Chicken breasts are a versatile, delicious protein for any meal, but unfortunately, they often turn out rubbery, overcooked, and dry, especially when you cook them in the oven. The recipe below gives you perfectly tender, juicy chicken breasts every time.
The secret is in the cooking technique. Check out the recipe below for the full step-by-step instructions. First, we will tease you with the result --- some juicy, tender chicken breasts:
After the recipe below, we explain why this process works.
Tender, Flavorful Baked Chicken Breasts
4
5 minutes
25 minutes
30 minutes
4 chicken breasts boneless skinless
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Brush a casserole dish with melted butter, then place the chicken breasts in it, and brush with the remaining melted butter.
Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the chicken breasts.
Cover with foil then bake for 15 minutes
Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Why does this work? Cooking chicken breasts in the oven can dry them out, so start them out tented with aluminum foil. This will essentially steam them, which means that you don't get that perfect brown crust on top. That's why you remove the tin foil at the very end to get a nice, brown crust thanks to the breadcrumb and parmesan topping.
Be sure to let your chicken breasts rest for at least ten minutes before slicing them, or the juices may run out, and you'll be left with chicken dry as cardboard.
