Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast
This Baked Chicken Breast is great as a main dish, salad topper for Cobb Salad, or make a chicken sandwich. In this recipe, we will teach you everything you need to know to avoid dry chicken breast for good and always get a juicy, melt-in-your-mouth result. The best part? You can tweak the seasoning as you see fit to cater to whatever you’re craving at the moment.
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Juicy Chicken Breast in the Oven
Consider this your go-to, classic oven-baked chicken breast recipe. It’s incredibly versatile and can be served in so many unique and tasty ways. Unless you’re making Stuffed Chicken Breast, or a saucy Chicken Marsala, plain chicken breast tends to come out dry and bland, we’ve created a foolproof technique that will always result in ultra juicy, tender, and flavorful chicken breast. You’re going to love the simple seasonings of paprika, garlic, and parsley.
Pro Tip: The key to a juicy chicken breast is to not over-cook it. To prevent your chicken breast from turning out dry, use an instant-read thermometer to check when the internal temperature has reached 165°F.
Ingredients for Baked Chicken Breast
- Chicken Breast – Try to find boneless skinless chicken breasts that are free-range or organic. They are packed with the most flavor and the freshest taste. Also, try to find chicken breasts that are similar in size so they cook evenly. Depending on the size of the breasts, you might need to adjust the cooking time.
- Paprika – Feel free to use fresh or smoked paprika. Either work great and add such a depth of flavor to the chicken breasts.
- Garlic Parsley Salt – This all-in-one seasoning is perfect for everything from chicken breasts to potatoes. It’s super savory and such a no-brainer
- Black Pepper – If you can opt for freshly cracked pepper over the pre-ground stuff. It will add so much more flavor and make for a nicer presentation.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Avocado Oil – Either olive oil or avocado oil will work great. Both have high smoke points and add an earthy flavor to the chicken.
Pro Tip: Pat the chicken breasts with paper towels before adding the seasoning. This will help it stick better.
How to Bake Chicken Breast in the Oven
- Assemble – Preheat the oven to 400°F and assemble the chicken breast in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Season – Rub the chicken on all sides with the oil, paprika, garlic parsley salt, and black pepper.
- Bake the Chicken – Bake the chicken uncovered for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F on a thermometer. Once you remove the chicken breasts from the oven, allow them to sit at room temperature for a couple of minutes to lock in all the juice.
Pro Tip: If you desire an extra crispy outside layer, broil the chicken breast for a few minutes before it’s fully cooked.
Ways to Serve
There are a million and one ways to serve this tasty, juicy chicken breast. Feel free to pair it with any side dish you love best. You can’t go wrong!
- Salad Toppers – Use the chicken breast as a topper for a traditional Caesar Salad, Greek salad, or Autumn Chicken Salad.
- With Potatoes – Pair the juicy chicken breast with boiled potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes, or air fryer baked potatoes.
- Alongside Grains – For a nice dose of fiber, pair the chicken with white rice, quinoa, or your favorite grains.
- Low-Carb Dinner – For an easy, low-carb dinner pair the chicken with roasted asparagus, Mexican street corn, or roasted carrots.
Make Ahead
Cooking chicken breast is great for meal prep. It keeps well in the refrigerator so you can enjoy it throughout the busy workweek.
- To Store: To keep the chicken breast fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. store it in an airtight container in the fridge. This will keep it from drying out.
- To reheat: pop it in a baking dish or casserole dish covered with foil and pop it back in the oven at 350°F until heated through.
Common Questions
It’s better to cook chicken breast at 400°F. The less time it spends in the oven, the juicier it will turn out. Therefore, it’s good to cook it at a high temperature for a short period of time.
Yes, you can freeze oven-baked chicken breast. To do so, assemble it in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pop it in the freezer uncovered. Once completely frozen, transfer the chicken to a freezer-safe bag and store it for up to 3 months.
It takes about 20 minutes to bake chicken breasts in the oven. That said, this cooking time can vary depending on how thick the chicken breasts are. If they are thinner, reduce the cooking time, and if they are thicker adjust it upwards accordingly.
The key to cooking chicken breast without drying it out is to make sure that you pull it once it reaches a safe internal temperature. To air on the safe side, always check the internal temperature of the chicken before taking it out of the oven. It’s safe to eat once it reaches 165°F.
If you like, tweak the chicken seasoning with garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, taco seasoning, Cajun seasoning, or any other dry spice you like. You can also add dried herbs like oregano, thyme, basil, or parsley.
