How Long To Bake Chicken Breasts at 425°
Ever wonder how long to bake chicken breasts at 425°? Baking chicken at this higher temperature produces tender, juicy chicken breasts with so little effort! Season them up with your favorite spices (my go-to spice blend is below) or marinate them for even more flavor! After being baked, you can use these chicken breasts in so many delicious ways! It’s a perfect, healthy dinner or meal prep!
Note: If you’d like to cook your chicken at a lower temperature, check out this post: How to Cook Chicken Breasts at 350°.
Tender, juicy chicken breasts are SO VERSATILE! From salads to pasta to healthy meal preps, you can use this easy chicken recipe for just about anything!
425°F is the perfect temperature to cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The high heat helps seal in the moisture by cooking the chicken quicker, leaving it super juicy and NOT dry! Just let the chicken rest for 5 minutes after cooking and you’ll have perfect chicken every time!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Baking chicken at 425° is the ideal temperature for juicy chicken breasts!
- Super quick — done in less than 30 minutes!
- So many ways to customize seasonings and marinades!
- Great recipe for a healthy dinner and perfect for salads and meal preps.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make these delicious oven-baked chicken breasts:
INGREDIENT NOTES
Chicken Breasts: This recipe is for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Try to use breasts that are similar in size for even cooking.
Seasonings: Above is my go-to seasoning blend (I have also included it in the recipe card below) but feel free to use whatever seasonings you like! I like an all-purpose seasoning like this Montreal Chicken Seasoning or a nice, spicy Cajun blend!
HOW LONG TO BAKE CHICKEN BREAST AT 425°
Large Chicken Breasts (3/4 to 1 inch in thickness): Bake larger chicken breasts for 23-25 minutes at 425°F or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Medium Chicken Breasts (less than 3/4 of an inch in thickness): Bake medium chicken breasts for 15-20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Oven temperatures may vary so ALWAYS check your chicken with an instant-read thermometer!
Remember to test the internal temperature of your chicken breasts in the largest part of the breast for the most accurate reading.
HOW TO BAKE CHICKEN BREASTS AT 425°: STEP BY STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Rub each chicken breast with vegetable oil.
Step 2: Rub each breast with seasoning/spices. I have provided the recipe for my go-to chicken seasoning in the recipe card, but feel free to use a prepared seasoning or a combo of your favorite spices.
Step 3: Bake chicken breast at 425°F for 23-25 minutes for larger (thicker) chicken breasts and 15-20 minutes for smaller (thinner) chicken breasts. Oven temperatures vary so be sure you check for doneness using an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast. Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F.
BEST TIPS FOR JUICY, OVEN-BAKED CHICKEN BREASTS
- Don’t skip the oil, it helps add moisture and helps the seasoning stick to the chicken. If you must skip it, spray each side of the chicken breasts generously with cooking spray and then add seasonings.
- Remember, cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts. It’s always a good idea to set a timer for the low end of the cook time range. Then begin checking it with an instant-read thermometer. You are looking for an internal temperature of 165°F when a meat thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the breast.
- If some of your chicken breasts are SUPER thick on one side (Costco ones come to mind!), place raw chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap. Then, pound out the thicker side with a meat mallet or rolling pin until the breasts are more less an even thickness.
- If you prefer thinner chicken breasts, slice each breast lengthwise–this will also double the servings! 🙂
⭐️ CONFIDENCE TIP ⭐️
If you have to use different-sized chicken breasts, no worries! Check the smaller pieces with your meat thermometer while cooking. When they are done, remove from the oven and cover them with foil while the others bake a bit longer. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165°F.
STORAGE & REHEATING
- Storage: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Chicken breast can dry out when reheating. For juicy reheated chicken, place chicken in a pan with a splash of water or chicken stock. Cover with a lid and heat on medium until heated through.
- Freezing: These baked chicken breasts freeze up great!! Cool chicken completely. Then place in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Cooked chicken breasts freeze well for about 4-6 months.
BEST WAYS TO USE OVEN-BAKED CHICKEN BREAST
Baked chicken is SO versatile! Here are a few ideas:
- Healthy Dinner: Pair it with rice and a green veggie or salad for a light dinner.
- Chicken Salad: Making chicken salads from this oven-baked chicken recipe is one of my favorite ways to use it! Try my California Chicken Salad or this delicious Chicken Salad Without Mayo for a healthy twist!
- Healthy Meal Prep: A simple chicken and veggies meal prep is perfect for healthy, quick lunches.
- Salads: This Caesar salad is delish with added chicken, and so is this Chopped Thai Salad with a to-die-for peanut dressing!
- BBQ Chicken Macaroni Salad: The best mac salad EVER and so great with added chicken!
- Pasta: Season your chicken with Cajun seasoning and add it to this delicious Cajun Chicken Spaghetti or dice it up and use it in this SUPER easy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
425°F is the best temperature to bake your chicken breasts. This higher temperature allows the chicken to cook more quickly and gives it less of a chance to dry out. No one wants dry chicken breast!!!
YES!!!! As mentioned above, the super-hot oven cooks the chicken quickly and allows it to remain juicy. IMPORTANT: Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing! This will ensure extra-juicy chicken!
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TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE
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Meat Mallet (optional)
I hope you love this Easy Baked Chicken! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
USE YOUR BAKED CHICKEN IN THESE RECIPES…
How to Bake Chicken Breast at 425°
Ingredients
- 3 large or 4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil olive oil works, too
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 2 tsp dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Prepare Spices: Combine spices in a small bowl (or use your own seasoning blend).
- Season: Rub each chicken breast with oil on both sides. Sprinkle seasoning generously on both sides of the chicken. Rub the seasoning in with your hands so the chicken is well-coated.
- Bake: Place chicken in a baking dish and bake for 23-25 minutes for large breasts and 15-20 minutes for medium breasts or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Tip: The size of the chicken breasts will affect cooking time. Since chicken breasts vary widely in size, start checking the temperature on the low end of the cook time (large breasts, start checking at about 23 minutes and medium breasts start checking at about 15 minutes). This will ensure you don't overcook the chicken!
- Rest: Important! Remove chicken breasts from the oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
This was such a quick and easy meal that was packed with flavor! A great recipe for a busy weeknight and easily, a new favorite dish!
The perfect guide. My chicken came out perfectly juicy
We eat a lot of chicken and I love how simple this recipe is. Also love the serving suggestions with rice and broccoli. Bookmarking!
Book marking this for next time I need to cook chicken breasts in the oven!! Thank you!
Thank you, so much for this information! I definitely needed it since I have been one to dry out chicken!