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When it comes to the Popular Protein Awards, you can’t beat boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

They’re easy to find, endlessly versatile, and one of the most approved proteins by picky eaters.Low in calories, high in protein, and with zero carbohydrates and saturated fat, you can’t deny that chicken breast is very healthy. It is a wholesome addition to a balanced diet.

Making Better Baked Chicken Breast

While chicken breast is great in theory—a lean protein I can flavor anyway I like, enjoy on its own, or add to pastas, salads, casseroles, sandwiches, and more, AND it’s good for me?!—too often, chicken breast is a total fail in execution. Dry. Bland. Rubbery. All are common outcomes of baked boneless chicken breast.

While bone-in chicken is easy to keep from drying out (see my Baked Bone In Chicken Breast for a scrumptious recipe) unless we’re talking about Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast, boneless can be another story.Shredded chicken is also easy to make juicy (see Instant Pot Chicken, Crock Pot Shredded Chicken, or this poached method for How to Cook Shredded Chicken).

A simple boneless breast, however, takes a little more love. Here’s what I learned. After testing various methods, I’ve unlocked a simple method to bake your chicken breast without drying it out. Like my Grilled Chicken Breast, this chicken breast is succulently juicy, golden on the outside, and ready to add to any of your favorite recipes. One of the things I love most about it, however, is that it truly tastes good enough to stand on its own as a main, a rarity among most simple chicken breast recipes.

How to Bake Juicy Chicken Breasts

1. Pound

Chicken breasts are usually thinner on the ends and thicker in the middle, which means that by the time the chicken is cooked through at its center, the ends are rubbery and dry.

Lightly pound your chicken to an even thickness so that it all cooks in the same amount of time.As a bonus, your recipe will finish up more quickly and pounding can help make the meat more tender.

2. Brine

Brining isn’t just for turkeys! Salting your chicken by a wet brine or dry brine method for as few as 15 minutes will enhance its taste significantly. A brine works wonders for its inner juiciness and ensures that the meat is seasoned all the way through, not just on the outside. As far as HOW to brine, you have two options:

a wet brine (in which the meat is submerged in a saltwater solution or something like this delicious Chicken Marinade), ora dry brine (in which the meat is seasoned generously with salt and rests uncovered for a period of time).

Both the wet brine and the dry brine have their pros and cons. I tested this baked chicken breast with both brines to see which was best. Here’s a side by side of the results: Still deciding? Check out these close ups.

Wet Brined Baked Chicken Breast:

Dry Brined Baked Chicken Breast:

Honestly, I was super happy with both the wet brined and dry brined chicken. I would use either methods, depending upon how pressed for time I am. Also, a fantastic option if you do not have time to brine but still crave quality flavor is my Pan Fried Chicken Breast. Or if you want baked chicken but crave a crispy outside of panko breadcrumbs, definitely try my Chicken Katsu, which has the texture of being deep fried while being much healthier!

3. Room Temperature

While you can leave your chicken in the refrigerator to brine, don’t throw it into the oven cold right out of the refrigerator. If you do, it will not cook evenly. By the time the middle cooks through, the outsides will be dry.

Let your chicken rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before baking.

4. Bake at 425 Degrees F

I’ve tested how long to bake chicken breasts at 350, at 400, at 425, and at 450.

Based on my tests, the best temperature to bake chicken breasts is 425 degrees F.

At this temperature, the chicken turned golden on the outside and unbelievably juicy inside. If you go lower, the chicken can dry out, as it will need to be in the oven for a longer period.

5. Get the Right Internal Temperature

To make sure you do not overcook your chicken, use an instant read meat thermometer.

Small to medium-sized chicken breasts (6 to 7 ounces) will take about 14 to 16 minutes. Medium to large-sized chicken breasts (8 to 10 ounces) will take about 20 minutes. Larger chicken breasts will take about 20 to 25 minutes.

An instant read thermometer is the absolute best way to know when your chicken breast is done. It will make sure you do not overcook your chicken, fish, and other meats. I even use it to tell when my banana bread is done (195 degrees F)!Be sure to insert the meat thermometer at the thickest part of the chicken.Per the FDA, chicken breast is considered safe to eat at 165 degrees F.Since the chicken’s temperature will rise as it rests, I remove mine between 155 degrees F and 160 degrees F. I have never had a problem with uncooked meat.

6. Let the Chicken Rest

This is non-negotiable for juicy chicken breast.

Resting meat allows the juices to reincorporate back into the meat. If you cut the chicken right away, all that juiciness you worked for will slip right out.For boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 5 minutes of resting time is sufficient, though you can go up to 10 if you like.

Step-by-Step: How to Bake Chicken Breasts

Ways to Use Chicken Breast

Once you have your juicy baked chicken breast, there are so many incredible ways to use it!

Paprika. A delicious, sweet spice. For a hint of heat, use smoked paprika. Garlic Powder. Garlicky goodness!Onion Powder. Tasty in combination with garlic powder.Salt and Pepper. Classic and beloved.Red Pepper Flakes. For a little heat.Sweet and Spicy. Combine brown sugar with spicier ingredients like chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper.Lemon Pepper. Always a crowd-pleaser. Most lemon pepper seasoning includes some salt, so adjust accordingly.Everything Bagel Seasoning. Add the popular seasoning blend to your chicken. Cajun Seasoning. Bold and a little spicy. Most cajun seasoning includes some salt, so adjust accordingly.Italian Seasoning. Scrumptious for Italian-style recipes.Herbs. Oregano, thyme, and rosemary all work well with chicken. For an easy blend, use Italian seasoning or herbs de Provence.Curry Powder. Warm and wonderfully flavorful. Stuffed Chicken Breast. This elegant Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast is a must-try recipe!

With Vegetables. Baked chicken breast is delicious served with vegetables. We especially love ours with Roasted Broccoli, Oven Roasted Potatoes, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic.With Pasta or Rice. Serve your chicken with any of your favorite pasta or rice dishes (Mediterranean Pasta and Lemon Rice are two great options). On a Green Salad. Pump up the protein of your favorite salad (like this Spinach Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing) by adding some chicken.For Chicken Salad. To use leftover oven baked chicken breasts in a cold chicken salad, let the chicken come to room temperature, then refrigerate it until it is chilled down. Dice it, then add it to your favorite chicken salad recipe, such as this Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad or this Curry Chicken Salad.In a Recipe. Use this chicken in a recipe that calls for cooked chicken. See our full list of healthy chicken recipes for ideas.

For easy use, you can dice or shred this baked chicken breast. (I suggest using a hand mixer to make shredding extra quick and simple.)

Baked Chicken Storage Tips

To Store. Refrigerate chicken breast in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To Reheat. Gently rewarm chicken in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F. To Freeze. Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Mixing Bowls. This set is easy to clean and store. Baking Dish. The perfect baking dish for this recipe. Instant Read Thermometer. My #1 hack for knowing when your chicken is cooked through.

WHEW! There you have it. The download on making the best ever, juicy guaranteed, baked boneless skinless chicken breasts. Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out for you, and if you use the wet or the dry brine. Your comments make my day!