Easy Baked Chicken is a time tested, foolproof, and delicious recipe! This method will give ya flavorful and tender-as-can-be chicken breasts, every single time.
Hi there friends! I know it’s been a hot minute and I know it’s like after such a break y’all are like… chicken breasts? really? But, this is an important recipe. Trust me. I’ve been honing in on perfect and easy baked chicken breast for about a year now. And, I’ve finally perfected it. It’s the perfect chicken to have prepped n’ ready to go at all times in the fridge and freezer. It’s great for quick and easy dinner when you’re feeling something extra simple. I love piling this chicken on salads and in wraps and sandwiches. It’s ready to share and it’s more than ready to eat! I’m going to keep it short and simple up here because I’ve got lots to talk about while I’m showing y’all what to do. Alright? Alright!
Let’s get in the kitchen!
To brine or not to brine?
This is an important question, and there’s a very easy answer: Maybe. HAHA. When you purchase Chicken Breasts at the grocery store, they’re not all created equal. It really depends on what type you buy. Some will say “contains sodium solution.” This means they’re pre-brined. If I know I’m running short on time, I will buy Tyson All Natural “Trimmed and Ready” Chicken Breasts. These are pre-brined, trimmed up, and can go straight into a skillet and be juicy and flavorful without brining. If the packaging doesn’t say something along these lines, it’s more than likely not pre-brined. If you buy pre-brined chicken and then brine it again. It will be too salty. So be sure to check the label on the package.
Brining chicken breast makes a huge difference!
I didn’t learn this until I was bout 20 years old. I loved plain old chicken breast, but I truly hated making it for myself.. It seemed like no matter what I did, it ended up dry and tasteless. I often ordered chicken breast dishes at restaurants, and it would be juicy and flavorful. Seriously, why couldn’t I recreate a delicious piece of chicken? How hard could it be! I didn’t used to cook like I do now, but I knew my way around a kitchen or two. I can’t remember just how or when I learned of it exactly, but there’s a good chance it was the Food Network. Food Network was actually my very prestigious culinary school, and ya know what? I’m totally proud of that. Teaching yourself something and making a career out of it is no easy task.
If your chicken breasts have not been pre-brined, brine those babies! It’s totally easy, one of the easiest thing you’ll ever do in the kitchen. It just takes extra time, but it’s completely hands off so bam! Do it.
If you’re not completely new to these parts, you might’ve already made my “Almost Famous” Skillet Pickle Chicken. Remember how you let it sit in pickle juice for a while? That’s a type of brine, but it’s pickle juice-flavored. And if you’ve tried that recipe, you know it’s worth the extra step!
To Brine the chicken:
Put your chicken breast in a large bowl or tupperware with a lid. Slowly add enough lukewarm water to cover them. Then lightly stir in 1/4 cup Kosher salt. The amount of salt does increase or decrease depending on how much chicken breast you use. For two pounds I’ve always used 1/4 cup, so just adjust that up or down a bit as needed. If you don’t have kosher salt on hand. That’s okay, but if using regular table salt/sea salt be sure to reduce the amount of salt by half or your chicken will be too salty!
Cover tightly and place in the refrigerator. I do this for up to 6-7 hours, but even 20-30 minutes will make a substantial difference. If you go much longer than 10 hours it will be on the salty side. I read somewhere (or maybe I heard it on the good ol’ Food Network University!) that the salt works to break down the toughness of the meat, making the chicken flavorful and tender as all get out… and that the extra tenderness even makes it harder to overcook! Now I’m no food scientist. But I can tell you that when I’ve brined chicken, I have never overcooked it!
Anyway, that was my spiel about brining, and how I really believe it’ll make any piece of chicken breast insanely delish. Is it a deal breaker if you don’t? No. But trust me- you want to. Have I steered y’all wrong before? My favorite thing about “skinny-ish” eating is that there’s so many ways to make it more delicious! And something as simple as a salt water brine makes plain ol’ chicken breast top notch restaurant quality.
Please remember there are two major rules when it comes to brining. Don’t double brine… meaning don’t brine chicken that’s come pre-brined again and if you are not using the kosher salt decrease the amount of salt! These two rules are pretty important because your chicken will be too salty if not followed.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Now whether you’ve brined or not. You’re going to dab-dry the chicken breasts with a folded paper towel really quick. Throw’m in a bowl and add one tablespoon of olive oil, followed by 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon of oregano. This exact mix isn’t written in stone- you’re free to use the blend of spices you love most. But I like this particular blend because while It keeps the chicken flavorful, it’s a bit more on the “plain” side, so I can chop up the breast and add it into all sorts of other things. (like Chicken Pot Pie Soup, Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti, Cheesy Chicken and Biscuit Casserole and loads of others!)
When you’ve got all your spice goodies in the bowl with the chicken, you can do one of two things…
- Option one- Get in there and just dig your hands in, and really rub that chicken well with the spices. (preferred method, but yes I agree, gross method!)
- Option two- just really mix’m up good with a spoon. This time around I did the spoon method, because I didn’t feel like getting those chicken goobers all over my hands. You know, I can’t explain it- there’s days I don’t mind it at all, and days that I’d rather never ever touch it again in my life!
Now we just throw those babies on a baking sheet. Just to make clean up easier, I put aluminum foil over it. Any lil bit helps in my kitchen! Again, it’s up to you if you want to do this. Before throwing’m on there, go ahead and lightly spray the pan or tin foil with cooking spray.
