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GET IT NOW- I’m Kind Of Obsessed With This Healthy Baked Chicken Breast Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Bake Chicken Breast In The Oven
- My Tips For The Juiciest Chicken
- Healthy Baked Chicken Breast (Juicy & Easy) Recipe card
- Seasoning Variations
- Serving Ideas
- More Healthy Chicken Breast Recipes
- Recipe Reviews
I’m Kind Of Obsessed With This Healthy Baked Chicken Breast Recipe
I said it — I’m kind of obsessed with this healthy baked chicken breast. We eat a lot of chicken in my house, so I get the opportunity to test a lot of oven baked chicken recipes, but I keep coming back to this one. It’s simple, it’s flavorful, it uses ingredients I always have around, and it’s super juicy. Oh, and baking chicken breasts at 450 degrees is super quick, too. Here’s how it checks all the boxes:
- Perfectly cooked, juicy chicken breasts – After hours of research and testing dozens of times, this is the best baked chicken breast recipe I’ve ever made. Even though it’s simple, my method will banish dry chicken from your house forever.
- Just 5 simple ingredients – Plus salt and pepper. That means the prep is super quick, yay!
- Faster bake time – Most healthy chicken breast recipes bake in an oven temperature range from 325 to 400 degrees F, but in my experience the best way to bake chicken breast is very high heat — 450. The shorter cook time gives less time for the moisture to evaporate from the chicken, for a juicier result.
- Healthy protein for anything – I make this often for I-don’t-know-what’s-for-dinner situations, as meal prep for lunch, and even to freeze for later.
The key to juicy baked chicken breasts is all about brining. Don’t worry, it’s super easy to do and takes only 10 minutes.
I use this method on lots of poultry recipes, including my air fryer chicken breast, 6-ingredient spinach stuffed chicken, fancy looking prosciutto wrapped chicken, cheesy asparagus stuffed chicken, and even spatchcock turkey — making them all juicy and extra flavorful.
And yes, it’s my best way to bake chicken breast in the oven, too. Make it with me!
“I made this healthy baked chicken one night this week and we both loved it! The breasts were very tasty and so moist inside. The seasoning was perfect, but next time I think I might try one of the seasoning variations. I served it with a small potato and a Caesar salad. I loved that it was a healthy meal and it didn’t take too long to fix… another hit in our household.”
-Sherry
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my healthy baked chicken breasts recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken Breast – I developed this recipe for boneless skinless chicken breasts. Choose ones that are similar in size and thickness, so that they cook at the same rate. (I just pound them with the flat side of a meat mallet if the thickness is not the same.) If your chicken is frozen, you’ll need to thaw it first, but you can do this while brining. To cook other cuts, I’ve got other basic recipes for bone-in chicken breasts, crispy baked chicken thighs, baked chicken legs, and chicken leg quarters.
- Salt Water Brine – This is simply a combination of water and sea salt (or you can use kosher salt). Brining is my secret to juicy baked chicken breast!
TIP: The key to a great chicken brine is the water and salt ratio.
You need 1/4 cup salt per quart (4 cups) of water. Do not skimp on the salt – this is important! Brining is chemistry. The salt solution will travel from the area of high salt concentration (outside the chicken) to low salt concentration (inside the chicken). This means more moisture in the chicken, and the salt also works to break down the chicken proteins, making them more tender.
- Olive Oil – Locks in moisture, adds flavor, and helps the seasonings stick. You can use any heat-safe oil, like avocado oil.
- Spices – My usual combo is Italian seasoning (my go-to dried herb mixture that includes oregano, marjoram, basil, thyme, rosemary, and sage), garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper, and paprika. See my variations below for more seasoning ideas!
How To Bake Chicken Breast In The Oven
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Brine. Place chicken breasts in a large bowl with enough water to cover them. Add sea salt and stir to mostly dissolve. Brine at room temperature for 10 minutes, or up to 24 hours in the fridge.
- Brush with oil. While your oven preheats, remove the chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Place it into a baking dish (this is my favorite and I used it here). Brush both sides with olive oil. I used a different brush in the picture below, but now love these silicone brushes because they’re all one piece!