More Baked Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this baked chicken breast, you will love these tasty baked chicken recipes:
Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the chicken breast on a lined baking sheet.
- Season the chicken breasts on all sides with oil, paprika, garlic parsley salt, and pepper.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until chicken reaches 165°F on a thermometer.
Nutrition Per Serving
Natalya Drozhzhin
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I did not have garlic parsley salt so I just eyeballed some garlic, parsley, and salt! Anyhow, my family gobbled it up and my husband seemed surprised with how moist it was since it was such an easy, quick dinner. thank you! Will make this again!
That’s wonderful, Emily! So glad it was a hit with the family.
This is a perfect quick meal…tender, flavorful, easy to make and quick clean up! Mrs. Natasha, your recipes never disappoint!!!
Thank you, Jaime! I’m glad you loved it.
Great recipe! added a roasted garlic clove to each breast along with the spices recommended. Turned out nicely moist & flavorful in only 22 mins. Husband said my cooking was much better than his as his chicken is usually too dry…
Yep, nice & moist!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Wendy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Just finished making this…chicken turned out perfect and honestly that’s saying something because I am a terrible cook…like the worst but both my kids devoured it and asked if we could make it again…thank you for this very simple yet delicious chicken recipe!
You’re welcome! Happy to know that the recipe was a huge hit.
This is the worst recipe ever , I’m frustrated because I accidentally made it a second time because it looks good but it’s flat , it has NO Flavor what do ever. Blah ! Something is missing from this recipe. The chicken taste like cardboard !
HI Debbie, this chicken breast recipe is normally very flavorful. Could you have possibly added a teaspoon of garlic salt rather than a Tablespoon? That is a common mistake and would taste rather bland since it isn’t enough salt for that much chicken. Another flavor add-in that we enjoy is lemon pepper if you want to pump up the flavor even more, but it really depends on how you are serving the chicken and what you are pairing it with.
Ok I always make chicken breasts, baked, poached, pan seared, and grilled. I should cluck I eat so much chicken! I just made your juicy oven baked chicken recipe, it couldn’t be easier to prepare and is my new go to recipe! It was so flavorful and juicy.
THANK YOU!!!
Hi Deb! I’m glad you found a new go-to. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Natasha..This Came out gr8.
whole fly loved it.
Thank you ❤️
That’s just awesome, Sherry! I’m so happy you loved it!
Cooked 3 chicken breasts at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Chicken is raw in the middle 😞 putting back in for another 20………glad I started early for supper 🤦🏼♀️
Hi Susan! The cooking time can vary depending on how thick the chicken breasts are. If they are thinner, reduce the cooking time, and if they are thicker adjust it upwards accordingly. Also, be sure to fully preheat your oven before you start baking them.
I had to too…. I cooked mine for 30 in the first place for them being 2.5 lbs. Just to be sure. And they still came out pink.
Hi Anon! Once again, the cooking time can vary depending on how thick the chicken breasts are.
I am about to cook this recipe for Sunday dinner, with a bean salad, garden salad and roast beets.
Wondering if it will be easier and crispier to cook in the air fryer.
Hi Brian! I’m sorry, I don’t have instructions for air-frying this.
I was looking online to find a recipe for baked chicken breast and found this recipe. I made this tonight and it was delicious! I can’t believe how juicy and tasty the chicken is. I have bookmarked this is will look at more of your recipes to make. Thank you!
Yay! I’m happy that you chose our recipe for Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast! Glad that you also loved it a lot, thanks for sharing that with us,
The recipe that I’m looking at says, 1TBSP garlic parsley salt. In your comments you say it should be 1 TSP. Which is it? I’d like to know before I try your recipe.
Thank you.
Hi Jer we used 1 tbsp garlic parsley salt, the 1 tsp comment was in response to the pepper ingredient (1 tsp black pepper, or added to taste).
Thank you again for this quick and tasty chicken recipe! My toddler ate it too!
I made it twice so far and the second time the only change I made was adding a tsp of onion powder!
So glad to hear that, Varash! Thank you for the feedback.