Like we said earlier, not all chicken breasts are created equal. Some are quite a bit smaller than others, and it makes a real difference in cooking time. A small chicken breast is going to be fully cooked 5-8 minutes sooner than a larger, thicker one will. These days, just about every store-bought chicken breast seems to be on the larger side. But there are instances when they might only be about 4-6 ounces.
To find that balance between over- and under-cooking, use your own judgment- If you have a smaller breast, bake at 450 for about 15 minutes. And of course, Always check the temperature with a meat thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the breast, and before continuing from this step, it should read 165 degrees. If it’s almost there, put it back in for a few minutes.
A larger chicken breast (the ones that I have pictured are large) will take somewhere in the range of 22-25 minutes at 450 degrees. Whichever size you have, temperature is the key to serving up the best chicken. Nobody wants undercooked or overcooked chicken, ever.
Pro tip: If you want chicken breasts that are a little more brown and crispy, broil your chicken for the last few minutes of cooking. I personally do this every time, and the chicken in these recipe pictures has been broiled for a few minutes.
Ta-daa! And here’s another important part… let those babies rest, okay? Just literally leave them the heck alone on a cutting board or serving plate for about 8-10 minutes before slicing into it. Resting your freshly-cooked chicken (honestly any meat) is the best thing you could do for it, trust me! When you pull a chicken breast or any other piece of meat out of the hot oven and just slice into it immediately, the juice and flavor just runs right out! It’s actually tragic.
I love this chicken so much, it’s unreal. I promise it’s easy and pretty quick, despite the fact I’ve written a small book about it! And the real, honest-to-goodness greatest part of all? Like the Crockpot Marinara Sauce, it’s one of the most versatile things I’ve ever posted! I use this Baked Chicken in all kinds of recipes. It’s seasoned just enough to give you all of that mouth-watering flavor, but lightly enough that it won’t overwhelm the subtle flavors of other recipes. (so if you chop it up and use it in a recipe like Chicken Pot Pie Soup, it’s just enough.)
Or go ahead and dice it up if you wanna. Because tomorrow, I’m going to feature this chicken in a crazy-healthy-delicious Southwest Chicken Salad recipe.I just know you’re all going to LOVE IT as much as we do!
So keep this easy and wonderful recipe in your back pocket. I hope it’s becomes something you make all of the time to have on hand!
What to use this chicken for? Here are just a few ideas…
- Chopped up in big salads
- Store it in the fridge (up to five days) or the freezer (up to two months) for quick n’ easy access to add to recipes that call for cooked chicken breast
- Sliced thinly, it’s PERFECT for sandwiches and wraps
- Add a quick protein to any meal
- Quick Chicken n’ Cheese Quesadilla (Pepper’s favorite!)
- Or just enjoy a serving next to some Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash, or maybe Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Parmesan, or just some yummy vegetables.
Over the years, I’ve tried all sorts of stuff to figure out a perfect chicken breast recipe. One that’s delicious, easy to make, and can be used to add a protein to all kinds of meals/dishes. And this is the one, it’s taken the place of all the others I’ve used before.
If you make this recipe, please comment below and share your thoughts! Let me know what you think, or if you have any awesome tips for cooking chicken breasts. After all, we should never stop learning. I’m always trying new things in our kitchen!
With love from my kitchen to yours,
Star
A simple and easy method to make perfectly tender chicken breast, that’s perfectly seasoned for use in any recipe
- 2 lbs Chicken Breast, raw
- 5-6 cups Lukewarm Water
- 1/4 cup Kosher Salt see notes if not using kosher salt
- 2 lbs Chicken Breast, raw use brined chicken if brining
- 1 tbsp oil avocado oil/vegetable/canola oil works best
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika smoked sweet paprika also works nicely
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
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If your chicken has not come pre-brined (see the post above for more details about this) and you’d like to brine your chicken which is the preferred method. In a large bowl or tupperware place raw chicken breasts and cover chicken breasts with lukewarm water. Slowly stir in 1/4 cup of Kosher Salt and then cover. You can do this early in the day and let it sit in fridge for up to 6-7 hours or you can do it as quickly as in just 20-30 minutes before baking. If chicken comes pre-brined skip this step because the chicken will be too salty.
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
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Remove chicken breasts from package or brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Place in a large bowl, add oil and spices. Rub spices and oil into meat very well with hands. If using a spoon instead of hands, make sure it is distributed very well.
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Transfer to the oven and cook for 22 to 25 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Thinner breasts will need less time, thicker breasts might need a little more time in the oven.
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For crispier and browned chicken breast turn your oven to broil for the last 3-4 minutes of the cooking time.
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Remove chicken from oven and set aside. Let the chicken rest for 8-10 minutes before slicing into it.
[social_warfare]
Makes 27 ounces or 5-1/2 cups.
Serving size: About 3/4 cup or 4.5 ounces.
WW Green Plan: 2 Points | WW Blue Plan: 1 Point | WW Purple Plan: 1 Point
186 calories Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: .5, Carbohydrates: 0g, Fiber: 0g, Sugars: 0g, Protein: 35g
Chicken will store in fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Please note:
*If you are using fresh chicken breast that has been pre-brined, do not brine again! Check the label on the package of chicken. If it says anything about a sodium solution. It has more than likely been brined already. If you double brine. It’ll be too salty!
*If you are not using Kosher Salt reduce the amount of salt by half!
Made again and it came out just as good as the first time. I will only make this way from on. No more dry chicken breasts! Used the exact same spices as well, added the perfect amount of flavor for chicken to go atop a salad!
