowl. Spray or brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them with the seasonings.

Two raw chicken breasts coated with spices.

Bake the chicken breasts uncovered until their internal temperature reaches 165°F. This should take about 20 minutes in a 450°F oven.

A thermometer inserted into a chicken breast showing an internal temperature of 165°F.

Loosely cover them with foil and let them rest, then slice and serve. Look how juicy and perfect the chicken turned out! This is exactly how you want it - fully cooked and white but juicy:

A baked chicken breast sliced to show how juicy it is.

Been on a diet and wanted a simple chicken recipe. This is perfect, the high temp and and spices made it great for sliced chicken with a leafy green salad with hard boiled eggs. Thanks!
Michael W
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Recipe Tips

Chicken Breast Sizes

Many chicken breasts sold in the supermarket are huge. I've seen ones weighing 12 or even 13 ounces! If yours are this big, you will need to cook them for around 30 minutes.

The photo below shows two chicken breasts I got at the grocery store. One weighs 8 ounces, and the other weighs 13 ounces. Just looking at the picture, you can tell they would need different cooking times:

A large and a small chicken breast on a white plate.

So check after 20 minutes. If you need to cook them longer, loosely cover them with foil to prevent the tops from burning in the hot oven.

How to Check for Doneness

You could cut a small slit in the thickest part of the chicken to make sure it's cooked through, but juices will escape and leave you with drier meat. The best method to check for doneness is to use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken. Aim for an internal temperature of 165°F, as shown in the photo below.

Checking baked chicken breast for doneness with a thermometer.

Recipe FAQs

How do I bake chicken breasts without drying them out?

The secret is to cook them at high heat for a relatively short time. Moderate heat and prolonged cooking time will dry them out. Another tip is to allow the cooked chicken to rest before cutting it. If you slice into it right away, juices will escape.

Should you cover the chicken with foil?

No, you shouldn't. You want it exposed to the dry heat of the oven. If you cover the chicken, it will steam in its own juices rather than bake.

However, if it's a large piece that needs more than 20 minutes in the oven, it's a good idea to loosely cover it in foil to prevent the top from burning, as shown in the image below.

At what temperature do you bake chicken breasts?

Bake them in a 450°F oven. High-heat baking for a relatively short time will keep them moist and juicy. You have two choices: bake the chicken for 30-40 minutes (depending on its size) in a 350°F oven or for 20-30 minutes in a 450°F oven. In my experience, the second method is much better at producing juicy chicken.

How long should I bake the chicken?

Medium, 8-ounce chicken breasts will need about 20 minutes in a 450°F oven. Large, 12-ounce pieces will need around 30 minutes. The best way to make sure the chicken is done is to use an instant-read thermometer. Aim for an internal temperature of 165°F, as shown in the picture below.

Serving Suggestions

Anything goes with baked chicken breast! It's incredibly versatile. But I cook the chicken in a 450°F oven, so I like to serve it with a side dish I can bake in the same oven, such as:

In the photo below, you can see I used the same oven to bake the chicken and roast peppers and onions:

Baking chicken breasts and veggies at the same time.

I then served them for a delicious dinner:

A baked chicken breast is served on a white plate with roasted peppers and onions.

Storing and Using Leftovers

The leftovers can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days or frozen for up to three months. I like baking several chicken breasts at a time because the leftovers are incredibly versatile.

If you'd like to reheat the leftovers, do so gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. However, the leftovers can dry out when reheated, so I typically use them cold. They are the perfect topping for a salad such as arugula salad, Cobb salad, or the simple salad shown in the photo below of baby spinach, tomatoes, red onions, and shaved parmesan:

A salad topped with leftover baked chicken breast.

Apart from using the leftovers in salads, I use them in many recipes. Here are a few ideas:

Recipe Card

Three oven-baked chicken breasts in a white baking dish.

5 from 39 votes

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Juicy Baked Chicken Breast

To make sure your baked chicken breast is juicy, cook it for a short time at a high temperature, and it will emerge from the oven perfectly cooked.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Rest time5

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 252kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

Video

Ingredients

▢ 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts - 8 ounces each
▢ Olive oil cooking spray
▢ ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper - freshly ground
▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
▢ ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking dish with foil or lightly grease it.
Generously spray or brush both sides of each chicken breast with olive oil.
Sprinkle the chicken with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and dried oregano.
Bake the chicken, uncovered, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. The center of the chicken pieces should be white and opaque.
Transfer the chicken to a platter. Loosely cover it with foil and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

If your chicken pieces are much larger than 8 ounces, you will need to bake them for around 30 minutes. So check after 20 minutes, and if you do need to bake them for longer, loosely cover them with foil to prevent the tops from burning.
The best way to make sure the chicken is done is to use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part. Aim for an internal temperature of 165°F.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. You can also freeze them for up to three months. If you'd like to reheat the leftovers, do so gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. The leftovers can easily dry out when reheated, so I typically use them cold. They make the perfect salad topping.

Nutrition per Serving

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Disclaimers

Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.

Juicy Baked Chicken Breast

Ingredients

Variations

Instructions