How Long to Cook a Butterfly Chicken Breast

Baked Chicken Breast Recipe

Looking for chicken breast recipes? Baked Chicken Breast couldn't be easier to make or more delicious! How to make tender, juicy, perfectly seasoned oven baked chicken breasts.

I recently shared my crispy baked chicken thighs recipe, and many of you have told me how much you love the seasoning and crispy crust. Today we're using a similar dry rub on my favorite lean protein: boneless, skinless chicken breasts. This is my favorite out of all of the chicken breast recipes!

Baking boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be finicky, and it's all too easy to end up with tough, dry, rubbery chicken. With this healthy baked chicken breasts recipe you'll never have to worry about dry chicken. I've found the perfect simple method to make tender, juicy baked chicken breasts that are full of flavor.

You'll find yourself making this quick and easy chicken recipe again and again. I've got you covered when it comes to healthy proteins for dinner! Try my air fryer chicken breast, baked pork chops recipe and easy oven baked salmon or if are looking to barbecue, try my perfect grilled chicken and chicken marinade.

How to Bake Chicken Breasts

There are a few simple steps that you can take to make sure that your baked chicken breasts turn out juicy and flavorful, never dry. You can have this easy baked chicken breast recipe on your table in 30 minutes or less!

Jump to Easy Instructions ↓

1) Pound chicken to an even thickness.

Place your chicken in a zip-top bag or between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken to a uniform thickness. This will help the chicken to cook evenly. Pounding the chicken also tenderizes the meat.

2) Rub chicken with olive oil.

Before you season the chicken, you'll rub the chicken breasts with olive oil. The olive oil adds moisture and helps the seasonings to stick to the chicken.

3) Chicken breast seasoning.

The seasoning that I use on this baked chicken adds so much flavor! The spice rub is a simple mix of spices: dried oregano, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. You can add some brown sugar for an extra caramelized crust or some chili powder for a touch of heat. Sometimes I use Italian seasoning in place of the oregano.

4) Cook at high temperature.

I have tested cooking chicken breasts at different temperatures, ranging from 350° to 450° F, and everything in between.

What temperature is best for baked chicken? A higher temperature, either 425° or 450°, is best for making juicy oven baked chicken. The higher temperature helps to seal in the juices and also cooks the chicken more quickly, so it has less time to dry out.

I did not notice much difference between chicken baked at 425 and chicken baked at 450 degrees – both were moist and juicy. What will make a difference if you want the juiciest baked chicken is my next tip: don't overcook your chicken!

5) Do not overcook chicken breast.

If you overcook your chicken it will dry out and be tough. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Using an instant-read thermometer is the most accurate way to check if your chicken is cooked through.

When chicken is almost done it will finish cooking quickly. Once it registers 155 degrees, it probably needs just one more minute in the oven. Watch it closely as it can quickly go from perfect to overcooked.

6) Cover and rest baked chicken.

If you slice chicken as soon as it comes out of the oven, all of the juices will run out and you will end up with dry chicken. Cover the baked chicken breasts loosely with a piece of aluminum foil and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing them.

7) Slice chicken against the grain.

Slicing chicken against the grain makes your chicken more tender.

How Long to Cook Chicken Breast

The size (weight) and thickness will determine how long you need to cook your chicken breasts. You can use a kitchen scale to measure the weight of your chicken breasts. Be sure to always check that your chicken has reached a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F, as cooking times may vary.

Bake small (5-6 ounce) chicken breasts for about 13-16 minutes, medium (8 ounce) breasts for about 16-19 minutes and large (11-12 ounce) breasts for about 22-26 minutes in the oven.

How to Store/Freeze

• Store baked chicken breast in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
• Store baked chicken breast in the freezer for up to 2 months. Wrap chicken well to minimize its exposure to air in the freezer. It is best to cut, slice or shred your chicken before freezing it. This way, you can thaw it and add it directly to your recipe. I recommend using frozen chicken in recipes such as casseroles, rather than eating it on its own.

What to Serve with Baked Chicken

• Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Carrots, or Roasted Broccoli
• Baked Potatoes or Instant Pot Baked Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Fries

Recipes to use Leftover Chicken

• Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits
• Baked Chicken Taquitos
• Chicken Salad Recipe
• Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• BBQ Chicken Salad

Baked Chicken Breast

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword baked chicken, baked chicken breast, chicken breast recipes, chicken recipes

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 18 mins

Total Time 23 mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 146 kcal

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Baked Chicken Breast couldn't be easier to make or more delicious! How to make tender, juicy, perfectly seasoned oven baked chicken breasts.

• ▢ 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil

Spice Rub

• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or Italian seasoning)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil (for easy cleanup).
  

• If chicken breasts are thicker in some parts than others, pound them to an even thickness using a rolling pin or meat mallet. (Place chicken in a zip-top bag or between two sheets of parchment before pounding.)
  

• Place chicken breasts on the baking sheet, drizzle with oil and rub over both sides of chicken.
  

• Combine the spice rub ingredients in a small bowl.
  

• Rub the spice rub over both sides of the chicken.
  

• Bake chicken breasts according to their size: bake 5-6 ounce breasts for 13-16 minutes, bake 8 ounce breasts for 16-19 minutes, bake 11-12 ounce breasts for 22-26 minutes. Check that chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
  

• Remove the pan from the oven, loosely cover with foil and let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
  

• Store baked chicken in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• You may freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Wrap it well before freezing to minimize exposure to air.

Serving: 4 ounces (1/2 breast) | Calories: 146 kcal | Protein: 24 g | Fat: 4 g | Cholesterol: 72 mg | Sodium: 277 mg | Potassium: 425 mg | Vitamin A: 155 IU | Vitamin C: 1.3 mg | Calcium: 10 mg | Iron: 0.6 mg

Nutrition information is an estimate.

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How Long to Cook a Butterfly Chicken Breast

Source: https://kristineskitchenblog.com/baked-chicken-breast/

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