Ingredients For Baked Chicken
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts I prefer to buy these fresh and then freeze them, but a bag a frozen is fine too. Keep in mind that in the frozen bags, they often include rib meat and have added salt and moisture.
- Olive oil Rub this on the meat for to lock in moisture and help the seasoning to stick.
- Chicken Seasoning This is my tried and true all-purpose seasoning blend of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika or chili powder, salt and pepper. Its simple, and in the right blend its a powerful flavor enhancer.
- Garnish This is of course totally optional, but a garnish of fresh parsley for a little vibrant color makes everything look and taste just a little better.
Baked Bbq Chicken Breasts
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Need something quick and easy for dinner? Baked BBQ Chicken is a favorite recipe with just a couple of minutes of prep.
These chicken breasts come out juicy and tender with lots of flavor and are a great way to get dinner on the table fast! Serve them with a side of coleslaw, a fresh salad, some corn on the cob, and a big slice of garlic bread.
Easy Chicken Marinades & Seasonings
- Balsamic & extra virgin olive oil my go-to marinade! Mix together equal parts balsamic and olive oil . Great for most every recipe.
- Lemon juice & extra virgin olive oil great for salads and Italian recipes. Mix together equal parts lemon and olive oil .
- Teriyaki great for Asian recipes and stir-fries. Use 1 tablespoon store-bought teriyaki sauce.
- Chili lime great for Mexican or Southwest recipes. Use about 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 juiced lime, and a ½ tablespoon olive oil.
- Southwest, Mexican, or Italian herb seasoning blend store-bought seasonings are awesome, allowing you to easily flavor your chicken for any occasion! Mix about 1 teaspoon of the blend with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Make your own!
Best Baked Chicken Breast
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Perfectly baked chicken breasts that are juicy, tender, easy, and oh so flavorful! This is a recipe everyone should know how to master. All you need is a drizzle of olive oil, a special seasoning mix, and a few insider tips for these super tasty, no-fail chicken breasts.
If youve ever struggled with dry, rubbery, and just flat-out boring chicken breasts, youre in luck, because todays recipe is about as easy as they come. All youve got to do it make my special seasoning mix, rub it all over the chicken breasts, and then bake them the right amount of time. That my friends, is the important part.
Once you read my tips below and master this method youll have the most delicious chicken to enjoy for weeknight dinner recipes. Plus, you can slice and dice any leftovers for chicken meal prep. Leftover chicken is perfect on bowls, salads, in tacos, and so much more!
How Long Should You Bake Chicken Breasts
The key to juicy chicken breasts is to cook them hot at 425F for the right amount of time. To nail this down, itll depend on the size of your chicken breasts and your unique oven . Heres a general guideline to follow:
- Small Breasts : cook for 18-20 minutes.
- Medium Breasts : cook for 20-22 minutes.
- Large Breasts : cook for 22-25 minutes.
Pro tip: If you have a tendency to overcook your chicken, invest in an instant read thermometer. Its seriously invaluable in the kitchen. Then read below for the best internal temperature of cooked chicken!
Baked Chicken Breast Recipe
* Be sure to see the printable recipe card below for full ingredients & directions!
Baked chicken breasts do not need to be boring! Thanks to a wonderful seasoning mixture, they are so delicious that nobody will be complaining about chicken for dinner again.
- Seasoning: the seasoning is made from a combination of brown sugar, Italian seasoning blend, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Your chicken will end up with a gorgeous and flavorful crust, and even though brown sugar is the main ingredient, dont fret about it being sweet its savory! Pinky promise.
- Moist and Tender: the brown sugar actually helps the chicken cook up all nice and juicy!
Ways To Use Baked Chicken Breasts
Cooked chicken breasts are not only healthy, theyre quite versatile. Heres a few ideas!
- Round out a plate with sides. Eat the chicken alongside sautéed spinach and rice, or any other side dish youd like.
- Top onto a salad. Start with leafy greens, add freshly chopped veggies along with your chicken, and toss with a lemon vinaigrette.
- Add into a casserole. Load your casserole up with diced chicken breasts, rice, and extra veggies with a sprinkle of cheese.
- Mix into a stir fry. Add it into a stir fry with broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, and other vegetables.
Chicken And Rice Recipe
I mean, who doesnt love Baked Chicken? While Im at it, who doesnt love fluffy rice with crispy edges.
Oven Baked Chicken and Rice all cooked together in one dish is possibly one of the MOST loved family favourite dinners on the planet. I know in my heart of hearts this will become your new favourite.
