With a satisfying, smoky flavor, Smoky Baked Chicken Breasts is a perfect quick and easy dinner. With a simple 5-step method, this chicken dish is always sure to please.

When you are looking for an easy meal that’s ready in less than 30 minutes, chicken is the perfect choice. With minimal prep and a simple 5-step process, you will have a tasty meal that’s perfect any day of the week.

This chicken is always a hit! And it’s always eaten up before I know it.

And, the mix of herbs and spices that flavor your chicken can double and flavor your side. If you love to eat broccoli, cauliflower, mini potatoes, or root veggies with your baked chicken breasts, you can double up the 4-ingredient smoky spice mix, a drizzle of oil, and you have a wonderful and tasty side. Luckily most of these sides cook in 20 to 30 minutes, so your meal will be ready before you know it.

How to Bake Juicy Chicken Breasts

There are many different ways to bake chicken breasts. If you want a tasty chicken dinner, the most important thing is to not overcook it. You don’t want to end up with a tough, dry piece of meat that’s too hard to eat.

Here are some tips for making juicy, delicious chicken breasts:

• Use oil when you are adding herbs and spices to flavor your chicken. The oil helps to add extra flavor and give it an even cover of moisture. Just a little oil goes a long way. When it comes to choosing a cooking oil, look for one with a high smoke point. The smoke point is the temperature that the oil starts smoking. Some studies have shown that exposure to oil smoke fumes can cause an increased risk of cancer. For this reason, I use grapeseed oil. According to the Canola Council of Canada, the smoke point of grapeseed oil is 435°F (224°C).
• Cook at a high temperature for shorter time to keep the chicken breasts tender and juicy. It helps the chicken develop a crispier crust on the outside, which locks in the natural juices and helps to prevent it from drying out.
• Let chicken rest for a couple minutes before serving. Just waiting 2 to 3 minutes is long enough. This helps the chicken hold in more of its natural juices,

How to Make Smoky Baked Chicken Breasts

This tasty baked chicken dish is as easy as it is delicious. And it’s made in only 5 simple steps. How perfect is that!

Step 1: Preheat Oven to 425°F (230°C)

If you don’t usually make dinner at 425°F, you are going to love it. When dinner cooks at a higher temperature it keeps the food juicy, while getting it to your table faster.

That’s a definite win-win!

Step 2: Make the Smoky Spice Mix

It takes only 4 ingredients to make the spice rub that perfectly covers the chicken breasts. It adds flavor and gives a tasty crust that blankets the chicken and helps to keep it juicy and delicious.

So, let’s get started. In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, garlic, onion, and salt to make smoky spice mix. And that’s it. Simple and delicious. Don’t you just love when things are simple and wonderfully delicious.

Step 3: Cover the Chicken

Now, it’s time to give the chicken some tasty love. That’s what I always think when you are adding flavor to your food, either with a spice rub or a sauce. You want to cover it all over and not neglect any little bit it. Give it lots and lots of love and your meal will rewards you with some tasty, tasty flavor.

First, place the chicken breasts on a parchment covered baking sheet and cover evenly with oil. The oil acts like a little glue, helping the smoky spice mix stick to the chicken while also helping it cook in the oven.

When the chicken is evenly covered with oil, place it upside down on the baking sheet. Cover the bottom and sides with smoky spice mix. Then, flip it oven and cover the top of it.

You want to cover the bottom first, so you end off covering the top and making it wonderfully delicious. Once all the sides are covered, it’s time to bake.

Step 4: Bake

Smoky Baked Chicken Breasts cook really quickly. Simply pop it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. When it’s done, check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer. Chicken is safe to eat when its internal temperature is 165°F (74°C).

Step 5: Rest

Before you serve and eat your dish, let it rest. If you cut in right away, it will lose some of its natural juices and tender texture. Letting it rest even for just 3 minutes, helps to lock in some of its juices, so you end up with delicious backed chicken.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE CHICKEN IS READY?

When your Smoky Baked Chicken Breasts are finished cooking, you’ll want to make sure that it is fully cooked and safe to eat. The best way to do this is by using a meat thermometer. The recommended internal temperature of chicken is 165°F (74°C).

WHAT TO SERVE WITH Smoky Baked Chicken Breasts?

My family enjoys a tasty salad with chicken. Some of our favorites are Avocado Mediterranean Salad, Avocado Caesar Salad, or Creamy Dill Cobb Salad. And if you enjoy a fruity dessert salad, Blueberry Cantaloupe Salad is so refreshing

However you eat it, Smoky Baked Chicken Breasts is always YUMMY!

How to store baked chicken breasts

When your Smoky Baked Chicken Breasts are baked, you can store any leftovers in fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Chicken never seems to last that long in our house.

If you end up with too much leftover chicken, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. You can slice or dice it before freezing, so it’s ready to be used in another meal. This way it’s the perfect quick addition to a salad, pasta, or casserole dish.

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