- Season. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with the spices.
- Cook. Bake chicken breasts in the oven until firm and no longer pink, and internal temperature reaches 160-165 degrees F with a meat thermometer. (It needs to reach 165, but see my tips below for why I usually pull it a little earlier.)
- Rest. Cover the cooked chicken with foil and rest for 5 minutes before serving or slicing.
My Tips For The Juiciest Chicken
- Don’t skip the brine. It’s optional for many of my other chicken breast recipes, but for this basic one, I highly recommend it. It’s the absolute best way to guarantee juicy results. Even 10 minutes makes a difference!
- You can brine for up to 24 hours. I often do this the day before, but longer than 24 hours will make the chicken mushy.
- Why pat dry? Even if you don’t brine, drying the chicken helps it stay juicy during baking. In fact, I do this with all my proteins.
- You might need more seasoning than you think, and salt is the most important. My usual rule of thumb for poultry is 1 teaspoon of salt per pound, but with the salt water brine in this chicken breast recipe, I used half of this amount. (For older versions of this recipe, I used the full amount and it was too salty.)
- You can pre-mix the spices if you like. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. The advantage of mixing them in a small bowl first is you don’t have to measure half the amount of each to season each side.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Use a baking dish large enough for pieces to fit without touching, or just barely touching. (This one is my favorite.) If the chicken breasts are too crowded, the cook time will be much longer and the chicken may dry out, plus it’ll cook unevenly. If you don’t have a large enough pan, use multiple pans. You could also use a large baking sheet (line with parchment paper or foil for easier cleanup).
- Use a meat thermometer. I always recommend this, but it’s especially important for baked chicken breast recipes, since this cut is naturally lean and most prone to drying out. I use and love this probe thermometer, which beeps at the right internal temperature and doesn’t require me to keep checking. A regular meat thermometer will work, though. Make sure to insert it into the thickest part of the chicken.
- For the juiciest results, stop baking a few degrees early. The USDA says to cook chicken breast until it reaches 165 degrees F, but the temperature will actually rise a few degrees after you take it out of the oven and let it rest. So, I typically take it out around 162 degrees and let it come to 165 while resting, to ensure an extra juicy chicken breast. Just double check before serving! This is the opposite of what I do for boneless chicken thighs (and other dark meat), which needs to reach at least 170 degrees F to get juicy.
- Resting is important, too. It lets the juices settle into the meat, so that they don’t leak out when you cut into it. If you skip this step, your chicken will taste more dry.
- Slice against the grain. Just like a good sirloin steak or ribeye, I always slice oven baked chicken breast recipes against the grain. This breaks up the muscle fibers, making every bite more tender.
Healthy Baked Chicken Breast (Juicy & Easy)
The BEST way to bake chicken breast, with simple ingredients! My juicy, healthy baked chicken breast recipe is fast, easy, and never dry.
Ingredients
[ See substitutions ]Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Brined chicken
Preparation
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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To brine the chicken breasts, place them in a large bowl with enough water to cover them (about 4 cups). Add sea salt and stir to mostly dissolve. Let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature, or for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
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Drain the salt water, rinse the chicken, and pat dry.
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C).
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Place the chicken breasts into a baking dish large enough for the pieces to fit without touching, or just barely touching. Brush both sides with olive oil.
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Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, sea salt, paprika, and black pepper.
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Bake for 18-22 minutes, until firm and no longer pink, and internal temperature reaches 160-165 degrees F (71-74 degrees C). (Internal temperature will rise another 5 degrees when resting.) A probe thermometer like this is the best set-it-and-forget-it method because it will beep when ready, but an instant-read thermometer also works.
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Cover with foil and rest for 5 minutes before serving or slicing.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 chicken breast
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get tender, juicy baked chicken breast every time, as well as a couple shortcuts.
- Variations: See my seasoning variations to make other flavors to go with different dishes.
- Store: Cool completely and place into an airtight container in the fridge. Leftovers will last up to 3-4 days.
