Oven baked chicken breast is simple, delicious, and easy to prepare!

These juicy baked chicken breasts are simply seasoned and baked until tender and juicy!

They’re perfect for dinner, perfect for meal prep, and easy to chop for chicken salad.

close up of Oven Baked Chicken Breasts

Ingredients for Baked Chicken Breast

This juicy oven baked chicken breast recipe is juicy and delicious – I make it on repeat. Baked chicken breast is great for meal prep and perfect for adding to casseroles or soups.

Chicken breast – This recipe uses boneless skinless chicken breasts, approximately 6 oz each. The chicken is drizzled with oil for better browning on the outside and to help the seasonings stick.

Ingredient Tip

Chicken breasts can vary in size from 5 oz to 10 oz, so the cooking time can vary. Use average-sized boneless breasts (about 6oz) or adjust the cooking time if needed.

Seasonings – Save the chicken marinade for the grill and use seasonings for baked chicken breasts. I use seasoned salt, Italian seasoning, paprika and black pepper.

Variations

  • Add onion powder, garlic powder, or other spices like chili powder.
  • Use your favorite chicken seasoning, or try cajun seasoning or taco seasoning.
  • You can replace chicken breasts with boneless chicken thighs. Bake them for about 20 – 22 minutes or until they reach 165°F.
Baked Chicken sliced diagonally for serving on a wood board

How to Make Baked Chicken Breast

Making perfect chicken breasts is very easy; the key is in the cooking time and temperature.

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Mix chicken breasts with olive oil, herbs, & spices (recipe below).
  3. Place the chicken breasts on a greased baking pan for 22-26 minutes.

Holly’s Top Tip

Avoid Overcooking: My top tip for juicy chicken breast is to ensure you don’t overcook. A meat thermometer (which is inexpensive) is a must-have in my kitchen.

chicken breasts tossed with seasoning for baking

How Long To Bake Chicken Breast

Chicken breasts are naturally lean; overcooking will dry them out. The times below are for 6oz chicken breasts (thaw if fozen).

  • To Bake Chicken Breast at 400°F: This will take between 22 and 26 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
  • You can cook chicken breasts at 350°F for closer to 25-30 minutes (although I prefer the higher heat above).

Tips for Juicy Chicken

The chicken breast should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

  • Chicken breasts vary in thickness; for even cooking, use the flat side of a meat mallet (or even a rolling pin) to pound the thicker size to a more uniform thickness.
  • Remove chicken from the oven at 160-162°F. It’ll rise to 165°F as it rests on the pan.
  • Once cooked remove the chicken from the baking dish and transfer to a plate to rest.
Baked Chicken resting on a cutting board

More Chicken Breast Recipes

Did you make these Oven Baked Chicken Breasts? Leave us a rating and a comment below!

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Oven Baked Chicken Breast

Baked chicken breasts are a simple and delicous – they're perfect for dinner or meal prep!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Resting time 5 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings 6 servings
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Ingredients  

  • 4 to 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 6 oz each
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon seasoned salt or table salt
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a rimmed baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, combine chicken breasts, olive oil, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, paprika, and black pepper. Mix well to coat.
  • Transfer the chicken to the prepared pan and bake uncovered for 22 to 26 minutes or until the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Transfer to a plate or cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
  • Cut into slices and drizzle with the juices.

Video

Notes

Smaller chicken breasts will take closer to 22 minutes, larger chicken breasts will take closer to 26 minutes. For best results, use an instant read thermometer.
Chicken breasts can vary in size from 5 oz to 10 oz. The cooking time listed is for average-sized boneless breasts, 5oz to 7oz each.
If the chicken breasts are very thick on one end, pound with a meat mallet to a more even thickness. 
Store chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven, on the stovetop in a pan, or in the microwave. Or, chicken breast can be added to soups, salads, or casseroles! 
4.97 from 451 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 236 | Protein: 40g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 412mg | Potassium: 696mg | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 2.2mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.8mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Chicken, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American

What to Serve with Baked Chicken

We love baked chicken with a simple side dish and a fresh vegetable. Here are some of our fave sides.

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. Never disappoints. I always double it for this qty of chicken bc we love the flavor!
    I have oven roasted and grilled with this marinate and both ways are awesome.5 stars

  2. over time I have seen some great recipes posted and even tried a few. looking forward to seeing more

  3. Thank you so much! My chicken breast turned out perfectly cooked and juicy! I had 4 chicken breasts so I tossed them in olive oil, put them on the cookie sheet and put different spices on each (1 with oregano & basil, 1 with thyme & rosemary, 1 with herbes de provences and 1 with Trader Joe’s 21 seasoning salute spice blend). Each one was delicious!5 stars

  4. Do you have a similar recipe for chicken thighs? I find breasts boring; much more flavour in thighs.

  5. All your recipes loook so easy and amazing. I am going to make the Corn
    pudding and the baked chicken this weekend. I look forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank you for sharing.
    You have recipes that mix ingredients that I had not thought about and I am eager to try…especially the roasted broccoli and carrots.
    Thank you

  6. This is my first time going to do bake chicken breast. Its not finish yet. I will sure to send my comments

  7. Thank you so much for this easy recipe! I’m vegan, and wanted to cook for someone and forgot the temp and time for basic chicken in the oven .

  8. Can’t wait to try your yummy recipes. Thank you Holly. You rock and roll girl. I can smell the goodness from your excellent pictures. Wish I was at your house for dinner. I’ll bring the desert. Some day soon. There’s always hope and the way to everyone’s heart is through their tummy. Food brings us all together. ☮️ out.

  9. I’m looking forward to experimenting with your recipes. Can’t wait. Thank you fir the yummy tips Holly. You rock and roll.

  10. I just wanted to say thank you for all of your help. I’ve been vegan for a while and trying to cook for my parents.

    So far, I’m still a noob, but even the no msg and vegan variations I have used are great. I am allergy-ridden and come from a picky family, so your ideas are universally appreciated. Love what you do. :)

  11. Very Nice Recipe. I am a college student who live in dorms and anything that is quick to make is what I prefer. These chicken breasts are really mouth-watering. Thanks for the recipe!
    However, I do have a question: can I store the leftover chicken in fridge and microwave it when I want to eat it again?
    Would appreciate if you could answer this. Thanks again !5 stars

  12. I baked two chicken breast according to the recipe, cooking them for 25 minutes at 400• They were still very raw in the middle. I cut them into slices and cooked them until finished. Tasty, but! Watch the cook time.3 stars

    1. The cook time can vary based on the size of your chicken breasts, a thermometer is the best gauge of doneness.

  13. One of the best ever baked chicken recipe i have ever tried so far. Thanks for sharing this recipe with all of us. Also do check out my special baked chicken recipe as well. 5 stars

  14. This is a great recipe. Trying to clean out my freezer and pulled out the oldest strangest looking chicken breast that I thought might even be freezer burnt………….I guess it wasn’t because this recipe revived it! The juiciest baked chicken breast I’ve ever made. Can’t wait to use the “better looking” chicken breast! :)5 stars