I have made this now several times in the oven and it is great BUT I am wondering about all the water/juices in the pan. My chicken comes out almost floating each time. Your picture does not show water/juices. I have read all the comments and don’t see this issue addressed. I know some folks use an air fryer, but I wonder what happens to all of the liquid produced. Any thoughts on the juice/liquid issue? I have used fresh and frozen chicken with the same watery results. The chicken is great –
Hi Charlene, it might be the type of chicken or brand used. Did you possibly use frozen chicken? That could be the culprit. But I also read from one of our readers that chicken breasts can be injected with up to 20%+ of a saltwater solution, which could be released during the cook. I think it may be a good idea to drain some if you have excess water.
wow – thanks for the reply 20% is a lot of extra weight and water!
Such a simple recipe that I did not have great expectations, but it really did it out turn out super moist and tasty! I guess it’s cooking it quick at the high heat helps it to retain the moisture. This will be my go to recipe for cooking chicken breast from now on.
Hi Betsy! That’s amazing. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Hi, my trick for very juicy chicken breasts is to sear them for two minutes (each side) on a very hot skillet, then transfer to a metal tray and to the oven at 400°F. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Take out and let rest (covered) for 5 minutes.
Thanks for sharing, Andre!
Is it better to marinate the chicken overnight before baking? Thank you!
Hi Jessica! You can marinate it overnight if you prefer. 🙂 I hope you love the recipe.
Such juicy chicken! (Mine turned out oversalted at first- I think the garlic parsley salt I used has extra salt in it). No worries, we just scraped the seasoning off and it tasted perfect! Next time I’ll add less of the garlic parsley salt. I’ve never had oven baked chicken breast this juicy before!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Stumbled across this recipe when I googled juicy chicken recipes. Tried it tonight for the first time and it was a hit! My teen daughter even asked for seconds. That’s when you know it’s good. Moist and tasty! Paired well with spicy buttered green beans.
Hello Alex, thank you for your great feedback! We appreciate it and good to hear that your daughter enjoyed this a lot!
chicken was tender but they had WAY too much pepper so that’s all I tasted. Should it be teaspoon instead of tablespoon?
Hi Natalie, I think that was a typo. So sorry about that. I updated it to 1 tsp – I think 1 Tbsp would be quite peppery.
I keep a package of frozen chicken breasts (4 oz portions) on hand for sandwiches, salads, etc. I usually pan fry but tried your recipe tonight and it was so easy and the chicken came out perfect! Especially loved the seaoning mix. Since my pieces were on the small side I checked them at about 11-12 minutes and the temp was spot on! Thanks for another great recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Mindy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Natasha
It was great to finally bake chicken and have it moist inside. It was good to be able to use a thermometer to make sure it was ok to remove it before it dried out.
I used an orange marmalade sauce with Italian herbs and it was yummy.
Cheers
Mary
Thanks for sharing, Mary. I’m glad that you enjoyed this recipe!
For those with paprika allergies, what is a good substitute?
You can just omit it or add another spice/herb of your choice for additional flavor. As for a substitute, possibly something like chili powder or cayene pepper.
I was a bit skeptical about this recipe at first; however, it turned out to be incredibly easy and delicious. My family devoured it! I will be adding this dish to our weekly dinner menus.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Jennifer! Easy recipes are the best!
This should be a good resource for you after doing a google search. https://www.singleingredientgroceries.com/paprika-substitute-the-ultimate-list/
I’m allergic to paprika as well.
Stay away from chili powder and cayenne.
Sumac powder is a good substitute for the reddish color of paprika and adds a lemony flavor.
Honestly, I was bit unsure about this recipe as there are a ton of chicken recipes on the internet but for some reason I wanted to try yours and the chicken turned out really good as my family really enjoyed the food.
Thanks Natasha!
Thank you for sharing that with us and for choosing this recipe! We’re so glad you love it.
Can the Chicken Breast be substituted for Turkey Breast?
And cooked the same way as the Chicken Breast?
Can the Chicken Breast be substituted for Turkey Breast?
And cooked the same way as the Chicken Breast?
Hi Cindy, I haven’t tried using turkey. I’m sure that will work but we’d love to know how it goes if you do an experiment.
Natasha,
Just curious if the recipe has a typo or not. It calls for a tablespoon of pepper however whenever I make this the black pepper seems to be overwhelming. Should it be a teaspoon instead?
Otherwise, it’s very tender, very juicy, and VERY delicious!
Hi Scott, the 1 tbsp is accurate. You are welcome to adjust it to your liking! I hope you love this recipe!
HI Natasha, would this work the same with a bone n chicken breast?
Hi Catherine, it may work with bone-in, but it will require some adjustments. You’ll need to adjust the cooking time.
