Easy Baked Chicken

Looking for an easy, frugal weeknight meal that everyone will love? Try this baked chicken — so tender and juicy, and perfect for any time of the year!

Recipe by Olivia on our team.

You Will Love this Baked Chicken!

This is one of my go-to chicken recipes for busy weeknights, potlucks, parties, church banquets, and more. EVERYONE loves this chicken!

It’s so tender and moist that you can cut into it with a fork — perfect for little ones who can’t manage a knife yet.

And it’s naturally gluten, dairy, egg, and soy-free — making it a great meal for someone with allergies!

Baked Chicken Ingredients

2 lbs. Chicken Breasts
2-3 Tbsps. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
salt & pepper to taste

How to Make Baked Chicken

1. Cut chicken breasts into uniform pieces (I usually cut some of my pieces in half lengthwise) and pound with a meat tenderizer until similar thickness.

2. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet.

3. Drizzle the chicken with half of the olive oil and sprinkle with half of the seasonings.

4. Flip the chicken over and repeat with remaining oil and seasonings.

5. Rub seasonings in with your fingers, making sure the seasonings and olive oil are evenly distributed.

5. Let chicken rest for 15 minutes while the oven preheats to 450 degrees.

6. Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

7. For optimal tenderness, cover chicken with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Note: If you’re making this ahead of time, you can put it in a covered oven-safe dish, pour juices over, and keep in the oven on warm until you’re ready to eat.

How to Serve This Baked Chicken

We love baked chicken with rice or mashed potatoes and a vegetable, but it would also be great with a salad and fruit for a lighter meal. I also think it’s super yummy in a quinoa bowl!

For a beautiful presentation, try putting rice in a pretty casserole dish, top it with chicken, and sprinkle with green onions (it looks especially fancy if you slice the green onions diagonally, or on the bias).

You can also use this for chicken salad, casseroles, or any recipes needing chopped, cooked chicken breast.

How to Use Baked Chicken Leftovers

The leftovers are fantastic warmed up for lunches throughout the week!

If you’re not a reheated leftover type of person, then try chopping up the chicken and reworking it as chicken salad, chicken soup, a yummy chicken casserole, or chicken tacos!

Leftover chicken will last for 3-5 days in your refrigerator.

FAQs About Recipe

Can you make this chicken ahead of time?

Yes! If you make it ahead of time, simply put it in a covered oven-safe dish, pour juices over it, and keep in the oven on warm until you’re ready to eat.

Why is my chicken dry?

One reason for dry chicken is over-cooking. Make sure your oven is hot enough and that you keep the cooking time as low as possible (until the chicken reaches 165ºF). Also, make sure to let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes after it comes out of the oven so all the juices can redistribute.

Can you freeze this?

Yes, you can freeze the cooked chicken, so feel free to make a double or triple batch and portion some out for easy meals in the future.

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Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken, easy dinner, family favorite, weeknight dinner

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 20

Servings

Calories 288kcal

Author Olivia

Ingredients

2 lbs. Chicken Breasts
3 Tbsps. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Cut chicken breasts into uniform pieces (I usually cut some of my pieces in half lengthwise) and pound with a meat tenderizer until similar thickness.
Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
Drizzle the chicken with half of the olive oil and sprinkle with half of the seasonings.
Flip the chicken over and repeat with remaining oil and seasonings.
Rub seasonings in with your fingers, making sure the seasonings and olive oil are evenly distributed.
Let chicken rest around 15 minutes while the oven preheats to 450 degrees.
Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
For optimal tenderness, let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.