Did you know that one of the most popular recipes searched for is for Baked Chicken? It’s such a standard dish in a lot of American households, but can easily be made incorrectly.
For years I was making it wrong, and by wrong, I mean it would always turn out SUPER dry. I found a few simple tips that will help you cook baked chicken perfectly every time.
If you are like me, you typically buy a big bag of frozen chicken breast and just keep them in your freezer to always have on hand. It’s very convenient, but in order to get tender chicken you have to thaw it out first. It’s not too hard. Just place them on a plate and cover them with plastic wrap. Cook them in microwave for 2-3 minutes. Just until they are mostly thawed and not starting to cook around the edges. Sometimes the small little end will turn white, but I just cut that off before I bake it.
If your chicken breasts are large and more on the thick side, place them in a large baggie and pound them out just a little thinner using a meat tenderizer or rolling pin. It will help them evenly cook.
One last tip is to let the chicken rest for a little bit after you baked it. All the juices will soak right back into the breast making it super juicy when you serve it!
Baked Chicken
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 Chicken Breast, Boneless and Skinless
1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 TBSP Butter, Melted
1/2 tsp Pepper, Freshly Cracked
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
3/4 tsp Chili Powder
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place chicken “skin side” up into a 9×13 baking dish.
3. In a small bowl mix together olive oil and butter.
4. Brush it over the top of each chicken breast.
5. Mix together seasoning and sprinkle evenly over the top.
6. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the thickest part.
7. Remove from the oven and loosely cover with foil.
8. Let it rest for 8-10 minutes before serving.
