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Perfectly Baked Chicken Breast

By Amy Flanigan

Updated Jul 13, 2026

Read 146 Reviews

Prep 5 minutes mins

Cook 18 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

By Amy Flanigan

Updated Jul 13, 2026

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This perfectly baked chicken breast recipe is the one you’ll want to keep on repeat. A simple seasoning made with brown sugar, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning coats the chicken in a sweet and savory crust. A hot oven does the rest, and dinner is ready in less than 20 minutes. Pound the chicken to an even thickness first for tender, moist meat all the way through, with no dry edges or overcooked centers. The seasoning caramelizes into a deep golden crust as it bakes, filling your kitchen with a smell that pulls everyone into the kitchen early. It’s become my go-to on busy weeknights when I need something fast, foolproof, and good enough that nobody complains about chicken again.

Helpful Tips

• Pound it to an even thickness. Chicken breasts are naturally thicker on one end than the other, which means the thin end is dry and overdone by the time the thick end catches up. I pound mine to a little more than 3/4-inch all the way across with a meat mallet or rolling pin. You’re not trying to flatten it thin, just even it out. If you’re cooking more than one breast, weigh them too; a 5-ounce breast next to an 8-ounce one will never finish at the same time.
• Bake hot and fast, not low and slow. For years, I baked chicken at 350°F for close to an hour, and it came out dry more often than not. Once I switched to 425°F, everything changed. The higher heat sears the outside quickly, which seals in moisture instead of slowly cooking it out, and it’s what gives you that deep golden, slightly caramelized crust where the brown sugar meets the heat. If your chicken is coming out pale, your oven probably isn’t as hot as it says it is.
• Go by size and temperature, not the clock. A medium 5-6 ounce breast needs about 18-20 minutes; a larger 7-8 ounce breast needs closer to 20-22. But ovens vary, so I always confirm with an instant-read thermometer instead of trusting the timer alone. I pull mine at 162°F, because carryover heat will carry it the rest of the way to a safe 165°F while it rests. This is the difference between juicy chicken and chicken that’s been slightly overcooked just to be safe.
• Let it rest before you cut into it. This is the step people skip when they’re hungry, and it’s the one that matters most. Slice into chicken straight out of the oven, and you’ll watch all those juices run right out onto the cutting board. Give it 5 minutes to rest. You’ll feel it firm up slightly, and the juices redistribute back through the meat, so every bite stays moist instead of the first slice being juicy and the last one dry.

5 from 146

Oven Baked Chicken Breast

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 18 minutes mins

Total: 23 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

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This foolproof, delicious Oven Baked Chicken Breast is coated in a simple, but complex flavorful seasoning mixture, baked to tender and moist perfection in less than 20 minutes!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 (6 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ▢ 1½ Tbsp brown sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1 tsp kosher salt, (cut back to ½ tsp if using table salt)
• ▢ ¾ tsp smoked paprika
• ▢ ¼ tsp pepper
• ▢ ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
• ▢ roasted vegetable and rice pilaf, for serving (or choose your favorites!)

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound each chicken breast to a little more than 3/4-inch at the thickest part. (Make sure your fillets are all the same thickness to ensure even cooking.)
• In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, smoked paprika, pepper, and garlic powder until thoroughly combined.
• Place chicken on the foil; drizzle with the olive oil and massage into the chicken on both sides. Sprinkle with the seasoning, on both sides, coating as much surface area as possible.
• Transfer to the oven and cook for about 18 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 165°F. (Times can vary depending on the size and thickness of the breasts and your oven. I usually pull the chicken out of the oven when it reaches 162°F, then allow it to climb to 165 as it rests on the pan.)
• You want to allow the chicken to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing to lock in the juices.
• Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!

