Oven Baked Chicken Breast (Printable)

Tender, juicy chicken breasts baked with aromatic spices. Quick 35-minute meal ready for any occasion.

# What You'll 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 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

09 - Lemon slices
10 - Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

→ Simple Marinade

11 - ¼ 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 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease an oven-safe 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 ¾ inch using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, combine olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper until well integrated.
04 - Rub seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken breast, ensuring complete coverage.
05 - For enhanced flavor, marinate seasoned chicken in the simple marinade for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator. Pat dry with paper towels before baking.
06 - Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they do not overlap or touch.
07 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion reads 165°F.
08 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh chopped parsley or cilantro if desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It takes less than half an hour from fridge to table, which means you can start cooking even when you're already starving.
  • The spice blend creates a golden crust without any flour or breading, so it stays light but tastes rich.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day in salads or sandwiches, which makes meal prep feel less like a chore.
02 -
  • If you skip the pounding step, the thick part of the breast will still be raw when the thin part is overcooked and sad.
  • Letting the chicken rest after baking is just as important as cooking it right, cutting too soon releases all the moisture you worked to keep inside.
03 -
  • If your chicken breasts are really thick, consider butterflying them instead of pounding, it's faster and gives you more surface area for seasoning.
  • Let the seasoned chicken sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking, it helps it cook more evenly and develop a better crust.
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