If your baked chicken breast tends to turn out boring and bland, then you have to try this Garlic Herb Baked Chicken Breast. It’s basically like the most delicious homemade garlic bread but made with chicken instead of bread. It’s tender, juicy, has tons of herby-garlicky flavor, and it’s ridiculously easy. Plus, it’s quite versatile. Keep scrolling for all my ideas for how you can serve this super simple Garlic Herb Baked Chicken Breast.
How to Keep Baked Chicken Breast Juicy
For boneless, skinless chicken breast, it’s best to use a quick, high heat baking method to prevent the meat from drying out. I prefer to bake chicken breast at 400ºF for 20 minutes. The high heat allows the chicken to heat through to a safe temperature quickly, before it has time to dry out. Coating the chicken breast in oil or butter also helps slow the evaporation, which will keep the chicken juicy.
If your chicken breast is thicker than 3/4″ at its thickest end, you will want to pound it slightly to reduce the thickness and ensure quick and even cooking. An ideal thickness is 1/2-3/4″.
This high heat, fast baking method is ideal for boneless breasts only. You can find detailed instructions on how to bake bone-in chicken breast in my Herb Roasted Chicken Breast recipe.
Should I Use Butter or Oil?
As mentioned above, you definitely want to coat the boneless, skinless chicken breast in some sort of fat to help slow evaporation and keep the meat moist. While testing this Garlic Herb Baked Chicken recipe, I tested both butter and olive oil. Butter was definitely superior, although olive oil still worked. The butter not only added more flavor, but it was much easier to coat the meat in the garlic herb mixture.
How to Serve Garlic Herb Baked Chicken Breast
This simple Garlic Herb Baked Chicken Breast is a great go-to baked chicken recipe that you can use as a main dish, as an addition to salads and pasta, or even to fill sandwiches and wraps. Here are some great recipes that you can top with this baked chicken:
- Lemony Artichoke and Quinoa Salad
- Marinated Cauliflower Salad
- Lemony Cucumber Couscous Salad
- One Pot Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
- Roasted Broccoli Pasta Salad with Lemon and Feta
- Tuscan White Bean Pasta
- Lighter Spinach Alfredo
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Wraps
Garlic Herb Baked Chicken Breast
Servings 2 breastsIngredients
- 2 Tbsp butter, room temperature ($0.26)
- 1 tsp dried parsley ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp dried basil ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp onion powder ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- freshly cracked pepper ($0.02)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about .5 lbs. each) ($5.07)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Stir together the butter, parsley, oregano, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 15 cranks of a pepper mill) until well combined and paste-like in texture.
- If your chicken breasts are thicker than 3/4″ at their thickest end, place them on a cutting board, cover with plastic, then gently pound the thick end until it is between 1/2-3/4″ thick. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
- Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet or in a casserole dish, making sure they are not crowded (a couple of inches of space between and around each breast). Spread garlic herb butter over the surface of each breast.
- Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. The total cooking time may vary with the size and thickness of the chicken breast, so use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the thickest end of the breast has reached 165ºF.
- Once the chicken has baked through, let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
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Nutrition
How to Make Garlic Herb Baked Chicken – Step by Step Photos
In a small bowl combine 2 Tbsp room temperature butter, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp dried basil, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 15 cranks of a pepper mill).
Stir these ingredients together until they are evenly combined and form a garlic herb butter paste.
If your chicken breasts are large and more than 3/4″ thick at their thick end, you will want to pound them slightly to make their thickness a bit more even, which will ensure even cooking. You don’t have to go crazy here and make them totally flat, just reduce the thickness of the thick end a bit, until it gets to 1/2-3/4″ thick. Placing a piece of plastic over the chicken prevents splatter and keeps your rolling pin or mallet clean. Each of these chicken breasts is about 1/2 pound in weight.
Pat the chicken dry to help the butter adhere. Place the chicken on a baking sheet or in a baking dish, making sure each breast has a bit of space around it. You should have about 1 Tbsp garlic herb butter for each breast. Spread the garlic herb butter over the chicken until it is coated from edge to edge.
Bake the chicken in the preheated 400ºF oven for about 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches at least 165ºF. The exact cooking time can vary a bit with the size or thickness of your chicken breasts. While I was testing this recipe, I had baked past the 165ºF (up into the 180’s) and the chicken was still surprisingly moist and juicy, so there is a bit of wiggle room here if you go over.
Meat thermometers are extremely useful for dishes like this, so there is absolutely no guesswork. They’re very inexpensive and definitely worth it. I recently got this digital meat thermometer (pictured above), but previously had a non-digital meat thermometer, which also worked, just not as quickly. (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Once baked through, make sure you let the chicken sit for at least 5 minutes before slicing. This will also help the meat retain its moisture.
