Oven Baked Chicken Breasts (Print Version)

Bake tender chicken breasts with aromatic herbs and spices for a delicious main course.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

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

→ Marinade & Seasonings

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon paprika
07 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
08 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme

→ Optional Garnish

09 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
10 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray.
02 - Pat chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels to ensure even seasoning and proper browning.
03 - In a small bowl, combine olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, dried oregano, and dried thyme. Mix well to form a paste.
04 - Rub the seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken breast, ensuring complete coverage.
05 - Place seasoned chicken breasts on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each piece for proper air circulation.
06 - Bake for 18–22 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F when measured with a meat thermometer.
07 - Remove from oven and let chicken rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
08 - Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You probably have everything in your pantry right now
  • The spice blend creates this gorgeous golden crust that makes people think you spent way more effort than you actually did
02 -
  • A meat thermometer is the only way to guarantee juicy chicken without guessing games
  • Pounding thicker parts to match thinner sections is the technique that transformed my dried out chicken into something actually worth eating
03 -
  • Let your chicken sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking for more even results
  • Bruing under the broiler for 2 minutes at the end creates restaurant quality char marks

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