- Meal prep: I love baked boneless chicken breast is very versatile for meal prep! You can make it ahead as your protein for lunch, or re-purpose it in casseroles (it’s perfect for my chicken bacon ranch casserole!), serve over salads, or add to soups.
- Reheat: To avoid drying out the chicken, I like to reheat it in a baking dish with a little broth at the bottom, covered loosely with foil. I recommend 15-20 minutes at 250 degrees F. The microwave will make it dry, but works in a pinch.
- Freeze: You can freeze baked chicken breast in a zip lock bag for up to 4 months. It’ll be less juicy, so I mainly do this to use in other recipes rather than to eat by itself.
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I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Baked Chicken Breast
Seasoning Variations
I use this baked chicken breast recipe as my base for all kinds of flavors, depending on what I’m serving it with. The combo above is what I make most often because it goes with everything, but these are great for more punch:
- Add heat – If you want to keep my original spice mixture but like a kick, add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, or 1 teaspoon of chili powder.
- Mexican – Swap all the spices with 1-2 tablespoons of taco seasoning or fajita seasoning. These are my faves when I’m making this healthy baked chicken breast to go with other Mexican recipes.
- Poultry flavor – For a comfort food vibe, use 2 teaspoons of my poultry seasoning instead of the Italian seasoning.
- Cajun – My husband’s favorite! Use Cajun seasoning in place of the spices (same amount as the Mexican version above).
- BBQ – After brining, brush the chicken with your favorite barbecue sauce (I use this sugar free BBQ sauce). Bake, and baste with more sauce halfway through. If you want it even more caramelized, finish under the broiler for 5 minutes.
- Teriyaki – Use my instructions for BBQ sauce above, with teriyaki sauce instead.
- Lemon pepper – Like my lemon pepper wings, you can simply substitute all the spices in this baked chicken breast recipe with 1 tablespoon of lemon pepper seasoning. Or just make my lemon garlic chicken.
- Ranch – Use ranch seasoning instead of the Italian seasoning, or just follow my ranch chicken recipe.
Serving Ideas
Just about everything goes with my healthy baked chicken breast recipe! You can browse my healthy side dishes and salads, but here are some of my favorites:
- Veggies – Whip up my easy sauteed broccoli, air fryer carrots, or sauteed asparagus while you’re baking chicken breast in the oven. You can also roast zucchini or roast eggplant on the same pan — even though I usually bake those at 400, they do okay at 450 if I cut them a little thicker.
- Salad – Juicy baked chicken breast is my go-to for Cobb salad and chicken Caesar salad, but you can fan it over arugula salad or kale salad, too. I also love loaded cauliflower salad or creamy cucumber salad on the side.
- Starches – When I want something more hearty, I bake potatoes in the Instant Pot, roast potatoes in the air fryer, or make rice for my kids. My husband and I like lighter mashed cauliflower, zucchini noodles, or baked spaghetti squash.
More Healthy Chicken Breast Recipes
Healthy chicken breast doesn’t have to be boring! If you want something a little less basic, try one of my other baked chicken breast recipes that take them up a notch:
188 Comments
Annette Sternberg
0This is the best review I have ever tried. I make this at least twice a week so that there are always chicken fillets ready to eat in my fridge.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad you liked it, Annette! Love that it’s become such a regular in your kitchen.
Elan
0It tasted great!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Elan!
Cristina
0Surprisingly good, moist/tender and tasty (I dislike chicken breast). I’ll make it again but maybe add grated garlic cloves this time (put under, so they won’t burn). Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Cristina, especially not usually being a fan of chicken breast. Let me know how it goes if you try the garlic underneath!
Maya
0Thank you! Glad I found your recipe! My first time brining the chicken before baking. And it turned out so moist and perfect! But I will cut down on the salt – will put 1/2 or 1/4 tsp instead. Ate it with chopped broccoli and corn on the side. Overall, 5/5!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you found it too, Maya! And I don’t meet many other Mayas. 🙂 Feel free to use less salt next time if it was too salty for you. Hope you make it again soon!
