Baked Thin Chicken Breasts
Published Feb 21, 2024
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No more dry, bland chicken breasts! Learn how to make Baked Thin Chicken Breasts that are flavor-packed, juicy and ready in 15 minutes!
This recipe is impressively easy to follow, making it perfect for anyone new to cooking or wanting to have a stress-free time in the kitchen.
If you enjoy chicken as much as I do, you can try some of my other recipes such as Pan Seared Chicken Tenders, Baked Chicken Leg Quarters, or Perfect Grilled Chicken.
Table of Contents
- Baked Thin Chicken Breast
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients Needed
- How To Bake Thin Chicken Breasts
- Substitutions and Variations
- Expert Tips For Baked Thin Chicken Breasts
- How To Check The Chicken’s Doneness
- Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Serving
- More Chicken Recipes
- Baked Thin Chicken Breasts Recipe
Baked Thin Chicken Breast
If you want a reliable chicken recipe that you can use frequently, then this baked thin chicken breasts recipe is the one to choose! This delectable chicken can serve as the foundation for many different types of meals. It can be used in both casual and more formal lunches and dinners.
Over the years, I’ve made enough chicken to learn some secrets to keeping it juicy and flavorful. It is all about using the right seasonings and cooking methods, which I will share with you here!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s perfectly juicy and seasoned. The last thing you want to do is serve chicken that’s dry, rubbery, or lacking in flavor. With this baked thin chicken breasts recipe, you can avoid all these issues! You’ll be pleasantly surprised how my combination of seasonings takes the chicken to the next level.
- It’s kid-friendly. This chicken serves as a family-friendly protein that is both healthy and versatile. Your kids will love the flavor and texture of the perfectly baked chicken, and you can take pride in your cooking!
- It’s great for meal prep. Do you take your lunches to work or like to get ahead on weeknight meals? You can make this chicken ahead of time for meal prep. It pairs wonderfully with other common meal prep components such as rice, vegetables, and salads.
Ingredients Needed
Here are the primary ingredients you need for the recipe and some notes about them:
- Thin Chicken Breasts: This quick-cooking thin chicken is perfect for busy days when you want to feed your family in a reasonable amount of time. It is especially delicious when baked because it turns beautifully golden brown.
- Olive Oil: This fat helps the chicken brown and gives it moisture. Additionally, it aids all delicious seasonings in adhering to the meat so you get maximum flavor!
- Paprika: Use regular or smoked paprika to give the chicken a pleasant peppery undertone.
- Garlic and Onion Powder: These seasonings pair well with the meat, enhancing its natural flavor. Not to mention, fresh garlic burns easily, so it wouldn’t be able to withstand the high temperature as well as the dried powder does.
- Dried Basil: Basil provides sweet undertones and also gives the chicken an appetizing presentation with its green specks.
You will also need some salt and pepper. Don’t forget to check out the recipe card below so you know which measurements to use for each ingredient.
For more affordable thin chicken breasts, buy boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them in half horizontally, to make your own thinly sliced chicken breasts. Then flatten the breasts using a kitchen mallet or rolling pin. Flattening chicken breasts helps promote even cooking.
How To Bake Thin Chicken Breasts
- Preheat the oven.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with cooking spray.
- Drizzle both sides of the chicken breasts with oil.
- Combine the seasonings and sprinkle evenly on both sides of the chicken, rubbing it in.
- Place the seasoned breasts on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until the chicken is fully cooked.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken Breasts: It’s okay to use regular chicken breasts instead of thin ones, but keep in mind that you will need to account for a longer cooking time!
- Seasonings: Some other spices that pair with chicken include rosemary, coriander, thyme, fennel, sage, tarragon, cumin, and ground mustard. Feel free to experiment with different combinations!
- Breadcrumbs: Try mixing the seasonings with crispy breadcrumbs like panko. First, rub the chicken with oil as directed in the recipe, then dip it in the seasoned breadcrumb mixture. This will give you extra crunch when you bite into them.
Expert Tips For Baked Thin Chicken Breasts
- Pull your chicken out of the refrigerator about 10-20 minutes before you need it. That way, it is an even temperature throughout, and the oven isn’t trying to heat something super cold.
- Let me give you some oven tips! First, ensure the oven is entirely pre-heated before popping the chicken inside. Waiting until it is ready promotes even cooking. Also, resist the urge to keep opening the door because every time you do, the appliance loses heat. Wait until just before the suggested cooking time is up to check the chicken.
- Allow time for your chicken to rest before slicing it. You might not realize, but cutting it prematurely can cause all of the much-needed juices to escape! The meat needs time to rest when it goes from a hot environment to a room-temperature one.
How To Check The Chicken’s Doneness
Use a cooking thermometer to test the internal temperature of the chicken. Insert it into the thickest part of the meat. Generally, thin chicken breasts have a more even thickness than traditional breasts. So, if you find that to be the case, just stick the thermometer into the center to check.
The temperature needs to register 165°F before you remove it from the oven! Also, remember that I mentioned how cutting the meat too soon can cause the juices to release? That still applies if you cut the chicken to check if it’s done and then return it to the oven for longer cooking.
Although it might be a habit to check its internal color, it can cause the chicken to become unpleasantly dry. A thermometer is the best way to go. You’ll be glad you used one!
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
400℉ is best. With a higher temperature, the chicken gets a gorgeous golden-brown color, cooks quicker, and retains its moisture. This means there is less of a chance that it dries out. At 350℉, it’s harder for it to get a crispy skin and lock in the juices.
It is a combination of steps that prevent the breasts from drying out: rub them with olive oil, cook them at a high temperature, avoid overcooking, and let them rest before serving. By taking all of these precautions described in this recipe, you are setting yourself up for success.
Some people might cover chicken while baking it to keep it moist. However, it might create more moisture than you want by trapping steam, inhibiting the chicken from getting a golden brown crust!
Set a timer to be safe and follow the suggested cooking time. If you accidentally leave it in the oven too long and overcook it, there isn’t a way of undoing the mistake, and the chicken will have an unsatisfactory texture or appearance.
You’ll be good to go as long as you remove it from the oven immediately after it reaches the suggested minimum temperature!
Bake thin chicken breasts at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-13 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Serving
Serve Baked Thin Chicken Breasts with a wide variety of side dishes, including:
More Chicken Recipes
If you loved this recipe, also check out my guide to Thin Sliced Chicken Breasts and the following chicken recipes:
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Baked Thin Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 1 pound thin sliced chicken breasts about 2 medium breasts
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
- Drizzle the olive oil on both sides of the chicken breasts. Mix together the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, and paprika, and sprinkle evenly on both sides of the chicken. Rub the seasoning onto the breasts, making sure the seasoning is easily distributed.
- Place the seasoned breasts on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the chicken registers an internal temperature of 165℉ on a meat thermometer.
Notes
- Pull your chicken out of the refrigerator about 10-20 minutes before you need it. That way, it is an even temperature throughout, and the oven isn’t trying to heat something super cold.
- Let me give you some oven tips! First, ensure the oven is entirely pre-heated before popping the chicken inside. Waiting until it is ready promotes even cooking. Also, resist the urge to keep opening the door because every time you do, the appliance loses heat. Wait until just before the suggested cooking time is up to check the chicken.
- Allow time for your chicken to rest before slicing it. You might not realize, but cutting it prematurely can cause all of the much-needed juices to escape! The meat needs time to rest when it goes from a hot environment to a room-temperature one.
