Prepare juicy chicken breast in the oven. I like to serve sliced chicken on top of the salad or in a sandwich.
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Sometimes, I like to take great care in concocting delicious and creative meals for my family to enjoy. I love cooking wonderful recipes that are intricate and end up looking like they came straight out of a magazine picture. However, as a busy mom this is not an easy thing to accomplish for the majority of meals. Between running my business and running my kids to practice, there are times when I need something that takes minimum prep and cook time but still comes out delicious and satisfying. For these chaotic nights, juicy baked chicken breasts are my favorite go-to recipe!
When seasoned and cooked right, chicken breasts always make a yummy main course or addition to just about any meal. In warm weather, I like to make this chicken the same way but throw it on the grill with some vegetables and the outcome is sooo good! Grilled Chicken is easily one of our favorite summer meals because my family just eats it right up. Unfortunately, though, it eventually gets too cold outside to fire up the grill. When that time does come, I just swap out my grill for my trusty oven and work some dinner magic. Here is how to make mouth-watering, baked chicken breasts the quick and easy way.
To make juicy, baked chicken breasts, all you need is chicken breasts, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a baking dish. Brush the olive oil onto the chicken breasts, sprinkle both sides with seasoning, and bake for 18-20 minutes at 450°F.
Tools and Ingredients for Baked Chicken Breasts
One of my favorite parts about making baked chicken breasts for busy nights is how quick and easy it really is to do. This recipe only requires a few items and tools and there is very little prep work or cook work involved. Basically, just brush, sprinkle, and bake. First, though, you need to round up a few tools for this small cooking project.
Tools and equipment needed:
Got your tools ready? Great! Next, it is time to gather the chicken and other ingredient items.
Baked chicken breast ingredients:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
How to Cook Juicy Chicken Breasts in the Oven
We are off to a pretty easy start, right? Now that you have your tools and chicken ingredients ready, time to move on to the super-easy chicken-baking process. This fuss-free recipe only requires a few steps with minimum work but includes a few key factors to ensure the chicken breasts come out juicy and delicious. After placing the chicken breasts into the oven, you can easily whip up a few sides while the chicken cooks for a quick and easy dinner idea.
- First, preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Next, rinse the chicken breasts with cold water. Then, pat them dry with paper towels.
- Mix the salt and pepper together in a small mixing bowl.
- Transfer the chicken breasts to the baking dish and brush them with olive oil.
- Next, season the chicken with the salt and pepper mix.
- Then, flip the chicken breasts and repeat the olive oil and seasoning process.
- Bake the chicken for 18-20 minutes or until a meat thermometer stuck in the thickest part reads 165°F.
- If you want the tops of the chicken breasts browned or crispy then broil for the last 3-5 minutes.
Finally, remove the baking dish from the oven and cover the top with cooking foil for 5-10 minutes. This is the key factor in making keeping the chicken breasts juicy and packed with flavor.
Safely Storing Cooked Chicken
Maybe you want to make some easy baked chicken breasts for meal prepping. Or perhaps you just want to save some for a quick and easy meal addition later. Either way, chicken is easy to store safely and keep on hand. Having pre-prepped chicken stored away can save you even more time later on if you really end up in a pinch. There are 2 ways to safely store cooked chicken breasts:
- Transfer the cooked chicken to an airtight container or to a ziploc bag and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- Chicken can be stored in whole breasts, sliced, or chopped, whether refrigerated or frozen.
- Store the chicken breasts in an airtight container or ziploc freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months.
- Mark the date on the outside of the bag to keep up with freshness.
Serving Up Scrumptious Baked Chicken
With chicken being a common family favorite, seemingly all over the world, you may think you have probably heard just about every way to enjoy it. Maybe, but maybe not. Either way here are a few ideas to refresh your dinner or lunch ideas with juicy, baked chicken breasts.
Slice, chop or shred chicken breasts and serve:
- As nutritious baked chicken nuggets, perfect size for the kids at lunch or dinner!
- Spruce up lunch box meals with chicken wraps, or sandwiches.
- On top of stuffed baked potatoes or salads.
- Mix in or serve on top of pasta or rice.
- Add to soups or feature in a chicken chili.
- Use for easy meal prepping for the week.
Mix chicken into mac and cheese to make a yummy lunch for the kids. (My kids love this meal, it is their absolute favorite!)
No matter what time of year it is, savory chicken breasts make a wonderfully delectable meal served with sides or add extra yumminess to your favorite comfort foods. They are easily enjoyable cooked on the grill or baked in the oven. Perfect for making chaotic school nights a breeze or for crafting more intricate meals. Make tonight easier on yourself and try making a delicious dinner the easy way with these juicy, flavorful baked chicken breasts.
Baked chicken breast
Ingredients
- 2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F
- Rinse chicken breast with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
- In a small bowl, combine salt and pepper.
- Place chicken in a baking dish. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Flip the chicken breasts and repeat the process.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or when the internal temperature of the chicken reached 165°F. Broil for 3-5 minutes if you want the chicken to be brown or crisp top. Use a meat thermometer to probe the temperature of the meat.
- Remove baking pan from the oven and cover with cooking foil for 5-10 minutes.
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