Video

Notes

• Brown sugar is the main ingredient in the seasoning, but spread across 4 servings it works out to a little over a teaspoon of sugar per portion, less than what’s in a tablespoon of ketchup. It mainly helps the crust caramelize rather than making the chicken taste sweet.
• I like my homemade Italian seasoning best, but a store-bought blend is a fine swap. Just check the label, since some store-bought blends add extra salt, which means you may want to dial back the added kosher salt.
• Cooking time depends on size, so uneven breasts finish unevenly. Large breasts (7-8 ounces) need about 20-22 minutes; medium breasts (5-6 ounces) need closer to 18-20 minutes. Confirm doneness with an instant read thermometer rather than the clock.
• Frozen or partially frozen chicken breasts cook unevenly, leaving the outside done while the inside is still undercooked. Thaw fully in the refrigerator before starting.
• This seasoning blend is mild. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the spice mixture if you want more of a kick.
• This same seasoning works well on the grill or in the air fryer, if you’d rather skip the oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 52kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 584mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 194IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

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How to Make Perfectly Baked Chicken Breast Step by Step

Gather the ingredients: Gather all the ingredients together. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with foil.

Pound the chicken: Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the 4 (6 oz) chicken breasts to an even thickness, a little more than 3/4 inch at the thickest part. Chicken breasts are naturally thicker on one end than the other, so evening them out keeps the thin end from drying out before the thick end finishes cooking. The chicken should feel firm and even across the whole breast, with no thick, uneven lump left in the center.

Mix the seasoning: In a small bowl, stir together 1-1/2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp if using table salt), 3/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder until fully combined. The mixture should look like coarse, damp sand once blended, with no dry pockets of any single spice.

Coat the chicken: Place the chicken on the foil-lined pan. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and rub it into both sides of each breast, which gives the seasoning something to cling to instead of sliding right off. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over both sides, pressing gently so it sticks and covering as much surface area as you can. The chicken should look fully coated, with barely any bare spots showing through.

Bake and rest the chicken: Transfer to the oven and bake for about 18 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F at the thickest part. Cooking time will shift depending on the size of your breasts and how hot your oven actually runs, so lean on the thermometer over the clock. Let the chicken rest in the pan for about 5 minutes before slicing. This gives the juices time to redistribute back through the meat instead of spilling out onto the cutting board the moment you cut in.

Serve and enjoy: Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with your favorite sides, like roasted vegetables and rice pilaf. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

This chicken is easy to build a whole dinner around. My go-to, classic pairing is a scoop of rice pilaf alongside roasted vegetables. The rice soaks up any juices from the chicken, and it’s the combination I make most on a regular weeknight.

When I want something lighter or lower-carb, I’ll swap in mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes or rice. It’s just as comforting, but keeps the plate carb-friendly if that’s something your family watches.

For a fast lunch, I like slicing the chicken over a simple green salad. The caramelized seasoning crust brings enough flavor on its own, so you barely need dressing. It’s the easiest way to turn leftovers into a meal that doesn’t feel like leftovers.

How to Store Leftovers

Let the chicken cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezer

Baked chicken breast freezes well, whole or sliced. Wrap tightly or store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating

For the juiciest results, reheat gently rather than blasting it on high. In the microwave, cover the chicken with a damp paper towel and heat in 30-second bursts to keep it from drying out. On the stovetop, warm it in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of chicken broth or water. In the oven, cover with foil and reheat at 350°F until warmed through — the foil traps steam so the chicken doesn’t dry out.

More Fan Favorite Chicken Recipes

• Grilled Chicken Breasts with Herbs and Lemon: Want the same simple, foolproof chicken but with a smoky, char-grilled flavor for warm-weather nights. This one follows the same easy approach with fresh herbs and lemon instead of the sweet spice rub.
• Easy Chicken Salad: Leftover baked chicken breast is the perfect starting point here. Double the baked chicken recipe on a Sunday, and you already have the protein ready for lunch all week.
• Southwestern Chicken Foil Packets: Another fast, hands-off dinner that leans on the same high-heat cooking approach. These foil packets bundle chicken breast with vegetables for an easy, weeknight meal.
• Baked Tuscan Chicken Pasta: When you want to turn simple baked chicken breast into something heartier for a weekend dinner, this creamy Tuscan pasta uses that same tender, juicy chicken as the star of a more indulgent dish.