Oven Baked Chicken Breasts (Print View)
Herb-crusted, juicy oven-baked chicken breasts ready in 35 minutes for a healthy weeknight dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 5–6 oz each
→ Seasoning Blend
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp garlic powder
04 - 1 tsp paprika
05 - 1 tsp dried Italian herb blend (oregano, basil, thyme)
06 - ½ tsp onion powder
07 - ½ tsp salt
08 - ¼ tsp black pepper
→ Optional Garnish
09 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
10 - Lemon wedges for serving
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease the surface.
02 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, Italian herbs, onion powder, salt, and black pepper into a uniform paste.
04 - Rub the seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken breast, ensuring full coverage.
05 - Bake for 18–25 minutes depending on thickness, until the internal temperature registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
06 - Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- Five minutes of actual hands on work and the oven does everything else, which means you can chop a salad or pour a glass of wine while dinner cooks itself.
- The seasoning blend hits that savory sweet spot between simple and interesting, so nobody at the table will guess it took almost no effort.
- Leftovers slice beautifully over greens or tuck into sandwiches the next day without drying out.
02 -
- Overcooking by even three or four minutes is what gives chicken breasts their reputation for being dry, so trust a thermometer over any suggested cooking time.
- Brining the breasts in salted water for 15 to 30 minutes before seasoning creates a noticeable juiciness that guests will sense even if they cant name what is different.
03 -
- If your chicken breasts are very thick on one end and thin on the other, place them between plastic wrap and pound them to even thickness before seasoning so the thin end does not dry out while the thick end finishes cooking.
- Let the seasoned chicken sit at room temperature for ten minutes before it goes in the oven because cold meat straight from the fridge cooks unevenly.