Oven Baked Chicken Breast (Printable)

Juicy baked chicken seasoned with garlic, paprika, and herbs. Ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6 to 8 ounces each

→ Seasoning

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
05 - 1 teaspoon paprika, smoked or sweet
06 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

09 - Lemon slices
10 - Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

→ Simple Marinade

11 - 1/4 cup olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
14 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 clove garlic, minced
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a baking dish.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Place between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and gently pound to even thickness of approximately 3/4 inch using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
04 - Rub seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken breast. Optionally, marinate chicken in the Simple Marinade for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator, then pat dry before proceeding.
05 - Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are not crowded and have space between each piece.
06 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F.
07 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
08 - Garnish with lemon slices and chopped parsley or cilantro if desired. Serve warm.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It takes less time than ordering takeout and tastes like you spent an hour fussing over dinner.
  • The spice blend works on autopilot so you can answer emails or help with homework while it bakes.
  • Leftovers slice beautifully for next day lunches without that rubbery cold chicken texture.
  • You only dirty two bowls and one pan, which means cleanup happens faster than the cooking.
02 -
  • Pounding the chicken to an even thickness is not optional, because thick spots will still be raw when thin spots are dry and sad.
  • Let the chicken rest after baking or all those juices you worked for will pool on the plate instead of staying inside the meat.
  • A meat thermometer is the difference between guessing and knowing, and it costs less than one batch of ruined chicken.
03 -
  • If your chicken breasts are wildly different sizes, consider cutting the larger ones in half horizontally to create even portions that cook at the same rate.
  • Tent the baking sheet loosely with foil halfway through if the tops are browning too fast, especially if you are using smoked paprika.
  • Brush the chicken with a little melted butter or extra olive oil in the last two minutes of baking for a glossy, restaurant style finish.
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