Guide to Oven-Baked Chicken Breast

There is one rule to cooking chicken: do not underseason the meat. Chicken meat is a blank canvas that takes up any seasoning, marinade or flavor you add to it.

For this recipe, we have a simple dry rub that is great for meal prep as well as weeknight dinner. Here is everything you need to make this recipe:

• Chicken Breast: This recipe calls for skinless boneless chicken breast (preferably 6oz each). Frozen breasts must be completely thawed before cooking. If you’re looking for multiple breasts at once, go for the ones that are similar in size. This helps you make an estimate of the cooking time. 
• Seasoning: This is arguably the most important component of the dish. We use a simple blend of salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, thyme and Italian seasoning for this recipe. You can switch up the blend with your preferred herbs and spices if you like. More on how to season the breast below.
• Olive Oil: You can use olive oil or butter, based on what you prefer. Butter is known to impart a certain flavor whereas olive oil is fairly neutral. It helps the seasoning stick to the breast.
• Brown Sugar: This is entirely optional but adding some brown sugar to the mix helps enhance the overall flavor of the chicken. It also makes the chicken sweat which allows the spices to seep into the meat. Do not go heavy-handed because who likes their chicken sweet?

Let's start with the spice blend. This is where the flavors come from. You can season your chicken with just salt and black pepper and it will probably be fine. If you want flavor, however, then a spice blend is important.

What distinguishes this seasoning blend from others is the addition of brown sugar. It increases the volume of your seasoning so that you can properly coat the breast in its entirety. The sugar also draws out water from the breast. The chicken will cook in the moisture, making it even more juicy.

Here is the exact measurement of the spices for the dry rub:

• 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

This oven-baked chicken breast recipe is easy and fast. Start by preheating the oven to 425° F.

1. Prepare Your Seasoning

Take the herbs and spices and add them to a small bowl, stirring until all of the ingredients are well combined.

2. Prepare and Coat the Chicken

Place the chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin, meat mallet, or even your hands, pound it. This is optional, but it really does make quite a difference to the dish. Then lightly brush the pounded chicken breasts with olive oil on all sides.

The olive oil helps seal moisture on the chicken and also forms a better surface for the seasoning to stick. Coat them with a generous rub of seasoning, making sure to get all the sides and corners of the chicken breast.

3. Bake

Place the seasoned chicken breast in a baking dish and bake at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Flip halfway through so that all sides cook, getting a few brown spots.

Alternatively, you may want to turn on the broiler on during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking time if you want a slight crisp on top.

4. Rest and Serve

Once your chicken breasts are cooked through (when the internal temperature reads 165°F), remove them from the oven. Allow resting for 10 minutes. The resting period allows for the chicken juices to get trapped within the breast, making it tender and full of flavor.

This step helps in preventing dry chicken breasts. You can then serve the breasts with your choice of sides.

Delicious and flavorful chicken breasts require a high-temperature style of cooking. Cooking time would depend on the size of the chicken breast and also the type of oven used since different ovens take different times to cook. 

Here is a general guideline for cooking chicken breasts of different sizes: 

• Small (5 oz): 18 to 20 minutes at 425°F.
• Medium (7oz): 20 to 22 minutes at 425°F.
• Large (9oz): 22 to 25 minutes at 425°F.

• Pound the breasts: Even cooking is possible when you pound the thicker part. Chicken breasts have one end thicker than the other by their nature. Pounding them to have uniform thickness is an excellent option for estimating the cooking time.
• Don't overbake: If your chicken breast often comes out dry, then you are probably overbaking your chicken breasts. You can actually avoid this by buying a good meat thermometer. When the internal temperature of chicken reads 165ºF, that's it.
• Brine, If You Have the Time: Brining the chicken breast is one great tip if you meal prep. This step makes all the difference in chicken breasts. Before you start with the cooking process, soak your chicken breast in salted lukewarm water for 15 minutes or more, then remove it from the water, giving it a rinse. You will never have to face bland chicken ever again.
• Season Thoroughly: Speaking of bland chicken, do not forget to season your chicken breast liberally. Make plenty of seasoning so that every part of the chicken breast is covered with a dry rub.

Oven-baked chicken breast can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Keep it in an air-tight container to prevent any contamination. You can freeze the chicken breast and keep it for as long as a month.

In case you plan on freezing the chicken breasts, we would recommend shredding, dicing, or slicing the chicken breast pieces. It saves space for you, and it is much easier to reheat them.

Reheating Tips: Chicken breasts have a tendency to dry out a bit when heated in the microwave. So just place a teaspoon of water on top of the chicken and place the chicken into a microwave-safe container with the lid on. It steams, adding moisture to the chicken breast as you're microwaving.

You can serve chicken breasts as a whole right out of the oven. If you feel like it, you can also slice, shred, or dice your chicken breast before serving. 

Here are some of the most popular serving styles for your chicken breast for a complete dinner:

• Roasted Brussels sprouts
• Roasted Asparagus
• Roast Potatoes
• Potato Salad
• Baked Mac and Cheese
• Mexican Rice
• Grilled Corn on the Cob