Brining chicken has become a game changer! I never knew how juicy baked chicken could be. Thank you!
Best based chicken ever! Best seasoning recipe as well. Stay strong honey. I’ve been there twice before I got my sweet son. I can’t promise the pain goes away, but I will tell you it becomes more bearable with time. Sending love. You are not alone!!!
This is my go to weekly chicken meal prep for the week and I use it for everything. Also reminded me how much I love paprika.
Delicious! I’ve never brined before. What a difference it made!
Do you think this chicken would freeze well?
We freeze and it reheats perfectly for quick week night meals: chicken salad and chicken fajitas.
So simple and easy, best of all, its delicious!! I’m not a fan of chicken breast, it’s always too dry, but not this recipe!! I’ve made it many times.
So so so good! We brined it for about an hour and then grilled it. So flavorful and super easy. This is definitely a keeper!
We made this for dinner with some rice pilaf and steamed broccoli. Hands down the BEST chicken recipe I have ever had! I just wish that there were air fryer instructions.
Absolutely FANTASTIC chicken recipe! It comes into perfect every time. I love it!!
This is the easiest chicken to make and it’s so consistently delicious. Make it, you won’t regret it!
Hands down the best! I ended up grilling it and tastes amazing!
Chicken grosses me out most of the time. BUT THIS! This is so good! I just stood in the front of the open refrigerator and ate a cold chicken breast GOOD. Toddler approved! Thank you Star for making WW and mom life so much easier every single week. I will forever be grateful for you and the hard work you put into your recipes!
AMAZING! This chicken is perfection. This chicken recipe is going to be my new go-to. So delicious and flavorful. I’m just mad at myself for waiting so long to try it!
Why did I wait so long to try this? It’s amazing. Apparently I have been cooking my poor chicken breasts to death. It was everything you said it would be and more. Thank YOU!
I’m so glad it helped!! And I was cooking my poor chicken breasts to death too before I started doing this. Haha
Easy to see why this has 4.9 stars and 70+ reviews. OMG this chicken is freakin amazing and so easy. I struggle to find ways to cook chicken that isn’t in a dish of some sort. My searching is over, I have found my new go to chicken recipe. Thank you Star!! I can count on you to knock it out of the park every time we love everything we’ve made from your site.
Tonight I paired this with Lite Cravings Alfredo sauce, whole grain pasta, broccoli and mushrooms and it was delicious (and only 8 points for a nice size serving)
Blown away by how good this makes my kitchen smell and how well the smell matches the taste. Isn’t it amazing when that happens? I have used this chicken to make chicken salad, eaten by itself with a side, and cut up for chicken on a salad. It has made its way to a handwritten recipe in our family recipe book.
@mrs.q.1985_
This is an easy and delicious staple in our house. We eat a lot of chicken!!
@diningwithDemi
Yay! So happy you enjoy!
Has anyone tried it in the air fryer?
This is a truly foolproof recipe for baked chicken. I was never successful in making a juicy skinless chicken breast before this. I have made it with pre-brined chicken and have followed the brining instructions as well, both turn out perfect. Every time. The flavor of the seasonings is amazing and depending on what I’m using the recipe for I adjust the amount of seasoning I use on the chicken – but never adjust the recipe. It’s so good. It’s great for meal prep and big batch cooking.
Love this easy recipe! No more dry chicken breast. Use in rice bowl or wrapped in a tortilla.
I make this chicken ONCE A WEEK, and it comes out perfectly every time!!!! I’ve tried so many other recipes and they never turn out. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! (Instagram: linaavila)
I’ve never been good at cooking boneless skinless chicken breast. They always turned out rubbery and dry. This recipe is amazing. I can finally say that I know know how to bake some really good tasting, juicy chicken breasts!
Okay, this was definitely the best chicken I have ever made!! It was so tender, juicy, and flavorful! Seriously the best!! — Instagram @_the_scratch_kitchen
Best. Chicken. Ever.
I use this chicken for everything. We buy big family packs of chicken and I bake them as soon as we get them home. Use this seasoning, chop them up, and freeze in perfect portions for our family. We’ve even started making the seasoning a Mason jar at a time. Always need it on hand!
@abel.mabel31
This is so good and so easy!
So easy and so versatile! This chicken is juicy and the flavor is good and can be incorporated into so many different dishes. Gonna be making this a lot for meal prep for the week.
I use this baked chicken recipe for EVERYTHING!
It just keeps up every recipe; chicken salad, chicken casseroles that call for prebaked chicken, everything.
Best chicken recipe ever!!! Make it every week in my air fryer. Use it for salads. For dinners. For snacks.
Listen everyone! Make this easy baked chicken. I make it weekly. Last night we had it over salad. Today we had it in tortillas with shredded cheese and some chik-fil-a sauce. It is the BEST chicken ever and is so, so versatile. You can eat it by itself as the main dish or put it in all kinds of things–soup, wraps, salads, a chicken bowl, etc. Make it! You won’t regret it. I brine mine every time for 24 hours. It is so fabulous–can’t say it enough! Thank you, Star! Everything you create is a God-send in my kitchen. I make your recipes every single week. My husband and son know skinnyish dish! 🙂
I am so happy I came across this recipe! I seriously have never been able to make chicken breast that wasn’t just dry and boring until now. It is so simple and delicious. I have recommended it to so many of my friends and family so they can enjoy it too. Thank you!!
@raeswellness
This is my all time favorite of your recipes. The chicken is always juicy and tasty.
