So while this easy baked chicken recipe isn’t winning any ingenuity awards, it’s one that I just love having in my back pocket because I know it always turns out well. I’m confident it’ll become a new go-to for you, too!
Watch How to Make It
Baked Salad Dressing Chicken
My Mom made a version of this recipe often when I was growing up, calling it “Salad Dressing Chicken”. She’d marinate chicken breasts in salad dressing then saute them in a skillet. It was always so good and easy for her, too. That said, BAKING the chicken breasts is even easier because its completely hands off and you don’t need to marinate it. Plus it makes for the most tender and juicy chicken — I swear by this method! A bunch of people have asked on my Baked Chicken Thighs post how to adapt the recipe for chicken breasts too, so I thought I should finally share it.
Ingredients Needed
Chicken breasts: I like using 7-8oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, though if you have smaller or bigger ones on hand, that’s fine too. Check out the “tips” section below. Salad dressing: a drizzle of Zesty Italian salad dressing not only keeps the chicken breasts moist as they bake in the oven, but provides tons of flavor. You can use pretty much any vinegar/citrus based dressing like Balsamic Vinaigrette, Lemon Dressing, or an Asian-style Vinaigrette. Seasonings: I always add additional seasonings, spices and/or dried herbs to the chicken before baking. Typically just garlic salt and black pepper, or garlic powder, salt, and pepper. That said, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, or whatever seasonings or seasoning blends you love are fine to add.
How to Cook Chicken that Doesn’t Dry Out
It’s understandable that you’d think baking chicken breasts would result in dry and chalky chicken, but this recipe disproves that!
Instead of baking at a lower temperature like 350 degrees for a longer amount of time, we bake the chicken breasts at a higher temperature, 400 degrees, for just 20 minutes. A lower cooking time at a higher temperature results in perfectly cooked, juicy chicken breasts every single time.
Plus, since the salad dressing surrounds the chicken breasts in moisture as it bakes, I find the chicken can go above the 165 degree benchmark for doneness and still stay nice and juicy.
What to Serve with Baked Chicken Breast
Since the chicken breasts bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, I typically roast vegetables on a baking sheet in the oven at the same time. Here are some easy side dish ideas to round out the meal:
Roasted cauliflower: toss cauliflower florets with extra virgin olive oil and seasonings then roast for 15-20 minutes. Roasted broccoli: toss broccoli florets with extra virgin olive oil and seasonings then roast for 10-15 minutes Roasted brussels sprouts: toss shredded brussels sprouts with extra virgin olive oil and seasonings then roast for 10 minutes. Roasted potato wedges Roasted spaghetti squash Steamed green beans, sweet corn, or broccoli. Healthy Mashed Potatoes Store-bought frozen french fries: sweet potato or regular Everyday Kale Salad Seasoned Broiled Potatoes Baked Potatoes Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms Gluten Free Focaccia Gluten Free Cornbread Creamy Garlic Shells Air Fryer Asparagus Air Fryer Corn on the Cob Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Use Baked Chicken in these Recipes
The baked chicken breasts are fantastic to use in other recipes too — such a great meal prep tool! Bake then chop or shred the chicken and add or use it in these recipes:
Jennifer Aniston Salad Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing Greek Chicken Bowls One Pot Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowls Chicken Caesar Salad Pasta Berry Chicken Quinoa Salad Vegetable Soup Everyday Kale Salad BBQ Chicken Quesadillas Italian Chickpea Salad Chicken Bacon Rice Bowls Apple Tarragon Chicken Salad
Oh! Those Korean-inspired Chicken and Rice Bowls — I wake up dreaming of them! Scoop cooked white rice into a bowl then top with chopped Baked Chicken Breasts, drizzle with toasted sesame oil and gluten free Tamari, then squeeze on a bit of Siracha and a teaspoon or two of mayonnaise (lazy girl’s Spicy Mayo, y’all). Add a ton of cold kimchi then devour. Really good with sauted mushrooms, too. OBSESSED!
5 Tips for Success
While this baked chicken breasts recipe is blissfully easy, there are a few tips to keep in mind when making: Alrighty, let’s get you some saucy, tender, super easy BAKED chicken!
How to Make Easiest Baked Chicken Breast
Step 1: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness.
Whether you’re baking, sauting, or grilling chicken breasts — my #1 tip for making sure they cook evenly is to pound them to an even thickness first. That way you don’t end up with a dry, thin end, and a raw, thick end. I find 7-8oz boneless skinless chicken breasts cook perfectly in 20 minutes, though even if they’re larger, pounding them out to an even thickness helps them cook faster and more evenly.
Place the chicken breasts on a clean cutting board then cover with a piece of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to gently pound them to an even thickness.
Voila! What started out as chicken breasts in various sizes and thicknesses, ends with consistency that results in even cooking.
Step 2: Season the chicken breasts.
Place the chicken breasts into the bottom of a nonstick sprayed 9×13″ baking pan then drizzle the salad dressing of your choice over the top. Next add your desired seasonings — I add garlic salt and pepper, and sometimes onion powder and paprika as well. Use tongs or your hands to flip the chicken around to evenly coat in the dressing and seasonings.
Step 3: Bake.
Bake the boneless chicken breasts in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the thickest part of the largest chicken breast reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees as read by a digital instant-read thermometer. Pull the baking pan out of the oven then let it sit for 15-30 minutes before serving and slicing. This gives the dressing and juices from the chicken a chance to cool and thicken slightly, which turns into the most delicious sauce to drizzle over the chicken.
How to Store and Freeze
My husband recently came home from Costco with individual-sized packs of grilled, cubed chicken breasts, which are super convenient — the good news is you can easily make them yourself using the cooled baked chicken breasts!
To Store: place leftover chicken in an airtight container with a lid then refrigerate for up to 4 days. To Reheat: microwave with a spoonful of the leftover baking liquid (or broth or water) until hot, or air fry at 360 degrees until hot. To Freeze: add the cooled, cubed or shredded chicken breast to a freezer-safe Ziplock bag then remove the air, seal, and freeze flat. Thaw in the refrigerator, or add to soups / skillet meals from frozen.
I hope you love this tasty, versatile, easy baked chicken breast! Enjoy!
More Super Easy Chicken Recipes
Best Baked Chicken Thighs Air Fryer Chicken Breast One Pot Chicken and Rice Easy Chicken and Rice Soup Chicken Meatballs Crock Pot White Chicken Chili Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin Like this recipe? Share it with friends!
