Baked Chicken Breast
I love an easy dinner, and this baked chicken breast recipe is the one my family always asks for. If the chicken breasts are thawed, you can have dinner ready in 60 minutes or less!
These chicken breasts are a tiny bit sweet, crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside, what’s not to love?
While it’s baking, you can make a tossed salad, coleslaw, or open a can or two of green beans. You’re probably as shocked at the price of meat nowadays as I am. We are trying to eat meat only once a week.
Use A Meat Thermometer
The nice thing about chicken is that it’s naturally lean, so be careful not to overcook it or your chicken will be dry. That’s why a meat thermometer is key to your success. The other thing is that chicken breasts can vary from 4 ounces to a whopping 10 ounces.
Yeah, that’s quite a difference, so as you plan the meal for your family and anticipate what they’ll eat, check out the size of the chicken breasts you’re purchasing.
With the price of meat these days, including chicken, I want to get the most bang for my buck. That’s one reason I like chicken breasts, they are all meat and no wasted bone.
To be honest, I don’t enjoy having to eat around the bone on any meat offering trying to find the actual meat portion. You’ll seldom see me preparing thighs and wings, too much bone to negotiate.
We picked up these fresh chicken breasts from Costco today. The package contains 2-3 breasts per package. So we have 12-18 pieces for $27.00. This package can be found in the refrigerated section. It has six individual packages hooked together. This image is the other half I did not use today.
Items You May Need In The Kitchen:
Baked Chicken Breast
Step One
Gather your ingredients so you’re ready to start the recipe.
Preheat your oven to (400°F) = (204°C). I wash the chicken breasts, it’s a habit of mind. It rinses off the excess blood, or whatever, and it makes me feel better. I use a colander to rinse them in the sink.
Afterward, I bleach my sink, just giving you the heads up. I quote from the CDC, “Don’t wash your raw chicken! Washing can spread germs from the chicken to other food or utensils in the kitchen.” I get it, but I have taught classes to explain how to cook and bake and I am extremely careful with my sink, utensils, etc.
Step Two
Grab a 9 by 13-inch baking pan, preferably with 2-1/2 to 3-inch sides. Cover the pan with foil and spray the foil with vegetable spray. Today, I skipped the foil, just giving you the heads-up.
Step Three
Grab a large bowl and place all of the ingredients into the bowl, except the chicken. Stir the oil and spices until smooth. Then dip the chicken in the bowl and coat the pieces evenly.
Step Four
Place the coated chicken breasts in the baking pan. Bake uncovered for 30-50 minutes (it will depend on how large the pieces of meat are), or until done.
Finished Product
Make sure the meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F. to be sure the meat is safe to eat. Serve with your favorite side dishes.
Baked Chicken Breast Recipe
- 6 boneless chicken breasts
- 14/to 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoons seasoning salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
-
Preheat your oven to (400°F) = (204°C). Grab a 9 by 13-inch baking pan, preferably with 2-1/2 to 3-inch sides. Cover the pan with foil and spray the foil with vegetable spray. Grab a large bowl and place all of the ingredients into the bowl, except the chicken. Stir the oil and spices until smooth. Place the chicken breasts in the bowl and coat the breasts evenly. Place the chicken breasts in the baking pan. Bake the chicken breasts uncovered for 30-50 minutes (this will depend on how large the pieces of meat are), or until done. Make sure the meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F. to be sure the meat is safe to eat. Let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite side dishes.
Baking Times: Baked Chicken Breast
I typically bake my BONELESS chicken breasts at 400°F (177˚C). I prefer cooking them at higher temperatures to seal the juices in the meat. Times will vary based on the weight of each chicken breast, so I highly recommend a Meat Thermometer (internal temperature should be (165˚F) = (74˚C).
- Bake chicken breasts at (400°F) = 204°C): for 22 to 26 minutes, this will vary depending on weight of the chicken breast.
- You can cook chicken breasts at (350°F) = (176°C) closer to 25-30 minutes, here again it will depend on the weight of the chicken breast.
How long can I store uncooked chicken?
According to the USDA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, you can store raw chicken in your refrigerator for 1-2 days. It doesn’t matter if it’s legs, breasts, or a whole chicken, 1 to 2 days is the maximum time to store raw chicken, to be safe.
How long can I store the cooked chicken after baking it?
Place them in the refrigerator in airtight containers or baggies for 3-4 days, according to the USDA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Can I freeze these cooked chicken breasts?
Yes, you can freeze these chicken breasts. Just wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, airtight containers, or freezer bags. They will keep for about 3-6 months in the freezer.
What can I serve with chicken breasts?
- Tossed Salads
- Coleslaw
- Baked Beans
- Green Beans
- Brussels Sprouts
- Mashed Potatoes
- Baked French Fries
- Sweet Potatoes
What are some options when serving the chicken breasts?
If Mark had his way, we’d serve all our meat entrees with mashed potatoes and gravy. That’s how he was raised.
The great thing about these boneless chicken breasts is that they can be served in a lot of ways to keep your family and guests happy.
If you have some leftovers, consider slicing them and using the meat to make chicken sandwiches. You can stack the slices as high as you want, put on some BBQ sauce or other tasty condiments, and eat the sandwich with chips, homemade fries, or even dip them in some au jus sauce.
As our family is trying to eat more salads, we often cook the chicken breasts and then slice or cube them to be added to a fresh salad. Add your favorite salad dressing, and you have a healthy and tasty meal.
We’ve been eating a fair amount of rice lately. We love rice with so many meat offerings, including chicken. You can cook the rice in your rice cooker, slice the chicken, and serve it in a bowl.
There are numerous topping offerings to add unique flavors to your “chicken and rice bowl” meal. Be adventurous and try a variety until you find one your family especially enjoys.
Although this post is presented as a recipe to bake the chicken breasts, don’t shy away from firing up that patio BBQ and cook the meat to perfection that way.
Other Chicken Recipes
Easy Honey Baked Chicken Legs Recipe
Easy Honey-Baked Chicken Tenderloin
Final Word
As you know, I love to cook and bake just about anything. Please let me know what spices you use on your baked chicken breast recipe, you know I love to hear from you. May God Bless this world, Linda
This sounds and looks so good. I’ll have to try this soon.
Hi Deborah, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend!! I’m working hard to show people how easy it is to cook at home! Linda
It is so easy to cook at home. We do it almost all the time. We do go to the drive through or buy something quick to eat from the grocery store occasionally. We do prefer home cooked meals. You are a good person. Thank you for doing this for all of us.
Hi Deborah, great comment! You know we are lucky we learned to cook from scratch but some families never have. Thanks my friend! Linda
My oldest daughter doesn’t cook from scratch. My son and youngest do. Home cooked meals always taste better than boxed meals.
Hi Deborah, you are so right! Linda
That sounds delicious. I have some chicken defrosting, so I will try it this week. Tonight is stroganoff. Yum.
This sounds good and I can cook the chicken breasts for my husband and chicken thys for the kids and me.
Thanks for the recipe
Hi Jackie, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! The chicken breast is so juicy, the thighs would be good too!!! Linda