Oven Baked Chicken Breast

uncut whole seasoned baked chicken breast on plate

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Oven Baked Chicken Breast

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!

Prep Time5

Cook Time18

Total Time23

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked chicken breast, baked chicken breast recipe

Servings: servings

Ingredients

4 (6 oz.) 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.

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