How to roast a boneless chicken breast

The foundation for many weekly meal preps, Simple Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts are crispy, juicy and tender.  Just a few minutes of hands on time saves you hours in the kitchen during the week.  And they’re better than store-bought rotisserie chicken!

I wasn’t going to post this recipe for a variety of reasons.  The pictures are not beautiful.  The recipe is silly, stupid simple.  It’s just chicken.  I didn’t want to insult you all by posting something like Oven Roasted Chicken Breast but the truth of the matter is…..it’s the basis for many of my quick prep meals.  

In a pinch, I like to use a rotisserie chicken but I find when I buy them in advance and store them in the refrigerator, they dry out.  And then they’re only really good for making chicken salad.

So, I like to make a few roasted bone in chicken breasts on Sunday and use them throughout the week.  Sure, I could make another trip to the store and buy a fresh rotisserie chicken…but why?  By making my own chicken, I can control what I put into it.  And I keep it simple….olive oil…kosher salt…pepper.  And split chicken breasts, of course, but I think you get the gist.

Oven Roasted Chicken Breast

Simply put, this recipe is similar to Oven Baked Chicken Breast because the process is similar and you can use seasoning or not. It’s totally up to you. But, this roasted chicken breast recipe uses bone in chicken breasts instead of boneless, skinless chicken.

And the best part of this chicken breast recipe, to me, is the extra crispy, salty skin.  It keeps the moisture inside of the meat so you end up with super tender, juicy chicken breast without breaking a sweat.

How To Roast Chicken Breast

1. First step, and most important of all….line your baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up.  If you’re lucky, you won’t even poke a hole in the foil and may not even need to wash it!  🙂 
2. Place the chicken skin side up on the baking sheet and coat with about a tablespoon of olive oil.  Rub to coat the chicken evenly.
3. Sprinkle liberally with kosher salt to coat evenly.  You’re going to discard the skin so it’s ok if it’s extra salt.  Or you can eat it.  It’s really good…like addictingly good…like a potato chip.  So, don’t throw it out.  🙂
4. Sprinkle liberally with fresh ground pepper.  Because your chicken skin snack will be even better with pepper.  Just sayin’.
5. Roast in a 425˚F oven for 25-30 minutes or until it registers 165˚F on an instant read thermometer.  
6. Allow the chicken to rest until cool enough to handle and then discard the skin. (You know my feelings on this.)  
7. Shred, chop or just leave on the bone, store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.  Refrigerated, of course.

Temperature to Bake Chicken Breasts

This question has plagued me forEVER and I finally made some notes with my temp times to see what the best result is.  Too low of a temperature seemed to dry out the chicken because it did have to cook for a longer period of time.

Boneless skinless, chicken breasts do better with a higher temperature because it allows the outside of the chicken to sear which seals in the juices. I use this same method for my Thanksgiving turkeyand it’s been the best turkey ever for the past 20 years. No kidding.

So, 425˚F is my go to for baking chicken breasts because it’s not so searing hot that the outside dries out but it’s just hot enough to sear the outside of the chicken keeping the inside juicy and tender.

How Long To Bake Them

Bone in, skin on chicken breasts will bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 165˚ F. This, of course, depends upon the weight and thickness of the chicken breast you’re baking.

Follow the guidelines below for estimated cooking times for oven baked chicken breasts:

• 5 ounces 14-16 minutes
• 8 ounces 16-20 minutees
• 10-12 ounces 20-30 minutes

Sometimes, in a pinch, I’ll whip up this easy Garlic Butter Sauce to drizzle on top and call it a day….or dinner. 🙂

How To Store 

Cooked chicken breasts will last up to 4 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. We love to use them for meal prepping at the beginning of the week.

To store chicken breast in the freezer, remove the meat from the bone and wrap each breast tightly in plastic wrap. Transfer to an airtight container. Store your chicken breasts in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Easy Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts are also awesome on their own in a sandwich but I highly recommend trying it in this Skillet Chicken Pot Pie because this comfort food comes together in just 30 minutes.  Don’t believe me…try it out for yourself!

Got an Instant Pot? You may also LOVE this easy Shredded Chicken, too.  It’s totally juicy and packed with zesty flavor.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

• Oven Baked Chicken Breasts…ready in minutes!
• Oven Baked Chicken Tenders.…a hit with the littles!
• Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs….so easy!
• Easy Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

Want even MORE easy dinner recipes? Follow us over on Instagram!

Get the Recipe: Simple Roasted Chicken Breasts

Yield: 3

Prep Time: 3 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 33 mins

This simple roasted chicken breast recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner. Quick, easy and juicy.

• ▢ 2 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh ground pepper

• ▢

  baking sheet

• Preheat oven to 425˚F.

• Place the chicken, skin side up on a baking sheet lined with foil.

• Rub the chicken with the olive oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper.

• Roast for 25-30 minutes or until no longer pink in the center.

• Allow to cool to room temperature and use in your recipe or enjoy as is!

Chicken can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Serving: 0g, Calories: 449kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 115mg, Sodium: 7091mg, Potassium: 477mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 0g, Vitamin A: 185IU, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 1.9mg

Course: Chicken

Cuisine: American

How long does it take for boneless chicken breast to bake?

How do you cook boneless skinless chicken breast without drying it out?

Is it better to bake boneless chicken at 350 or 400?

How do you cook boneless breasts in the oven?