Juicy Baked Chicken

Step 1

Start by preheating the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare the chicken breast. If you are using thick chicken breasts, either butterfly the chicken by cutting in half lengthwise or use a mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken into thinner pieces. I prefer to buy the thin sliced chicken breasts.

Step 2

Make the spice rub. In a bowl, stir together the salt, garlic, powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, and brown sugar.

Step 3

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Lightly drizzle the chicken with olive oil. Toss the chicken in the seasoning or press into the chicken, coating both sides of the chicken. Place on the baking sheet.

Step 4

Bake for 14-18 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts. A meat thermometer is so helpful to determine when the chicken is done. The chicken is fully cooked at 165 degrees. You want to ensure that it is fully cooked and no longer pink.

Step 5

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This is an important step to allow the juices to seep into the chicken.

Step 6

OPTIONAL: if you want more of a sear on your chicken, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle with oil. Cook the chicken for 2 minutes per side. Then transfer to the baking sheet to continue to cook in the oven. If you cook the chicken this way, you may lose some of the spices as they will fall into the skillet. You will also need to cook it for less time in the oven since the cooking process was already started.

Step 7

If you want extra juicy and flavorful chicken, melt 4 Tablespoons of salted butter in a bowl. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of minced fresh parsley. Drizzle over the chicken when serving.