Baked Chicken Breast
Tender and full flavoured, our simple and easy baked chicken breast recipe uses skinless and boneless chicken breasts baked in the oven until golden and caramelised. For extra flavour, garlic butter mixes through the cooked pan juices to serve your chicken drizzled in the best sauce!
Baked chicken breast is a simple and healthy way to cook chicken. To make it, season the chicken breast with salt, pepper, and any other herbs or spices you like. Then, place it in a baking dish and bake it in a preheated oven at 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breast. It’s also important to check the internal temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer to ensure that it’s fully cooked and safe to eat.
Baked Chicken Breast
TIME
Large chicken breasts (7oz or 200g) take about 20-22 minutes to cook. Medium-sized breasts (5 – 6oz or 150 – 180g) take about 18-20 minutes. You also have the option of throwing on your broiler in the last 2 minutes to get crispier edges!
Cooking them at high heat ensures the crispy, caramelised edges, while keeping your chicken super juicy on the inside. Once the chicken is golden and caramelised, it’s cooked! Let it rest for about 5 minutes to recirculate all of those natural juices through the meat.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, (or thyme, parsley, rosemary)
- 1 teaspoon salt, (use
- seasoned salt, Adobo or
- chicken salt for extra flavour)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, (or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper) — optional for a kick of heat
- 4 large chicken breasts (7oz | 200g each)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
OPTIONAL: - 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 425°F | 220°C (standard ovens) or 390°F | 200°C (fan forced or convection ovens).
- Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound each chicken breast to 0.8-inch | 2cm at the thickest part. Make sure your fillets are all the same thickness to ensure even cooking.
- Combine sugar, paprika, oregano, salt, powders, pepper and chili (if using).
- Line a baking pan with aluminnium foil (or parchment/baking paper).
- Transfer chicken to the pan and toss chicken in the seasoning. Drizzle with the oil and rub seasoning all over to evenly coat.
- Bake chicken in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165°F (75°C) using a meat thermometer. It should be golden with crisp edges.*
- Remove parchment paper. Broil (grill) on high heat during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking until golden and crisp.
Remove pan from oven, transfer chicken to serving plates and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. - OPTIONAL STEP: While chicken is in the oven, melt butter in a small skillet. Sauté garlic until fragrant (30 seconds), and remove pan from heat. Stir in parsley, then pour butter mixture into pan juices, stirring well to combine all of the flavours together.
- To serve, drizzle pan juices over the chicken and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
A chicken breast fillet, also known as a boneless and skinless chicken breast, is a cut of chicken that has been trimmed of the bones and skin. It is a versatile cut of meat that can be cooked in a variety of ways, such as grilling, sautéing, pan-frying, roasting, or baking.
Due to the lack of bones and skin, chicken breast fillet tend to be leaner and drier than other cuts of chicken, therefore, it is often recommended to marinade or season the meat before cooking to add moisture and flavor to it. Additionally, it is advisable to cook chicken breast fillet at lower temperature to avoid over-cooking the meat and to keep it juicy and moist.
Chicken breast fillet are usually sliced into smaller piece or pounded to even thickness to cook more evenly. They are also a great source of protein, making them a popular choice for salads, sandwiches, pasta, and stir-fry dishes.