Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as a juicy oven baked chicken breast. The tender white flesh, steam pouring out of it after you make the first cut… your mouth starts to water just writing about it!
Chicken Breast Recipes
INGREDIENTS
1 : 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts,
2 : pounded to even thickness and brined in
3 : saltwater (*see easy instructions below)
4 : 1 Tablespoon melted butter or olive oil
5 : 1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 : 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
7 : 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
8 : 1/2 teaspoon paprika (I prefer smoked paprika)
INSTRUCTIONS
1 : Brine the chicken. To brine your chicken breasts, fill a large bowl with 1 quart of warm water and 1/4 cup kosher salt. Stir to combine until most of the salt is absorbed. Add the chicken breasts and let them sit in the mixture to brine for 15 minutes. Or you can also also cover the bowl and refrigerate for up to 6 hours. Remove the chicken breasts from the brine, rinse them with cold water, then pat them dry with some paper towels. (However, if the chicken breasts you purchased have already been pre-brined in a sodium solution, skip this step.)
2 : Heat the oven. Preheat oven to 450°F.
3 : Season the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in a large baking dish*. Brush on both sides (turning once) evenly with the melted butter or olive oil. In a separate small bowl, whisk the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika until combined. Then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the chicken on both sides
4 : Bake. Bake for 15-18* minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts, so I recommend using a cooking thermometer to know exactly when it is fully cooked. The thickest part of the breast, it should be 165°F. (Or, if you want the chicken to be a little bit browned and crispier on top, you can turn the broiler on high for the final 3-5 minutes and broil the chicken until it is cooked through and golden on top. Keep a close eye on the chicken so that it does not overcook and/or burn.
5 : Rest the chicken. Once the chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the oven, transfer the chicken to a clean plate, and loosely tent the plate with aluminum foil. Let the chicken rest for at least 5-10 minutes.
6 : Your can store your cooked chicken breasts in the fridge for up to three days. You can freeze it for up to three months, but you should shred, slice, or dice your chicken before freezing because that will make it easier to reheat.
If you make this juicy oven baked chicken breast be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! I will be happy to hear from you!
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