How To Make Chicken Souvlaki
Im guessing most of you are familiar with this Greek classic. But did you know that its actually super easy to make at home?! All you need are a few minutes of prep time, a few simple ingredients, and a hot grill or a hot oven. And opa! this recipe can be ready to enjoy in no time.
Simply marinate some chicken breasts in lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.
Then once they have marinated for at least 30 minutes , cook them in the oven or on the grill until theyre just done, and still nice and juicy.
Then, while the chicken is cooking, grab some pita bread , and load it up with all of your favorite pita toppings! I went with fresh arugula, cherry tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese, tzatziki sauce, and parsley. But any number of toppings would also be delicious!
Finally, add your chicken on top
and this gorgeous, fresh, and flavorful pita sandwich will be yours to enjoy.
And hey pro tip it tastes delicious even when the chicken is chilled. So be sure to cook a little extra, and then you can enjoy your souvlaki as leftovers for days to come either on pita, or in a fresh salad, or in a rice bowl you name it.
Enjoy, everyone!
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- juice of 1 large fresh lemon
- for serving: pita bread, fresh baby arugula , thinly-sliced red onions, sliced cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, chopped fresh parsley, tzatziki sauce
Easy Roast Chicken Recipe
After researching several whole chicken recipes online I was hard-pressed to find a simple one. So, as a parent with limited time, I came up with this easy whole roasted chicken recipe because it only takes 15 minutes of prep time and you just pop it in the oven. The best thing about cooking chicken in the oven is that its so little work and cleanup. You just baste it from time-to-time until its done. While you make oven roasted chicken, you can work on other sides or simply have some of that wine .
How Long Does It Take For Drumsticks To Cook In The Oven
The answer to this question depends on a few factors: how big are your drumsticks, what temperature are you cooking at and how much time do you have?
Drumsticks should be cooked for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees F, or 1 hour 40 minutes at 375 degrees F.
If youre using boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of drumsticks, they will cook faster than whole chicken legs.
To prepare them properly, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F , rub both sides with salt and pepper then bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and tender.
How To Bake Chicken Breasts In The Oven
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This is the cooking method that made me realize that boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be pretty darn delicious. They dont have to be dry and boring. They can, in fact, be moist, tender, and full of flavor something I actually look forward to having for dinner.
I learned this way of cooking chicken in culinary school. Its technically called dry-poaching, but that sounds fussy for what is essentially an incredibly simple technique. Heres how you, too, can make the best-ever chicken breasts in just a few steps.
How Long To Cook Chicken Breasts
Large chicken breasts take about 20-22 minutes to cook. Medium-sized breasts take about 18-20 minutes. You also have the option of throwing on your broiler in the last 2 minutes to get crispier edges!
Cooking them at high heat ensures the crispy, caramelised edges, while keeping your chicken super juicy on the inside. Once the chicken is golden and caramelised, its cooked! Let it rest for about 5 minutes to recirculate all of those natural juices through the meat.
Juicy Stove Top Chicken Breasts
My all time favorite stove top chicken breasts recipe is here!
Thanks to a simple method, the chicken breasts are never dry, always tender, and super tasty. After this recipe, youll see that chicken couldnt be any easier to prepare for a quick and easy dinner idea.
I have talked about Oven Baked Chicken Breasts and Easy Baked Chicken Breasts, but we have yet to discuss a stove top method. Except for that one time when we covered the method for Juicy Stove Top Chicken Thighs.
I think its safe to say that skinless, boneless chicken breasts are the most popular cut of poultry. Am I right? I think? Theyre the most searched for ingredient on my website, thats for sure, and thats because people always want a new way to cook chicken.
Thus, picture this: juicy, awesomely seasoned chicken breasts, pan seared in vegetable oil, and finished off with a tablespoon of butter. Thats it. That is all were doing.
How Long Does It Take To Bake Chicken Breasts
Boneless skinless chicken breasts are very lean, so its easy to overcook them. I always set my oven to 450, but maybe you want to cook something else at the same time and need the oven at a lower temperature. You can still get good results using this guide.
Heres how long to bake chicken breasts at each temperature:
- 350: 30-35 minutes
- 425: 18-22 minutes
- 450: 15-18 minutes
Keep in mind that the exact time needed will depend on the size and thickness of the meat. Its super handy to keep a digital instant-read thermometer in your kitchen to get the temp just right.
What Temperature Should Chicken Be Cooked To In The Oven
Generally I bake chicken at 350 degrees F. for 30 to 40 minutes. Please check out my very large Internal Temperature Chart for Cooking Meats and Baked Goods. To be sure that the chicken breasts are cooked thoroughly, use a instant digital Cooking or Meat Thermometer for the proper temperature of 165 degrees F.
