Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are baked to perfection in the oven. With a simple seasoning blend and a little help from a secret step, these chicken breasts come out tender, juicy and so delicious.
Whether you’re a seasoned cook or an amateur in the kitchen, this recipe is a foolproof way to get chicken breasts that come out flavorful and juicy every time. No searing on the stovetop required.
Ingredients & Equipment
The main ingredient in this recipe is boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
To season the chicken we’re going to use brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, and Italian seasoning. This magical combination turns a plain chicken breast into a meal that bursts with flavor!
For our secret step, we’re going to brine the chicken! For the brine you’ll need water and salt.
We’re also going to brush the chicken with a light layer of olive oil. This helps the seasonings stick and gives the chicken a slightly crisp outer layer.
You don’t need any fancy equipment to make this recipe. Just grab a baking sheet and two bowls: one large bowl for brining the chicken and one small bowl for mixing the seasoning. An instant-read thermometer is also necessary to get perfectly cooked chicken.
How does brining work?
If you’ve never brined meat before, it’s super simple: you submerge the meat in a solution of salt and water and let it sit for a while before cooking. Here’s what brining does…
Moisture Retention: The salt in the brine solution helps the chicken absorb water. As the chicken sits in the brine, it pulls in moisture, which makes the meat juicier when cooked. Even after cooking, the chicken retains more moisture, preventing it from drying out.
Flavor Enhancement: Along with water, the chicken also absorbs some of the salt and any other seasonings in the brine. This infuses the meat with flavor from the inside out, making it more flavorful than seasoning just the surface.
Tenderization: The salt in the brine also helps break down some of the muscle fibers in the chicken, making it more tender.
Ever wonder why restaurant chicken is always so good? They brine it first!
Preparation
We’re going to start by brining the chicken. Add the water and salt to a large bowl or container and mix for about 30 seconds to dissolve the salt. It’s okay if there are still some visible salt crystals in the solution after you mix. Add the chicken to the brining solution, cover the container, and place it in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours.
How long to brine chicken breasts?
The ideal amount of time to brine boneless, skinless chicken breasts depends on the brine itself and the thickness of the chicken breasts. However, a general guideline is:
- Minimum Time: 15-30 minutes. This is enough time for the chicken to start absorbing moisture and flavor.
- Ideal Time: 1-2 hours. This allows the chicken breasts to fully benefit from the brine, ensuring they are juicy, flavorful, and tender.
- Maximum Time: 4 hours. Beyond this, the chicken can start to become overly salty, and the texture may break down too much, leading to a mushy texture.
For most purposes, aiming for 1-2 hours is the sweet spot for brining boneless, skinless chicken breasts. This provides the best balance of flavor, moisture retention, and texture without over-brining.
While the chicken is brining, we’re going to make our seasoning mixture. Simply add the brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and pepper to a bowl and mix until evenly combined.
Once the chicken breasts are done brining, preheat your oven to 425℉. Pat your chicken dry with a paper towel. Drizzle the olive on top and use your hand to rub it in on both sides, then sprinkle the seasoning mix on both sides.
And that’s it, your chicken is ready for the oven.
Cooking
Now that the prep is done, it’s time to let the oven do the rest of the work. Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and bake for 16-20 minutes. The cook time may vary depending on the size of your chicken breasts. To test them for doneness, use a meat thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature is 160℉.
Once the chicken comes out of the oven, let it rest for at least 5-10 minutes. It will continue to cook with the internal temperature reaching 165°F without overcooking the chicken.
Serving
Oven baked chicken breast is so versatile and can be served any number of ways. You can get creative with how you serve it, almost anything will work! Here are some sides that I like to pair with this dish:
- Roasted potatoes
- Roasted broccoli
- A simple salad
- Rice
- Green beans
- Asparagus
Storage & Reheating
Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat it, pop it back in the oven at 350℉ for 10-12 minutes, until heated through.
PrintRecipe
Best Damn Oven Baked Chicken Breasts
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
Description
Mouthwatering, juicy, and tender boneless, skinless chicken breasts are brined, seasoned, and baked to perfection in your oven.
Ingredients
- 3 cups water, warm
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 8oz each)
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Add the water and salt to a large bowl or container. Mix until the salt is dissolved.
- Place the chicken breasts in the bowl, completely submerging in the brining solution. Cover and place it in the fridge to let the chicken brine for 1 – 2 hours.
- While the chicken is brining, make the seasoning mixture. Add the paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and pepper to a small bowl and mix the combine.
- At the end of the brining time, preheat the oven to 425℉.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the brining solution and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Use a ziptop bag or a bowl and coat the chicken with the oil and the seasonings. Be sure to get the chicken breasts well coated with the seasoning.
- Place the chicken on a sheet pan or baking dish and bake for 16-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes. The carryover cooking will bring the chicken to 165°F without overcooking.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 18 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Jeweleahg says
Excellent, very moist delicious flavor!
Kat says
Best darn chicken breast I ever cooked @@
Pat says
Absolutely the best way to oven roast chicken breast. You CANNOT go wrong if you follow these instructions. Just YUM! By the way…great over salad greens!
Deanna says
Title for this recipe is exactly what it is! Absolutely the best!!