Oven Baked Chicken Breasts (Printable)

Juicy, tender chicken breasts baked to perfection with simple seasonings. Easy preparation with perfect results every time.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)

→ Marinade & Seasoning

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - ½ teaspoon onion powder
08 - ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs or mixed dried herbs

→ Optional Garnish

09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
10 - Lemon wedges

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking dish or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Place in a large bowl or zip-top bag.
03 - Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and Italian herbs. Toss or rub to coat evenly.
04 - Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
05 - Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear. Adjust time based on thickness.
06 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing to retain juices.
07 - Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can get this into the oven in under ten minutes, which means dinner is practically done before you've even decided what side dish to make
  • The seasoning blend creates this beautiful golden crust that makes people think you spent way more effort than you actually did
02 -
  • I once cut into my chicken immediately after taking it out of the oven and watched all the juices run onto the cutting board, leaving me with dry meat and a valuable lesson about patience
  • If your chicken breasts are particularly thick, try pounding them to an even thickness before seasoning, which dramatically improves the texture and cooking time
03 -
  • Always use an instant-read thermometer to check doneness instead of cutting into the meat
  • Line your baking sheet with parchment paper for cleanup that takes about three seconds

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