How To Store Leftovers
Refrigerator: Store leftover cooked chicken up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Perfect for meal prepping for the week and for using in a variety of recipes from salads to soups.
Freezer: Cool completely and store cooked chicken in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. I recommend wrapping each breast in parchment paper before freezing for easy portioning.
How To Truss A Chicken For Roasting
If you’re roasting a whole chicken that’s not been spatchcocked , you can truss the bird before roasting it that is, tie it with butcher’s twine to keep the legs close to the body. This is not an essential step, but it does make the chicken slightly easier to handle, and it helps hold the stuffing in if you’ve stuffed the chicken.
- To truss a chicken, cut about a 3-foot length of heatproof butcher’s twine.
- Lay the chicken on a clean surface with the breast facing up.
- Hold one end of the string in each hand, and loop the center of the string underneath the chicken’s tail.
- Catch the ends of the legs inside the string, then cross the string over the chicken’s breast, making an X.
- Loop the string under and around the wings, then tie the string snugly in a knot across the middle of the breast. Make sure that the ends of the wings are tucked in.
Bake At 425 Degrees F
Ive tested how long to bake chicken breasts at 350, at 400, at 425, and at 450.
- Based on my tests, the best temperature to bake chicken breasts is 425 degrees F.
At this temperature, the chicken turned golden on the outside and unbelievably juicy inside. If you go lower, the chicken can dry out, as it will need to be in the oven for a longer period.
Baked Chicken Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate chicken breast in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat. Gently rewarm chicken in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F.
- To Freeze. Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
How To Cook Chicken Breasts On The Stove
- Start with a simple seasoning on both sides of the chicken breasts. Grease the chicken breasts with cooking spray or oil, then season with salt, fresh ground pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and dried basil. This dry mix of herbs and spices adds a wonderful zing and flavor to the chicken breasts.
- In the meantime, heat up vegetable oil or canola oil in a large skillet.
- When oil is hot, add chicken breasts to the pan. Cook two chicken breasts at a time because you dont want to overcrowd your skillet.
- Cook chicken breasts for 5 to 7 minutes without moving them around.
- Flip the chicken breasts over. Add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet, and continue to cook for 7 more minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165F. Cooking time will always depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
- Rest. When finished, transfer chicken breasts to a cutting board. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.
How Long To Roast A Chicken Per Pound
The general rule of thumb is that it will take about 15 to 18 minutes of cooking time per pound of roast chicken plus an additional 15 minutes and then resting time. If you get a 6-pound chicken, you will be cooking it for a minimum of an hour and 20 minutes plus a 10-minute rest at the end once its out of the oven and under the foil. The best way to not overcook or under cook your chicken is to use a meat thermometer to check the cooked chicken temp. The FDA recommends the internal roast chicken temperature to reach 165°F.
Can You Cook Frozen Chicken Without Thawing It
Any time you’re handling raw meat, whether frozen or fresh, safety should be top of mind. Fortunately, we can all take a collective sigh of relief, because the USDA says it is fine to cook chicken from frozen, just keep in mind that the cooking time will be about 50 percent longer.
However, chicken should never be cooked from frozen in a slow cooker or microwave. The former cooks too slowly, allowing the meat to spend too much time in what’s known as the temperature danger zone, the range between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F in which bacteria is most likely to grow. The latter quicks food too quickly, meaning the interior of the chicken may not have enough time to reach the safe minimum internal temperature , before the rest of the chicken is done. You can defrost meat in the microwave, but it will need to be cooked immediately after so that it is not left in the danger zone for too long.
How To Cook Chicken From Frozen 4 Ways
Each of these methods allows you to safely cook chicken directly from frozen, no thawing necessary. Do keep in mind that cooking time will be about 50 percent longer than if cooked from fresh, and always use an instant-read thermometer to make sure your chicken has reached a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
How Do I Tell When Chicken Breast Is Done Cooking
Wed be remiss not to mention instant read thermometers, probably your best tool to determine whether or not your chicken is done. Insert an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast youre looking for a final temperature of 165 F. If you dont have an instant read thermometer, you can also cut into the thickest part of the chicken with a paring knife to make sure theres no visible pink meat.
How Do You Cube Chicken Breast For Skewers
Cut the chicken breast into about 1-inch cubes. If the chicken breasts are enormous, you may want to cut them into smaller pieces. Season the chicken cubes with salt, pepper, and other desired spices.
Thread the chicken onto skewers, ensuring that each piece is securely attached. Grill or bake the skewers until the chicken is cooked through.