This is my fav Skinnyish dish bc it’s so versatile! I use it in pastas, salads, and Mexican dishes during the week. So simple and so yummy! Thanks for sharing your expertise. My IG handle is: carriem.123
Ps- I share your blog with all my friends and coworkers. You’re popular in NW Indiana and don’t even know it! ☺️
awe thank you so so so much!!
Oh my goodness!! This has changed my mind about “plain” baked chicken. I never knew how much of a difference brining would make. I mean, I always heard cooks/chefs talk about brining but I guess I didn’t believe it would really make a difference. It does!!
Also, the seasoning is PERFECT!
I’ve used this recipe at least once a week for the past two months.
Thank you so much for your easy, delicious, skinnyish recipes.
My husband, who is usually unimpressed by the recipes I make, & who does not typically eat leftovers (more for me!) came home today and said, “That chicken you made the other day is so good!” I paired it with sweetsavoryandsteph’s Orzo Tomato and Feta salad and have looked forward to lunch every day since. Thanks for an amazing chicken recipe! I’m absolutely adding it to our regular dinner rotation!
So happy yall enjoyed!
I will never not brine my chicken again. This turned out perfectly. So far I’ve made three of your recipes and I’m impressed. Thanks!
So happy you’re enjoying!
This is the best! Pulled out of my freezer yesterday and had a chicken Caesar salad for lunch. Then mixed with bbq sauce and put on Biz’s pizza dough for a fantastic bbq chicken pizza for dinner!
Love this chicken recipe. Its so easy and simple. Will be on repeat in my house. Thanks for shating this great recipe with all of us.
WOW! This is life changing!!! I NEVER bake chicken because it’s always has a weird texture and tastes funky to me, I typically only grill chicken or slow cook it. This recipe is a game changer! Just prepped some of this chicken for the week, added bbq sauce the last 3 mins and I will use this for bbq chicken salads for lunches! Thank you!!
Can I leave the chicken in the brian for longer than 7 hours without being too salty?
So easy and so good! I love making a batch at the beginning of the week and using it for salads, sandwiches or just a snack.
Simple, efficient, healthy, and DELICIOUS!
This is becoming a weekly staple! It’s so good and really is perfect to have on hand. Thanks for being an amazing resource!
This is now my favorite way to cook chicken! It is the best and so delicious! My family loves it and it’s our go to recipe when we want to add chicken to a meal!! Thanks for a great easy recipe for something we something we use so much!!
There is no reason to make chicken any other way! This is perfect!
I know what you’re probably thinking- “what’s so great about this baked chicken?”… but I’m here to tell ya, EVERYTHING. Make this ASAP and then make extra! Even my picky 2 & 12 year old gobbled this up. This recipe is a MUST make.
I made this for the first time tonight and it was so delicious! I couldn’t stop eating it! I’ll be adding this to my weekly meal prep since it’s so easy and versatile!
Best baked chicken recipe!!! Always tastes great and juicy! So glad I found this because it’s so easy and I for real struggled to make chicken not dry before I found this. Plus my husband loves it too!!
Love this chicken! It’s on rotation at my house!
Awesome chicken recipe. It turns out so flavorful and juicy. Can’t go wrong with it. Looking forward to trying more of Star’s recipes!
Love this chicken! Make a batch of it at the beginning of the week and top salads, tacos, roti bowls with it! Also make Star’s Street Corn and put this on top! YUM!
Oh my gosh!!! Love the idea of throwing the street corn on top. What an awesome idea!!
I make this chicken weekly. It is so good by itself or in salads or wraps. Entire family loves it!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! So tender and juicy…I will definitely be making this again!
I’m so glad I came across this recipe! I’ve been making it weekly pretty often during quarantine. I usually make it for my husband but there is usually enough for me to also use some for salads and other things throughout the week. Great recipe!
I’ve made this twice and it’s been nearly perfect both times! I did it exactly as directed the first time – brined it, seasoned it and baked it. And we thought it was a tad salty (and I ensured it wasn’t brined when I bought it). But even despite the salt, it was so juicy and flavorful! Even out of the freezer later it was good! I made it again today and because I knew it was saltier than we would like, I cut the salt in half when I seasoned after it came out of the brine. My husband grilled it – seriously, do that! I’m never baking it again! But still just a little too salty for us. I still give it 5 stars because I truly think it’s just our personal preference. The texture and flavor is spot on and I will do chicken like this forever! Do yourself a favor and make this chicken! Thank you for writing these amazing recipes! My family had enjoyed them all! You’re my favorite person to follow!
My chicken says “is not sodium free”. Does that mean it’s been brined?
If it has less than like 100 mg of sodium on the nutritional fact label I personally don’t think that it’s brined.
Delicious chicken! So easy to make and juicy. Do not skip the brine. I love this for meal prep at the beginning of the week.
BEST CHICKEN!!! I could not stop eating it! I love the chicken and hummus at Pita Jungle, and this chicken is even more delicious with hummus! Lunch for days….Thank you!
This was great, moist chicken, something I have a hard time achieving, lol!! Will definitely do this again !!
The only way I make chicken in this house now! I’ve even done it with split breasts (bone in) and the results are fabulous!
Hi Star!
