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This is my method for baking chicken breasts in the oven so they stay juicy and tender. Once you understand simple timing, you can use this recipe with any seasoning or flavor combination. Bake them on a sheet pan with halved fresh lemons to make a savory pan sauce to pour over the meat.

Three whole baked chicken breasts and a sliced chicken breast on a platter, with halved lemons and rosemary sprigs on top. — Roasting the lemons right on the pan caramelizes their juice into the drippings and gives you a ready-made sauce to spoon over every slice.

Baked chicken breasts have a reputation problem, and honestly, it’s earned (my spouse still keeps his distance from them). Most versions come out of the oven tough and dry — the kind of result that makes you wonder why you bothered. The fault isn’t the cut, it’s how they’re cooked.

I developed this version after years of cooking chicken professionally, where you learn fast that the difference between juicy and dry is a matter of degrees — literally.

The three ingredients that make a difference

Chopped fresh rosemary and thyme in a small bowl. — A combination of chopped herbs adds flavor to baked chicken breasts.

Chicken breasts: Use boneless, skinless breasts that are similar in size so they cook evenly. Pieces in the 8–10 ounce range will bake in about 20 minutes at my recommended temperature. There’s no need to pound them.
Herbs + seasonings: Keep it simple with salt, pepper and fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary. You can also use dried herbs or spice blends — this method works with almost any flavor direction. If using garlic, stick with granulated garlic — at 425°F, fresh garlic scorches before the chicken is done and turns acrid — granulated garlic toasts instead.
Lemon: Roasting the lemons alongside the chicken breasts are my favorite part — their juice mixes with the pan drippings to make a light, savory sauce you can spoon right over the chicken.

Remove the chicken at 158°F — not 165°F

Chicken breasts are lean, which means there’s almost no margin for error — a few extra minutes in the oven and you’ve crossed from juicy into dry. The trick is carryover cooking. The meat keeps climbing in temperature after it comes out of the oven, so if you wait for 165°F on the thermometer, you’ve already overshot it. Pull at 158–160°F, rest five minutes, and it arrives exactly where you want it. Trust the thermometer over the timer.

How to bake chicken breasts: Step by step

1. Put the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper on both sides. A quarter-sheet pan is the perfect size for four boneless chicken breasts. You can also use a large baking dish.
2. Sprinkle chopped herbs (or dried herb or a homemade spice blend) on both sides of the chicken.

3. Arrange halved lemons on the sheet pan, around the chicken.
4. Bake 10 minutes at 425 degrees, then flip the chicken over.

5. How do you know when baked chicken breasts are done? The thickest part should register 158–160°F on an instant-read thermometer — and feel firm and springy to the touch.
6. Rest the chicken 5 minutes. Squeeze the roasted lemons over the chicken — a pair of tongs is a perfect tool for this! Transfer to a serving platter. Add a tablespoon or two of water or chicken broth to the sheet pan and scrape up the drippings into a proper pan sauce

What to do with a batch of baked chicken breasts

Bake a few pounds of chicken breasts on Sunday and you’re already halfway through three dinners — sliced into the best chicken alfredo, layered over grilled caesar salad dinner, or folded into a bright, lemony chicken salad. The chicken keeps up to five days refrigerated — cold or gently rewarmed.

Super-Juicy Baked Chicken Breasts

Karen Tedesco

Learn the easiest way to make basic baked chicken breasts that turn out tender and juicy every time! Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. Bake them on a sheet pan with halved fresh lemons to make a savory pan sauce to pour over the meat.

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5 from 11 ratings

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Course Chicken

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

Quarter sheet pan

Recipe Video

Ingredients

▢ 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, weighing 8-10 ounces each
▢ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
▢ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, tarragon or oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried herb of your choice
▢ 2 lemons, sliced in half

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 (220 C) degrees.
Put the chicken breasts on a medium rimmed baking sheet, such as a 13 x 9 inch quarter sheet pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken, then turn them over to coat both sides of the breasts with the oil.
Sprinkle the herbs and a generous amount of salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken breasts. Arrange the lemon halves flesh side down in the pan, around the chicken.
Bake 10 minutes, then flip the breasts over. Bake another 10 minutes. At this point, the breasts should feel firm to the touch and the juices in the pan should be starting to caramelize. An instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast should read 158-160F. Keep in mind the meat will carry-over cook as it rests, so it's okay if it's a little under 165 degrees.
Let the chicken rest in the pan about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate. Squeeze the roasted lemons over the chicken (one half lemon per breast). Add a tablespoon or so of water (or chicken broth) to the baking sheet and scrape up the pan juices. Pour the juice over the chicken and serve.

Karen’s Notes and Tips

Tip: Boneless, skinless chicken breast can vary in size. I used breasts that weighed anywhere between 8-10 ounces when I tested this recipe. If your chicken breasts are slightly smaller (6 ounces) check for doneness about 5 minutes after flipping them over.
The cooked chicken will keep up to 5 days refrigerated.
To dry-brine the chicken, season with salt, pepper and the herbs. Let them sit 30 minutes before baking, or store in the refrigerator up to one day before cooking.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 213kcal Carbohydrates: 7g Protein: 25g Fat: 10g Sodium: 133mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 1g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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Recipe developer Karen Tedesco of the popular website Familystyle Food in her kitchen making a kale salad.

Hey, I’m Karen

Creator of Familystyle Food

Professionally trained cook, cookbook author, and the person behind every recipe here. I cook the way I was trained: Start with good ingredients, understand why they work, and don’t apologize for the salt. These are the recipes I actually make, for the people I love. Read more about me here.