And that’s it! Your Garlic Herb Baked Chicken Breast is now ready to top your favorite salad or pasta, stuff into a wrap or sandwich, or just eat as your main dish with dinner. Check out my post for the Garlic Herb Seasoning for more ideas and ways to use this versatile seasoning blend!
The best way I found to cook this chicken is to set your oven to 375 degrees an cook the chicken for 15 minutes. The chicken comes out tender an juicy. It’s a little pink inside, but it’s not dry at all an I don’t cover the baking dish. It’s just a great dish an so simple.
The best way I found to cook this chicken is to set your oven to 375 degrees an cook the chicken for 15 minutes. The chicken comes out tender an juicy. It’s a little pink inside, but it’s not dry at all an I don’t cover the baking dish. It’s just a great dish an so simple.
Anytime I am looking for a new idea or a better way to do something, I start here. Last year (well 2019) I went to a workshop where all the meals were included and they included some of the best, juiciest chicken I’ve ever had. So I decided I needed to up my game and I started right here. I wasn’t disappointed. This is easy, quick, and oh, so good. I did use butter. Must remember to get a cholesterol check next time I go to the doctor. LOL
This recipe is now in our weekly rotation! It’s incredibly easy to make and results in really deliciously moist chicken breasts. The key is pounding the chicken thinly and evenly as mentioned in the recipe so that it cooks fast. Some weeks when in a rush I didn’t pound the chicken enough or evenly enough and it resulted in overcooked chicken in some spots.
I’ve tried it with olive oil instead of butter and the butter version is definitely superior.
This chicken is great on salads, in wraps, or even just on it’s own with rice and veggies.
I cooked this last night with halved chicken breast and followed your recipe to the tee and at 20 min chicken I tested looked not done. So I cooked it for another five minutes and it still looked not done and left it in the oven for another five. Took it out, left it on the counter for another five minutes and when we were ready to eat it was tough as leather, ha ha. What did I do wrong??
If it’s tough like leather, that means it’s over cooked. :) What criteria were you using to determine that it looked not done?
My hubby and I are garlic lovers to the nth degree. I used chopped garlic I buy at Costco and used a tablespoon of it instead of garlic powder. I made a bed of halved baby red potatoes and fresh brussels sprouts tossed with olive oil and more of the chopped garlic. to bake the chicken on. It turned out fantastic and was a one pan dinner.
That sounds amazing!
I have been following your recipes for a while but this is the first one I’ve made! I am a college student who just moved into an apartment and I’m looking for simple and versatile recipes like this that can be adapted to a couple meals. This was perfect- juicy and flavorful, and I know I can have the leftovers for lunch. I paired it with roasted veggies and pasta this time but I feel like it’s such a neutral palette it could go with anything! And used pantry staples.
bake this along with some potatoes and that is one good ass meal. seriously, would make this again
This recipe looks amazing. Can I top the chicken the night before with the butter mixture? So all I have to do is throw it the oven when I’m ready.
I haven’t tried that, but it should be okay. The only issue you need to consider is that if it’s all super cold when going into the oven that might affect the bake time.
I’m terrified of poisoning my loved ones with undercooked chicken so it usually turns out dry, but this was PERFECT! Never using another recipe!
Love this! It always comes out super well, and goes with EVERYTHING. Definitely nothing boring about this – juicy and packed with flavor every time.
Mine took an extra 5 mins or so, but omg! It was so moist and delicious! Ate with potatoes and gravy for dinner, and then as a sandwich the next day for lunch! Fabulous!
I had to bake mine another 10 minutes. It didn’t burn but was so tough like leather. Should I have covered it with foil?
Wow!!! I’ve tried sooooo many recipes to make the “perfect” baked chicken breasts and your recipe was EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for! I followed your recipe to a T to go along with your tomato and spinach pasta and I will never make my chicken any other way! 💕
Instead of chicken breast can i sub nd use chicken thighs?
Yes you certainly can. The cooking time may vary some so just keep your eye on them.
This was so good, and so easy! I had chicken tenderloins to use up, so I used the same oven temperature, but only baked for 16 minutes. Thanks so much!!
That’s awesome Kathi! Thanks for sharing, sometimes those tenderloins are super on sale!
I’m not at all confident at cooking meat. Most of the time my chicken has a weird texture or just doesn’t feel cooked correctly. This was the best and easiest chicken that I’ve ever made! I used my own spice blend but I’ll be putting butter on all of my baked chicken! I feel so much more comfortable with cooking chicken now, thank you so much! I love all of your recipes! =)
That’s AWESOME Ashley! Thanks for sharing!