Baking Chicken Breasts- How to Get Perfectly Juicy Results
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This classic baked chicken recipe is easy to make, and yields tender and juicy results every time! It’s naturally low carb and perfect for the whole family.
It only takes about ten minutes of prep. Just season and bake. But, if you want the perfectly juicy chicken breast, there are a few extra steps you can take. Don’t worry, they don’t take any extra time.
Baking Chicken Breast without drying it out:
Chicken breast is the most notoriously difficult cut to bake without it drying out. This is especially true if you’re cooking for a large group. But, with a little bit of extra care, it’s not that difficult to achieve perfectly juicy chicken breasts every time.
Here are my tips for juicy boneless, skinless chicken breasts:
- Start with quality chicken breasts. Look for chicken that is plump with smooth, evenly distributed white meat. Avoid chicken breasts that have any brown patches or visible gristle.
- Make sure the chicken breasts are completely thawed out before cooking. Chicken that is even slightly frozen in the center will not cook evenly and is more likely to dry out.
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness: This helps the chicken cook evenly and prevents it from drying out. If you don’t have a meat mallet, you can use a rolling pin or even a heavy skillet. Just place the chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound it until it’s an even thickness.
- Season the chicken generously: This is key! Don’t be afraid to season your chicken breasts well with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you like. I also like to add a little bit of paprika for color.
- Preheat the oven: This might seem like an obvious one, but it’s important to make sure your oven is fully preheated before baking the chicken. This will help ensure that the chicken cooks evenly.
- Bake on a wire rack: This might seem like an extra step, but it’s worth it! Placing the chicken breasts on a wire rack ensures that hot air can circulate around them, helping them to cook evenly.
- Use an instant-read thermometer: This is the best way to make sure your chicken is cooked through without drying it out. The internal temperature of the chicken should be at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let the chicken rest: Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before cutting into it. This allows the juices to redistribute, making for juicier and more flavorful chicken.
How long will this chicken breast recipe take?
- Prep Time -10 minutes
- Cook Time- 20 minutes
- Resting Time – 5 minutes
- Total Time -35 minutes
This makes it the perfect easy, weeknight meal! Just serve with some green veggies on the side and you are good to go.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts 6-7 oz each – skin off
- Allulose– or preferred sweetener
- Paprika
- Dried thyme or rosemary
- Kosher salt
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Black pepper – to taste
- Olive oil
Finishing touches
- Butter
- Garlic minced or finely chopped
- Fresh chopped parsley or sage
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F or 220°C
- Cover breasts with parchment paper and using a rolling pin or mallet, pound each chicken breast to about a half inch. Make sure your meat is all the same thickness to ensure even cooking.
- Combine allulose, and all of the spices together in a small cup.
- Prepare a baking pan with oil so the chicken doesn’t stick. Transfer chicken to the pan and drizzle with the oil, then rub seasoning all over each piece to evenly coat.
- Bake chicken in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165°F (75°C). Your chicken should be golden by now.
- Broil on high heat during the last 1-2 minutes until crispy on the edges.
- Remove pan from oven, transfer chicken to serving plates and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. IMPORTANT- let the chicken rest before slicing.
- While chicken is still in the oven, melt butter in a small skillet. Sauté garlic until soft and fragrant and remove pan from heat. Stir in chopped parsley.
- To serve, drizzle pan juices and butter mixture over the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley or rosemary.
Nutrition
Serving: 1breast | Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 18g | Sodium: 777mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Net Carbs: 0.6g | Fat Ratio per Serving: 40.91% | Protein Ratio per Serving: 54.55% | Carb Ratio per Serving: 0.61%
Is it better to bake chicken at 350 or 400?
It depends on the cut of chicken and the recipe. In this case, we bake the chicken breast at 425F to seal in the juices and cook it evenly throughout. Be sure to preheat oven to 425F before you put the chicken breasts in (it matters).
For a chicken with skin, you may want to bake at a lower temperature like 350F so the skin doesn’t get too crispy/burnt.
What temperature should chicken be cooked to?
Chicken breast should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This can be checked with an instant-read thermometer to make sure. Chicken is not like steak in that “a little bit rare” is okay. It is NOT okay.
It needs to be cooked all the way through to be safe.
Should you brine chicken breast to keep it moist?
You don’t HAVE to, but it certainly doesn’t hurt! This chicken breast recipe is already pretty juicy and flavorful, so you may not need to brine it. But if you want to, go for it!
I prefer a dry brining method for smaller cuts of meat. Just rub the seasoning mixture all over the chicken and let it rest for 30 minutes before cooking. This will help keep it juicy!
For a wet brine, you’ll want to add the chicken to a large container of salty water (1/4 cup of salt per quart of water). Let it soak for at least 30 minutes, but not much longer for small cuts of meat like the breast or it will get spongy.
It will be moist but the texture loses something when you wet brine for too long.
What low carb sides should you serve with the chicken breast?
This chicken is delicious on its own, but you could also serve it with a side of roasted vegetables. So many delicious possibilities! But any of the low carb recipes below would be fantastic!
I think that’s all for the easy baked chicken breasts!
Cheers and please leave a comment below if you need help or want to rate this recipe. We love hearing from readers.
Au Revoir,
Brandy
Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts 6 oz each
- 1 tablespoon Allulose or preferred sweetener
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Finishing touch
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced or finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F or 220°C
- Cover breasts with parchment paper and using a rolling pin or mallet, pound each chicken breast to about a half inch. Make sure your meat is all the same thickness to ensure even cooking.
- Combine allulose, and all of the spices together in a small cup.
- Prepare a baking pan with oil so the chicken doesn't stick. Transfer chicken to the pan and drizzle with the oil, then rub seasoning all over each piece to evenly coat.
- Bake chicken in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165°F (75°C). Your chicken should be golden by now.
- Broil on high heat during the last 1-2 minutes until crispy on the edges.
- Remove pan from oven, transfer chicken to serving plates and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. IMPORTANT- let the chicken rest before slicing.
- While chicken is still in the oven, melt butter in a small skillet. Sauté garlic until soft and fragrant and remove pan from heat. Stir in chopped parsley.
- To serve, drizzle pan juices and butter mixture over the chicken and garnish with freshly chopped parsley or fresh rosemary.
