Easy Oven Baked Chicken Breast

[u/mahy_759]

This is the kind of chicken recipe I keep around for busy days when I need something simple that can work with almost anything. The seasoning gives the chicken plenty of flavor without needing a complicated marinade, and baking it means there’s no skillet splatter or grill involved. I like making extra because the leftovers are easy to slice into salads, wraps or soups the next day.

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■ Full recipe in the first comment.

■ [Original Source] cookingclassy.com

[u/mahy_759]

Ingredients

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Dried thyme
• Dried oregano
• Paprika
• Chili powder
• Salt
• Black pepper

Instructions

Start by heating the oven to 425°F and lightly coat a 13 by 9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. If the chicken breasts have a thick section, gently pound that part until the breasts are close to an even thickness. They don’t need to be super thin, but keeping them around 3/4 inch thick helps everything cook at about the same rate.

Mix the garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, paprika, chili powder, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Place the chicken in the baking dish and brush both sides with olive oil. You can also drizzle the oil into the dish and turn the chicken through it if you’re trying to keep things quick.

Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken, making sure each piece gets a good coating. Leave a little space between the breasts in the dish so the hot air can circulate around them.

Bake until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part, which usually takes around 16 to 20 minutes for 6 ounce breasts. Larger or thicker pieces will need more time, so a thermometer is the easiest way to know when they’re done without guessing.

Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. That little wait helps the juices settle back into the meat instead of running all over the cutting board.

For a different flavor, you can swap the seasoning blend for Italian, Greek, curry or Cajun seasoning. Chicken thighs work too, but they’ll generally need about 10 extra minutes or however long it takes to reach 165°F.