I’m pretty sure I’ve already commented on how life changing this recipe is for me (and my husband by association!) but after making a big batch of chicken for the week’s lunches, I need to sing your praises again! Trying to get back on track after planning and executing our pandemic wedding and I knew my first step was to make your chicken! Thank you so much for creating and sharing this recipe with the world. It’s so versatile and more importantly, so delicious! We sing your praises often in this house!
aawwwe! This just made my day. Thank you so much for stopping by and letting me know (for possibly the second time!) You’re the best. I’m so happy you enjoy this recipe. Happy Holidays to you and Congratulations on getting married (and pulling off a wedding in 2020)!!
I absolutely love this chicken recipe! I hate cooking chicken and this is so easy yet yummy! I usually cook 4-6 chicken breasts and use throughout the week for everything from chicken Alfredo to add to a salad. I hate touching raw chicken so I use use my silicon grill brush to put the seasoning on. This also is perfect for when it is snowing out to warm up the house a little with the oven 🙂
So good! This is my go to chicken recipe. It’s amazing baked as the recipe suggests or grilled. My favorite way to use the chicken is in salads with Star’s chipotle ranch dressing. Yummmm!
This chicken was delicious! Next time I’m going to try it on the Traeger, but it was delicious in the oven and so versatile!
How do you know if the chicken has been brined? I had not herd of this before. I would like to try since a lot of people say it’s delicious. But I don’t want to try it and make salty.
After eating this my husband asked why we have been eating dry chicken all these years. I agree! This is the bomb and I will never make chicken breasts any other way! Thank you!!!!
I’m not able to get any boneless chicken breast in my neck of the woods right now. It’s crazy the things that are in short supply during these uncertain times! I was able to get split, bone-in chicken breast today though! Does this method work with split breast and do you need to adjust cooking time and temperature?
Perfect baked chicken breast!!! Thanks for all of your fabulous recipes!
Made this for the second time tonight (last week for the first time). This recipe is outstanding. I made lots for leftovers this time so I can try it in other things this week. I’m so excited! Thank you!!
I’m so so happy you enjoy it so much, Teri. Thank you!
Hi planning to make this tomorrow. For the chicken do you cover it while baking or not? Thanks
No. Hope you enjoy!
I love brining chicken but only recently started after years of cooking the tough ones . Have you ever brined then frozen and later defrosted and cooked the chicken? Thx
Hi! I actually haven’t tried to, but I think it would do just fine as long as it’s fresh chicken (no frozen and then thawed only to be frozen again raw) I’m going to give this a try VERY soon and I’ll get back to you. Let me know if you do it!
Love this recipe. I make it weekly almost. I have actually quadrupled the seasonings and keep in a shaker for ease of use. Thanks!
That’s such a good idea to make a big batch of the seasoning. I need to do that! Haha! So happy you enjoy it so much.
Thanks for this. They were fantastic. Always wondered why sometimes my chicken was good and other times it was dry and chewy, Thought it was me overcooking, now I know it’s the brine.
I’ll probably end up cooking a few of these each week to have on hand for sandwiches, salads, etc. Always bypassing recipes that require cooked chicken cause I never have any on hand but with this excellent recipe I will now.
I want to try this with boneless/skinless chicken tenders. Do I bribe for the same amount of time or should I shorten brining time? Also, about how long do you think the cooking time should be for tenders?
Loved. Loved. Loved. Best chicken I’ve ever made. Can’t wait to try more recipes!
This is our familys favorite chicken recipe. I make monthly freezer meals for my mother who has Alzheimer’s. It is her favorite. it’s so easy to whip up and freezes well.
Best chicken breast I’ve ever had! I brined for about an hour with about 1/16 cup sea salt and could taste the difference even there. My boyfriend loved it too, but found it a hair too spicy for him so I’ll cut the paprika in half for next time. Paired with some sautéed French green beans for a great 3 point dinner!
Made this tonight for dinner. Delicious!
What if my chicken bag says, “Contains up to 15% chicken broth, salt, and natural flavor?” Should I brine??
Hey Tessa! I’m 95% sure that means they were pre-brined. I would skip the brine!
I am so sad that I’m just making this! I will never make chicken breast any other way. Thank you!
What if you’re reducing your sodium intake?
You can reduce the amount of salt
I made this recipe for the first time the other day. It smelled DEVINE while baking. I only had about 45 minutes to brine this and I did find it a little dry, so next time, I will make it on a weekend when I have more time to let it sit in the salt water for longer. I am using the left overs tonight with pasta but the first night, it made a perfect topping for my big, busy salad. I will make this a weekly thing. So easy and absolutely delicious. I have tried a few of your recipes now and they have all been great. I can’t wait for our next office pot luck so I can make a big ol’ batch of your corn pasta salad! Thanks for all of the wonderful recipes.
Is the recipe you mentioned for Chicken n’ Cheese Quesadilla available? I’m excited to try this and hoping to use the other recipe as well. I did a search and it didn’t come up.
Thanks so much!
Hi Melanie! It’s truly not much of a recipe, but I’ll try to get it added on here for reference soon! It’s just something I make super quick for Pepper. I just take a medium flour tortilla, finely chop up a little of the chicken breast, and add cheese. Folder it and cook it in a frying pan over medium heat with a kiss of olive oil until golden on each side
Made this for the first time tonight and it was a hit! I used a premade seasoning from Weber because it was just quicker on a weeknight after work. That’s the good thing about this recipe…it’s so versatile!! And I did brine the breasts beforehand so I’d like to think that attributed to the yumminess!! Thank you for all of your recipes!
Tried this recipe for the first time today and it really is a game changer!!! I struggle so hard with making chicken breast and this was amazing! I can’t wait to make it again!
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Kristin!
Sooo good!! My hubby loved it too! Said more than once how good it was. Thank you!!
