Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breasts

This juicy oven baked chicken breast recipe is the perfect method for making moist, flavorful chicken breasts in the oven! The method is simple and the chicken is ready in just 20 minutes.

Pretty picky about chicken, to be honest.

Look, I don’t want dry chicken. Been there, done that, so sick of it.

But also I don’t want to spend a bunch of time overthinking or messing with a bunch of complicated techniques. I just want juicy chicken breasts in the oven and I don’t want it be fussy or confusing. You know?

I’ve perfected baked chicken breasts over the years and by perfected, I do mean these are perfect.

Just five minutes of prep, a simple seasoning blend (that you can swap for whatever you like), and a quick pop in the oven.

We top these off with little pats of butter after baking for 2 reasons. 1.) Hi, butter. Enough said. But also, 2.) it melts over the chicken, combines with the juices in the pan, and makes a nice little saucy sauce to drizzle over the chicken when you’re serving.

♥ What We Love About This Recipe:

It’s ready in 20 minutes. From prep to plate, you’re looking at 20 minutes, most of which is hands off in the oven.

It’s actually juicy. Even thickness, a hot oven, and a butter-pat topping means your chicken is moist, flavorful, and just plain good.

It’s endlessly customizable. Keep the seasoning blend as is, or swap it for taco seasoning, my BBQ dry rub, or your favorite Greek blend. The method stays exactly the same, but you don’t get tired of the same old chicken.

Ingredient Notes:

Chicken Breasts – You can purchase thin-sliced breasts or you can grab the regular ones and slice them or pount them out yourself.

Seasoning – We use a simple mix brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, a little Italian seaoning, and some salt and pepper. A classic for a reason! You can feel free to swap this with whatever blend you have on hand. You’ll want around 2 tablespoons of seasoning, depending on how salty your blend is.

Butter – You’ll place pats of butter over the baked chicken to melt over it and ensure you have juicy, flavorful chicken.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Step by Step Instructions:

Spice Mix – Stir together all of the spices.

Season the Chicken – Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and then coat them in that spice mix.

Bake – Pop the sheet pan in the oven for 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken.

Butter Bath – Lay pats of butter over each chicken breast and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

How Long to Bake Chicken Breasts:

Cook time depends on how thick your chicken breasts are, so here’s a quick reference for baking at 425°F:

• ¼ inch thick cutlets: 8 to 10 minutes
• ½ inch thick cutlets: 10 to 12 minutes
• ¾ inch thick cutlets: 12 to 15 minutes

Serving Ideas:

This chicken is seasoned with an all-purpose mix, so it plays nice with just about anything you’ve already got planned for dinner.

• Slice it up and turn it into a wrap or sandwich.
• Top a big green salad with this chicken + a drizzle of my homemade Italian dressing.
• Serve it next to mashed potatoes and green beans for a simple weeknight dinner.
• Dice it up for meal prep bowls with my Instant Pot jasmine rice and veggies.

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