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To ensure your oven-baked chicken breast is juicy, cook it for a short time at a high temperature, and it will emerge from the oven perfectly cooked.
Baking the chicken for a short time in a hot 450°F oven helps seal the juices, while prolonged cooking in a moderate 350°F oven can dry it out.
Chicken breast is easy. I always have it on hand, and there are countless recipes where I can use it, such as pizza chicken, blackened chicken, and pesto chicken.
But I usually simply bake it in the oven. And when I do, I make sure not to dry it out. The secret? I cook it for a short time at a high temperature. Baking the chicken for 30 minutes at 350°F will yield dry meat. Baking it for 20 minutes at 450°F will result in delightfully juicy chicken.
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- Ingredients
- Variations
- Instructions
- Expert Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- Storing Leftovers
- Using the Leftovers
- More Chicken Breast Recipes
- Foodie Newsletter
- Recipe Card
- Reviews
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Chicken breasts: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe.
- Olive oil: You can use olive oil spray or brush the chicken pieces with olive oil.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and dried oregano.
Variations
- Instead of olive oil, you can brush the chicken pieces with melted butter. It's delicious!
- Experiment with the spices you use. Tasty options that I tried and liked include smoked paprika (instead of paprika), chili powder, cumin, and dried thyme (instead of oregano). You can add ½ teaspoon of each additional spice.
- If your chicken comes in packages of three (as shown in the photo below), you can use the same recipe, increasing the oil and spices by 50%.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
Mix the spices in a small bowl.
Spray or brush the chicken breasts with olive oil.
Sprinkle them with the seasonings.
Bake the chicken breasts uncovered until their internal temperature reaches 165°F. This should take about 20 minutes in a 450°F oven.
Loosely cover them with foil and let them rest, then slice and serve. Look how juicy and perfect the chicken turned out! This is exactly how you want it - fully cooked and white but juicy:
Expert Tips
Chicken Breast Sizes
Many chicken breasts sold in the supermarket are huge. I've seen ones weighing 12 or even 13 ounces! If yours are this big, you will need to cook them for around 30 minutes.
The photo below shows two chicken breasts I got at the grocery store. One weighs 8 ounces, and the other weighs 13 ounces. Just looking at the picture, you can tell that they would need different cooking times:
So check after 20 minutes. If you need to cook them longer, loosely cover them with foil to prevent the tops from burning in the hot oven.
How to Check for Doneness
While you could cut a small slit in the thickest part of the chicken to ensure it's cooked through, the disadvantage is that juices will escape and leave you with drier meat.
That's why the best method to check for doneness is to use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken. Aim for an internal temperature of 165°F.
Recipe FAQs
How do I bake chicken breasts without drying them out?
The secret is to cook them in high heat for a relatively short time. Moderate heat and prolonged cooking time will dry them out.
Another tip is to allow the cooked chicken to rest before cutting it. If you slice into it right away, juices will escape.
Should you cover the chicken with foil?
No, you shouldn't. You want it exposed to the dry heat of the oven. If you cover the chicken, it will steam in its own juices rather than bake. So you should leave it uncovered.
The only exception is if you need to cook it for longer than 20 minutes. In that case, if you notice the top is browning too much, you can protect it by loosely covering it in foil, as shown in the image below.
At what temperature do you bake chicken breasts?
You should bake them in a 450°F oven. High-heat baking for a relatively short time will help them stay moist and juicy and prevent them from drying out.
You have two choices: bake the chicken for 30-40 minutes (depending on its size) in a 350°F oven or for 20-30 minutes in a 450°F oven. I've tried both methods. In my experience, the latter is much better at producing juicy chicken.
How long should I bake them?
Medium, 8-ounce chicken breasts will need about 20 minutes in a 450°F oven. Large, 12-ounce pieces will need around 30 minutes.
The best way to ensure the chicken is done is to use an instant-read thermometer. Aim for an internal temperature of 165°F, as shown in the picture below.
Serving Suggestions
Anything goes with oven-baked chicken breasts. They are incredibly versatile. But because I cook them in a 450°F oven, I like to serve them with a side dish I can bake in the same oven, such as:
- Buffalo cauliflower
- Carrot chips
- Roasted peppers
- Roasted broccoli stalks
- Eggplant chips
- Zucchini pizza bites
- Roasted zucchini
- Roasted yellow squash
- Roasted eggplant
In the photos below, you can see that I used the same oven to bake the chicken and roast peppers and onions:
I then served them for a delicious dinner:
Storing Leftovers
The leftovers can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days or frozen for up to three months.
I like baking several chicken breasts at a time because the leftovers are incredibly versatile. I keep them in a glass food storage container, as shown in the image below:
Using the Leftovers
If you'd like to reheat the leftovers, do so gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power.
However, the leftovers can easily dry out when reheated, so I typically use them cold. They are perfect as a topping for a salad such as arugula salad, Cobb salad, or the simple salad shown in the photo below of baby spinach, tomatoes, red onions, and shaved parmesan:
Apart from using the leftovers in salads, I use them in many recipes. Here are a few ideas:
- Stuffed poblano peppers
- Enchilada casserole
- Chinese chicken salad
- Chicken chili
- Chicken patties
- Moo shu chicken
More Chicken Breast Recipes
- Broiled Chicken Breast
- Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breast
- Blackened Chicken
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Recipe Card
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Oven-Baked Chicken Breast
To ensure youroven-baked chicken breastis juicy, cook it for a short time at a high temperature, and it will emerge from the oven perfectly cooked.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Rest time5 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 252kcal
Author: Vered DeLeeuw
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts 8 ounces each
- Olive oil cooking spray
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking dish with foil or lightly grease it.
Generously spray or brush both sides of each chicken breast with olive oil.
Sprinkle the chicken with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and dried oregano.
Bake the chicken, uncovered, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. The center of the chicken pieces should be white and opaque.
Transfer the chicken to a platter. Loosely cover it with foil and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Video
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Notes
- If your chicken pieces are much larger than 8 ounces, you will need to bake them for around 30 minutes. So check after 20 minutes, and if you do need to bake them for longer, loosely cover them with foil to prevent the tops from burning.
- The best way to ensure the chicken is done is to use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part. Aim for an internal temperature of 165°F.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to four days. You can also freeze them for up to three months. If you'd like to reheat the leftovers, do so gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. However, the leftovers can easily dry out when reheated, so I typically use them cold. They make a perfect salad topping and can also be used in many recipes.
Nutrition per Serving
Serving: 1 chicken breast | Calories: 252 kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.7 g | Protein: 52 g | Fat: 5 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Sodium: 406 mg | Fiber: 0.2 g
About the Author
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. Click to learn more about Vered.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Cathy
Great and simple recipe! So easy to make and only 20 minutes to cook. The chicken was delicious. Thank you!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Cathy! Thanks for the review.
Reply
Michael W
Been on a diet and wanted a simple chicken recipe. This is perfect, the high temp and and spices made it great for sliced chicken with a leafy green salad with hard boiled eggs. Thanks!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Michael! I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. I appreciate it.
Reply
Ms Vicky
I am trying this recipe for the first time tonight but I tripled the recipe. This way I can vacuum seal all the leftovers and pop them in the freezer for future quick meals. I plan on cooking for the recommended 20 mins (for two breasts), then foiling the pan lightly and checking every ten minutes or so until they reach the safe internal temp of 165 degrees. I can't wait!
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Sounds like a great plan! Thanks for sharing, Ms. Vicky.
Reply