Yes! That’s always such a good feeling!
This one is a keeper! So easy and delicious! Restaurant quality. I sliced it up for sandwiches and kept looking at it like “did I really make this?” Lol. Can’t wait to eat it for lunch tomorrow!
I’m so happy you enjoyed!
Made this today. So good! Definetly 5*
Is there another way to know if chicken was pre-brined? I didn’t see anything about the soldium solution on the package and followed the directions but i think it must’ve been pre-brined. Where would I look for the sodium solution info on the packaging?
I was wondering this also! I didn’t see anything on the chicken packaging and used less salt since I didn’t have kosher salt but I’m thinking my chicken was prebrined? Are there any other ways to tell?
Can’t wait to try this recipe, nice and simple. I love your blog, learned a few things, thank you.
I meal prepped this on Sunday and ohmygod, this is amazing! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! I think I am going to make this every weekend for my meal prep it’s that good!!!!
Ps. I love alllll the writing at the beginning and everything that goes into your posts!
I’m so happy you loved it, Lauren and enjoy the blog too! Thanks for letting me know.
Hey star!! Just want you to know you’re awesome! That’s all. Have a good day!!
Abbie
Hahaha, awe thanks Abbie! Always nice to open up my computer to a sweet lil comment like that. You have a great week!
Oh my heck! This is absolutely delicious! My husband really likes it too.
This is a great method and delicious recipe! My chicken came out moist and tasty. Brining really made all the difference!
I’m so happy you loved it, Mary Jane! Thanks for letting me know!
Going to make this today. Using the chicken for your southwest chicken egg rolls. Is the 1 point for the chicken because of the olive oil?the southwest chicken egg rolls are 5 points so using this brine recipe they will now be 6 correct
Thanks keep the recipes coming
So I saw both your recipes, this one and the Skillet Pickle. Today was the first time I tried it. I used the pickle brine method from your other recipe and the methods you say in this recipe to cook , and OMG, you’re amazing!! The chicken is awesome!! I’ve never been able to bake chicken and not have it dry and chewy-ish. Thank you so much!!!
love love love this recipe. like you, i had almost given up on trying to make chicken breasts on my own – this is DEFINITELY going to become a staple chicken recipe for me! i already made it twice this week and it was a hit all around! how would you suggest reheating the chicken so that it doesn’t lose flavor/become dry?
I made this recipe for dinner tonight. I did brine my chicken for about 7 hours. Using two of my four chicken breasts, I cooked them on my Foreman Grill (I took the other two breasts out of the brine) and packaged them for tomorrow. They turned out juicy and nicely browned and delicious ~ very nice flavor. I thought this was a quick method to cook them rather than the oven. I’m not a fan of warmed up chicken so tomorrow I will make the other two breasts for lunch, again on the Foreman Grill. I think this time I will not add salt to the spice mix and see how that goes. It wasn’t extremely salty and my husband agreed but I thought I would give it a try and see the difference. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. PS I would give this 5 stars. I couldn’t get the stars to highlight for me.
Thanks Kathleen! I’m so happy you and your husband approve! I’m sorry the rating part didn’t work for ya either. I probably need to update something on my end. haha!
Hi Star! I can’t wait to try this recipe. I’m looking for chicken I can make for lunches throughout the week. My issue is that when I re-heat the chicken for lunch it always turns out tough and dry. I’m wondering if anyone has tried this recipe and reheated it? Tips? Suggestions? Thoughts?
Hi Jenn! I haven’t had that issue with this chicken. I reheat it and put it into a bunch of different recipes. I think it must have to do with the brine and how juicy and tender it makes the whole thing. I’ve also sliced it up, reheated it in a frying pan and threw it on a plate with some rice and it was perfect!
Jenn here – Just wanted to provide an update; I can report that it is still just as tender and juicy throughout the week! I’ve made it for the last two weeks straight for lunches. This recipe is a definite keeper! Thanks Star!!!
Sooo good! I seriously doubt I’ll make chicken breast any other way now. We made 2 lbs as a “test run” this past week and immediately wished we had made more. Definitely being added into the weekly prep so there’s always some handy in the fridge!
Can I do this with bone in chicken breast? Do I have to adjust cook time or brine time?
Thanks and I love your recipes!
It should totally work! I’ve seen a few people do that now with this recipe. I’m not sure on the time adjustment, but I would just check your it with a meat thermometer at about 20 minutes and see where it’s at.
This chicken is amazing!! So flavorful and jucy! I don’t think I’ll make chicken any other way now . Thank you for this recipe!
Wow. Just wow. I had almost entirely given up on making chicken breasts because it was always came out dry and tasteless. I’ve never used the “broil” option on my oven before, but it was totally worth setting the smoke alarm off for!!! This is a total game changer and will definitely be my new go-to chicken breast recipe. Thanks, Star!!!
The baked chicken delicious. Best flavor so moist. I only brined for half hour and it was very tasty.
I just finished this recipe, and I’ll probably never bake chicken different ever again. Thank you for sharing! I’m excited to throw it on your Southwest Chicken Salad this week for lunches.
The chicken I just got at Meijer says nothing about salt BUT there is sodium in the nutritional info on the back. I don’t want to mess this one up because we’re meal prepping for the week! Any suggestions? Err on the side of caution and don’t brine?
