Looking for a delicious, foolproof, and easy way to make chicken? My method for roasting chicken breasts in the oven gives you the juiciest, most flavor-filled chicken that's perfect for adding to your favorite lunches and dinners!
Everyone is on the hunt for "the best" easy recipes - myself included! Do you happen to know what the most searched "best easy recipe" is? Chicken! Why is that NOT a surprise? Haha. Just about everyone eats chicken because it's familiar, easily-accessible, and fairly affordable. And if cooked correctly, can taste really delicious!
I've tried my fair share of "best easy chicken" recipes - ranging from grilled chicken, to baked chicken, slow cooker chicken, and Instant Pot chicken. They all have their pros and cons, but one method for chicken stands way above the rest in my opinion - and that's ROAST chicken! It's likely due to influence from Ina Garten and my love for picking up rotisserie chickens from my favorite grocery store. Ina makes such a good roast chicken that she has a version called "engagement chicken" - apparently it's so good it will get you a proposal!
My Simply Perfect Roast Chicken uses only bone-in chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken - so you can serve it straight from pan to plate and not worry about having to carve it in front of anyone. Keep reading to see how I make it!
How to Make Simply Perfect Roast Chicken Breasts
- Choose bone-in chicken breasts - roasting chicken on the bone yields the best rich flavor and texture to cooked chicken. It also helps keep it from drying out! I look for split, bone-in chicken breasts when I shop and then stock up to freeze them if they are on sale. This is, hand-down, my favorite cut of chicken.
- A quick brine yields maximum flavor - I know, you read the word "brine" and think "wait a minute, she said this was going to be easy?" All you need to do here is soak your chicken in salt water for just 30 minutes (and up to a day) - no big deal! But trust me, this simple step will help your roast chicken be super flavorful throughout the meat and extra juicy!
- Baste then season - to get a nice and even golden brown color all over your chicken breast, I like to use a marinade brush to evenly coat the chicken in a mixture of butter and olive oil. You want to cover every nook and cranny! Next, you will liberally sprinkle your favorite seasoning all over the chicken breast. Here are a few of my favorite seasoning combinations:
- Simple: Coarse ground Kosher salt and coarse ground pepper (1:1 ratio)
- Mexican: 1 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon cumin + 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder + 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- Italian: 1 teaspoon salt + 1/2 teaspoon pepper + 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Favorite pre-blended seasonings: Trader Joe's Chile Lime, Cavender's Greek Seasoning Blend, Japanese togarashi
- Roast at high temperatures - roasting the chicken at 450 degrees ensures that the skin will get crisp and golden brown while the inside remains tender and juicy. I like to roast mine in a preheated cast iron skillet so it gets nice and crisp all over.
- Use a thermometer to check for doneness - the best way to prevent overcooking your chicken is to set a timer during the cooking and then take the temperature as soon as the minumum cooking time is complete. Continue to cook the chicken for 4-5 minute increments until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees F.
What to Serve with Simply Perfect Roast Chicken Breasts
- Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Greek Chicken Crunchwraps
- Lightened Up Curried Chicken Salad
- Lemony Chicken Orzo Soup
- Fresh Pesto for the sauce and Lemon Risotto for the side
- Serve with Simple Spring Salad and Sesame Sweet Potatoes
- Simple Kale Salad
- Anything But Basic Roasted Potatoes
- Greek-Style Roasted Zucchini with Feta
Are you ready to try this Simply Perfect Roast Chicken? I’m so excited for you to try this recipe. Once you get the chance to make it, please let me know how it turns out for you! Leave a comment and rate the recipe below. This will help me with the creation of future recipes! I’d also love to feature your creation in my monthly newsletter, so you can upload a photo to Instagram or Twitter with the tag @sweetcayenne5 to be featured!
Simply Perfect Roast Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
For the brine:
- 4 cups cold water
- ¼ cup Kosher salt
For the chicken:
- 2 whole bone-in chicken breasts, skin on (about 1-1 ½ pounds total)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the water and salt in a container with a lid. Place the chicken in the water and let soak for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.
- Preheat oven to 450℉. Place a 10-12’’ cast iron skillet in the oven while it heats.
- Remove the chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Combine the butter and olive oil in a small bowl. Brush the mixture onto all sides of the chicken. Wash your hands, and then sprinkle the salt and pepper evenly onto all sides.
- Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Use tongs to place the chicken breasts in the skillet, skin side UP. Roast the chicken for 35-40 minutes, then insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165℉. Continue roasting in 5 minute increments until it reaches 165℉.
- Remove from oven and serve hot. Or let cool before slicing for storage in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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