Diane
0What is the sodium content per serving as I don’t see it in your nutritional list? I’d love to try this, but my husband has to watch his sodium levels for his heart condition.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Diane, I’m sorry, I don’t have that info, and you can read more about why in my nutrition policy. Your husband should ask his doctor, but if I wanted low sodium, I would skip the brine.
Lynn Zeddies
0Could you brine and spice the chicken then freeze for later use? I know I would want to thaw 24 hrs before baking. Just wondering if that has been tried and does it affect the chicken?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lynn, Yes, you can do that if you like.
Kara
0This was excellent! We put the chicken on top of a Caesar salad and it was so good. It would be great served with almost anything. Thank you for sharing!
Jack
1I can’t comment on the Chicken Bacon Ranch casserole yet (it’s in the oven as I type this lol), but I tasted a bit of this chicken that I’d made for it when it came out of the oven (before I had everything else prepared) and it was a mistake because I was nibbling on it the whole time!!! I had to fight myself not to eat it all before I mixed it in with everything else 😂 Thankfully I had plenty for the casserole but oh my gosh, I definitely need to enjoy this on it’s own someday (soon!!!)
Absolutely brine it, she’s right -over night if you can. I didn’t think it would make much of a difference but this is probably the juiciest chicken I’ve had and I’ve had twenty years of experience eating chicken (give or take for my baby years lol)
This was also my first time making chicken because I have a very small, picky oven and am terrified to work with raw meat (I’ve only started working with it since last year when I moved out of my parent’s, who usually handled all the cooking), but the instructions were clear and with the help of a meat thermometer and a bit of confidence I was able to cook it perfectly!!!
I’m definitely coming back to this recipe and you are ✨amazing✨ for sharing it. Thank you!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Awww, thank you, Jack! I’m so happy you liked my chicken breast recipe so much. Congrats on your first time making it, too! I hope you’ll love the casserole just as much. Please let me know how it turns out!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you liked it, Kara! Sounds like a perfect healthy meal.
cawheeler269
0Sooo moist and tender! Loved it❣️
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you thought so! Enjoy!
Daniel
0I haven’t brined chicken in years. It made a big difference, in my opinion. Thanks for a delicious and easy recipe!
Susie
0Good recipe! Brining was really easy and worth the effort.
Ang
0I has anyone made this recipe using a cookie sheet please let me know now thank you
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ang, Yes, you can use a cookie sheet as long as it has a rim.
Ruth Noel
0Am going to make it on Monday. Just to let you know kosher chicken has already been brined so no need to brine it again,if you are using it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you for sharing, Ruth! Good to know. Let me know how you like it!
Cheri
0Can you use an air fryer, and if so what temp and how long?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cheri, Yes, you can make chicken breast in the air fryer like this.
Colleen Carruthers
0The best!
Carole
0This was super easy and flavorful. I’ll probably use less olive oil and more garlic next time though. We really like garlic. The higher temp on the chicken made it come out juicy and tender. We also use organic, air chilled chicken which helps with that as well. Will make again I’m sure.
Tammy
0I usually have issues with drying out my boneless and skinless chicken breast, but not any longer! It’s so nice and tender! I love the flavor! This is definitely a game changer for me. Thanks!
Marigrace Bannon
0How to adjust recipe for Chicken Thighs, Bone and skin on?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Marigrace, Here is my recipe for baked chicken thighs.
Judy
0I needed some shredded chicken to add to salads, soups and main dishes throughout the week from my freezer and fridge. I came across this recipe and love how brining helps the chicken retain juices making it extra yum! It is so healthy and watching sodium intake, I omitted the salt. Thank you so much for the passion you put into your work!
Loretta Fulkerson
0How much salt if only brining 1 chicken breast? I don’t want it to be to salty. I hardly use salt
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Loretta, You can reduce the serving size to 1 get the correct amount of ingredients.
Diane
0My husband and I loved it. It was the most tender and moist chicken we’ve ever had. I’m now a believer in brining….and I won’t even tell you how old I am! Live and learn. One thing is we thought it was a bit salty, so next time I won’t add the salt to the seasonings as I think it had enough salt from the brine. Other than that…perfecto! Also I used fresh chicken breasts vs the frozen ones in the bag…maybe that made a difference too.