This chicken is ah-maz-ing! Made a big “family pack” of BSCB last night using this method and they are the bomb! Leftovers are in the fridge for all kinds of yummy things including the southwest salad you recently posted! And if I wasn’t fan-girling you enough, I put your crock pot Italian Beef in to cook last night before bed and it smells awesome in here on a cold winter day! Many thanks for all the cooking inspiration!
Question about brining and kosher chicken..kosher chicken is already saltier but it isn’t more moist. Ideas? Thanks!!!
I have honestly never seen or tasted Kosher chicken so I’m not really sure how to answer this. I would just try using regular fresh chicken breasts and then brine them yourself. If you brine that other type of chicken and it’s already salty it will for sure become too salty for taste.
Made tonight! Super yummy! Shared Your recipe with my parents and grandparents! Can’t wait to make it again! … wow this post has a lot of !!!, it was that good!!!!! Thanks Star!!!
Is the kosher salt the key to the brining or can regular salt be used? Thanks! Excited to try this!
I have to say…I usually can’t stand all the extra story telling on most recipe blogs (certainly not enough to rudely post about it), but yours are different! I really enjoy your photos, anecdotes and ability to have an accent/twang via text! Your recipes are awesome! Keep on doing what you’re doing!
Thank you so much, Siera! 🙂
This is legitimately the best chicken I have EVER made! The brining! It makes all the difference. 30 years on this planet and I never knew! My chicken will never be dull and bleh again! Thank you for bringing me into the light!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Sarah!! Thanks so much for stopping back by to leave me a comment!
Hey, Star! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes. I work in a group home and someone else makes up a menu and buys the groceries. When I get to work the menu says “Chicken breast” nothing else. I was like, SAY WHAT???? At the time, I didn’t know to brine, and I didn’t have your recipe but I just pulled any spice out of the cupboard that looked good (it’s harder when I’m not in my own kitchen). Anyway, the spices ended up being the same ones in your recipe! I just sprinkled them all over, then put in a 350 oven for awhile. The guys thought it was awesome! Also, on another note, I’m trying to figure out where in southern Iowa you live. Up here by Des Moines today, the wind chill is 40 below and I’m snowed in. I’m thinking I should pull some chicken breasts outta the freezer…..
I’m new to your site….and so far, loving it, and your commentary!!!
Can’t believe some people can be so darned rude. Ignore that and focus on the rest of the world who seems to love you!!! Me included. Chicken tomorrow night… it’s frozen right now. Looking forward to trying your methods! Thank you!!!
Hi Linda! I hope you love this chicken as much as I do!! And thanks for your kind words too.:)
I was so excited to try brining for the first time. Flavor was good but WAY too salty for my taste 🙁 I’ll try again without the salt in the seasoning rub. Is there a time limit to brining? Such thing as too long?
Hi Stacy! I’m so sorry to hear it was too salty. You can brine for too long. I’d say max 8 hours, but it’s safer to go 6-7 hours. Also, Did you use Kosher Salt? If not and you used table salt/sea salt you will need to reduce the amount of salt by half.
Thank you for sharing this method. The chicken came out with a great. Do you ever rinse the chicken after you brine it? Mine was really salty. I used 1/4 cup of table salt instead of kosher salt, is that why? I was wondering if this has happened to anyone.
Hi Aesha! Yes the 1/4 cup of table salt is exactly why it was too salty. If using table salt/sea salt you’ll need to reduce the amount that’s used by half in the salt water brine and in the spice rub.
Thank you so much!
Hi! Cant wait to try this recipe, just wondering if the chicken breasts need to be flipped halfway through or just leave them the entire time? Thanks!
I leave’m as is the whole time! I hope you love it!
Love the comments and cooking tips! Don’t stop! You’re my favorite food blogger and I’m never disappointed with your recipes…Ever! Thank you for making weight control easier and much more delicious!
I’m hoping to make this tomorrow and wanted to brine the chicken in the morning… Unfortunately I do not have kosher salt. Can I substitute regular salt or sea salt? I apologize if you already answered this but I cannot find the answer if you did LOL… So excited to finally try one of your recipes!
Hi there! You can use table salt/sea salt, but reduce it by half in the salt water solution and the spice rub. I hope you enjoy!
Oh my gosh!! I made this last night and the chicken came out so delicious and the seasoning is fabulous!!
This is a FOOD BLOG Deb…and a freaking fantastic one! The world doesn’t need so much snark, can’t you just say THANK YOU for someone taking the time to GIVE us such an abundance of delicious recipes???
Hello! I’m sure you’ve already thought of this, but I have food prep gloves on hand for when I don’t feel like handling raw meat. Also good for chopping jalapeños or garlic! Also, unrelated to this recipe, but since I’m already here I wanted to note that I made the bacon and pea Alfredo pasta for dinner tonight and my husband and 10 month old inhaled it! We also love the chicken con broccoli! Keep up the great work
I made this today and was skeptical of the brining. Buuuut…they were perfect and I will be having these on repeat! I’ve been searching (for years) for the best way to prepare chicken breast in the oven that eliminated them being too dry and/or rubbery. This is it!
I’m so happy you loved this method and enjoyed’m, Kristen! Thanks for stopping by to rate the recipe. I appreciate it!
They finally sat long enough for me to take a taste!! Delicious, great method to cook chicken quickly with a ton of flavor. Thanks for another winner!!
You’re welcome! So happy you enjoyed them, Michele!
some people are so damn rude!!!!!!! your page, your recipes…..feature them however you damn well please XXXOOO
Thank you Sherry! Xo!
I love you Lady lol. This chicken changed my life!!
Yasss! I’m so happy to hear this!