I’m wanting to make this recipe tonight I’m wondering if I can use boneless skinless chicken breast?
Hi Lynn, this recipe calls for boneless chicken breast!
This recipe is delicious. I was skeptical of the high temperature to be capable of producing juicy tender chicken. This is now a frequent lunch entree for my husband and me and the recipe never fails! I do take a minute to pound the chicken breasts to make the thickness more uniform.
That’s great to hear! Thank you for sharing and I hope you will love all the recipes that you will try.
My baked chicken never browns. It looks white. I usually bake at 350. How do you get it brown?
This recipe is baked at 400℉ and we have great results. Every oven bakes/heats differently so I also recommend using a oven thermometer.
Can you use frozen boneless chicken breast? How much longer should you cook?
Hi Gina, I have only baked these from fresh, you can defrost the breast though!
What an AMAZING recipe!!
I just have a question; I’ve never heard of garlic parsley salt before. What is that?! Where can I find it?
Hi Salma! Thank you, I’m so glad you loved it. Garlic parsley salt can be found in local grocery stores in the seasonings aisle. It’s essentially garlic powder with salt and dried parsley so if you cannot find it, you can make your own with those ingredients.
Another winner, Natasha! I don’t know how I ever cooked without an instant read thermometer! No more dry overbaked chicken ever again.
That’s wondedrful! Isn’t it great? I’m so glad you love this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
This was delicious! Very juicy. I will be making it often. Will try some of your other spice suggestions.
So glad you loved it! Thank you for the review, Becky!
Thank you for the recipe! What brand Garlic Parsley salt would you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Angela, I purchased mine at Costco. I believe the brand is Lawry’s.
I want to tey this method, if I cannot find the garlic parsley salt, what ratio of each would I use to make my own?
Hi Linda! I do not have the exact quantities to make your own. You can add this by taste/preference.
Simple ratios are 3 parts Salt, 1 part Garlic Powder, and 1 part Parsley. You can use these ratios with herbs other than parsley as well.
I tried your recipe last night with the addition of garlic powder. Normally I don’t care for baked chicken because it is so dry, but this chicken was absolutely delicious! So moist and flavorful! I’ll always cook baked chicken your way, Natasha! Thank you 🎈
So glad it was enjoyed, Arlene! Thank you for the review.
Really good recipe. Chicken was tender not rubbery and seasoning was tasty
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve always baked my chicken breast like this. I bake it at 350 for 30 minutes or depending on how small or large the breast are. Learn this from Ina Garner years ago.
It’s such an easy way to prepare chicken breast and a classic method never goes out of style. I love everything Ina does.
I’m always hit or miss when baking chicken. I can’t wait to try this! Here’s to juicy chicken!
I hope you love it! 🙂
Made the baked chicken and garlic mashed potato’s last night and it was AMAZING. I’ve been making your recipes for a while now. And every time I just feel like my skills keep getting better when it really is just your amazing recipes!
Thank you so much, Andrea. I’m so glad to hear that. 🙂
Perfect! So easy and took me less than 5 minutes to prep. Added in some thyme and dried mustard to the seasonings since my family enjoys that flavor profile. Everyone loved it. Thank you!
Great to hear that it was a huge hit! Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi Natasha. This recipe looks great! I’ve never seen garlic parsley salt before. Can you get it in most stores and is there a specific brand you use? Thanks!
Hi Becky, yes, we get it at our local grocery store in the spice section. Most stores I’ve been to have it.
Came out PERFECT. Paired it with mashed potatoes & it was chef’s kiss!
Sounds delicious!!!
Hello Natasha
Can I use chicken strips instead of breasts? Ty
I imagine that will work too!
I made this last night, excellent I added 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar otherwise I followed directions. My husband does not like chicken breast normally it is very dry. This was moist and had a delicious flavor, thanks for sharing all your recipes.
So glad to hear that. I’m happy you both enjoyed it. Thank you for the review. 🙂
This tasted so amazing! Thanks a lot for sharing this super easy to make baked chicken breast recipe! Fam really loves it! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!
Thank you for your good comments and feedback! We’re glad to know that you and your family enjoyed this recipe.
I’ve been making it like this for a while. It’s so juicy, every time! I’ll try your spice blends next time!
Sounds great!:)
My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the chicken. Very moist. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks
Happy to hear that, Colleen!
what an amazing recipe, and just in time to make these chicken breasts that are chilling in my fridge!
Thank you! Enjoy!! 🙂