Thank you for posting this. I always struggle with knowing how to bake a chicken the “regular” way. I have a question, do you rinse the chicken off after brining or just pat dry straight out of the brine?
I just pat it dry personally because raw chicken being rinsed in my sink makes me feel like it could get anywhere haha, but I think it’s normal to rinse it! Some people always rinse their chicken before using it. If you want to rinse it, just pat it afterwards!
Thank you so much!! Yes I rinse when I first take the chicken out of the packaging bc the slime about does me in. Trying this today. And also I like reading the stuff before the recipe!
This recipe WILL change my life. THANK YOU. Oh how I struggle to make a decent and consistent chicken breast. Thanks again. I know this will be perfection. Thanks for the explanation above the recipe. VERY helpful to me every single time.
I hope you love it, Martha! Chicken breasts can be a tough, but once you crack a few codes. They’re so easy and so delish!
Hi Star-
First and foremost, that Deb up there is a turd, huh??? She needs to write her own recipes and criticize herself. Her mom and dad should have taught her better. What a shame to be so nasty. Anyway, I am a brining convert, after reading/enjoying YOUR FULL POST, and following your recipe. I didn’t see your reply, so I have to confess, I did brine from frozen because I was so excited to try this recipe out. I can’t get over the chicken. It actually changed the entire consistency. It is a game changer, for sure. This recipe is so flavorful and the chicken is moist and tender. Super delicious and easy, which makes it even better. I will be brining from this point forward and this recipe will become my go-to for everyday chicken breast. Thank you for your creative and entertaining blog. Your recipes are fabulous. Your pickle chicken and street tacos on next on my list to try.
Tracey, your comment made me laugh because I was thinking the same thing! STAR – your recipes are amazing and we appreciate the time you take to present them in the most helpful and positive way!
Hi! This is probably a silly question but mine say “contains an 8% sodium solution of water and kosher salt” … that’s pre-brined ENOUGH, yes??
To be on the safe side, if it says sodium solution/kosher salt. I’d take that as it’s been pre brined. =)
These are in the oven ask I type this! I also just made the garlic roasted cauliflower mash….. OMG it is seriously so delish!!!! Thank you so much for your amazing recipes
Your posts just make me smile. I love the photos. Everything always looks so delicious. Thank you for sharing all these recipes with us.
I have a question b/c I am making this today. I have NEVER brined chicken, and I’ve made a ton in my lifetime. I am soooooo excited to try this and am guessing I will be a briner from here on out. My question is… I took my chicken breasts out of my freezer. Can I brine them from frozen????
Hi Tracey! I would recommend that you let them thaw first. I truly have never done it from frozen, so i just don’t know, but I did just add this to my to do list to test out and see in the very near future. I hope you love it!
Have you tried pounding them flat for even cooking? Also, have you made these on a Skillet like the Chipotle Chicken? ❤️
I don’t ever pound the chicken out unless I’m doing a couple different certain type of recipes. I don’t know why, but I just don’t like having to do that step. Haha! I do cut them in half for even cooking in a lot of recipes in the skillet though! And Yes, this recipe totally works in the skillet as well!
Hi! Is it really necessary to have many pages of instructions before we get to the recipe?? Very annonying
Hi Deb. I’m sorry you feel that way. I didn’t realize scrolling was such a tough job. I do process photos and I like to write in my posts. Maybe someday I’ll change this, but not today.
Star, I love and appreciate how much you tell the reader! As a new cook, there’s so much I have learned from reading your posts. Thank you for being so thorough!
Please keep your blog just the way it is! I like the personal touches you add and if I don’t have time to read the whole thing guess what……I scroll! Either way, as a newbie to WW I GREATLY appreciate your recipes and info!!!! THANK YOU!!
Thank you, Dena!! That means so much to me.
I love reading the back story of recipes and I love your blog. Don’t change. ❤️
Please keep it the way it is, I love it!
Thank you, Kimberly!
It’s called SEO. You wouldn’t have found this particularly, awesome, bribed chicken recipe without it.
Love your site! ❤️
Hi Wendy! I’m so glad you enjoy the site! I actually don’t write for SEO purposes too much. I probably should though. If an SEO expert saw my site they’d probably cry. Haha!!
love it!! Some people are just too much!
Dear Star
I’m fairly new to your recipes but everyone I live! I also love reading all you wrote. It makes me feel like we’re old friends having tea and you’re telling me about what you’re about to cook. Much love !!!
April
When you get to the page, do a search on “print” and it will take you to where you can see and print out the recipe.
Instead of ridiculing this awesome recipe blog, maybe find one that better suits you:)
Deb,
Perhaps buying recipe books instead of finding free recipes online will help.
I am grateful she even posted this.
Thank you for posting all these great recepies. Always gives me ideas of meals for my family. I made this chicken this week and it was delicious! I had chicken to chop for salad, chopped some more to put in the black eyed peas I made, sliced some up for my lunch wraps with salad mix, cheese and avocado and chopped some more up for chicken salad! My husband had one whole one for dinner with veggies and black eyed peas! Very yummy and easy to spice up more if we wanted. We had chicken for meals all week! You can’t imagine how much you influence people’s journey to eating healthier and losing weight (in my case). Thank you and I love your back stories with the bonus recepies of amazing food!
#debbiedowner
The best chicken breast! It’s so simple but so good. I’ve always had smoked paprika but never really knew what to do with it. That and the oregano make this chicken so flavorful. It’s so good on it’s own or in any recipe that call for cooked chicken breast.