That is the one recipe for baked hen breasts you’ll ever want! Brining after which seasoning the hen is the key to flavorful, juicy boneless baked hen breasts within the oven. I take advantage of this simple methodology for hen that seems good each time.
When you’ve mastered the artwork of good hen breasts within the oven, strive my fail-proof oven-baked hen legs and these Instantaneous Pot hen thighs, subsequent.
Why You’ll By no means Bake Hen Breasts Any Different Manner
There’s one thing so satisfying about slicing into a chunk of completely cooked hen breast. This recipe makes the juiciest baked hen breasts I’ve ever had, and it’s really easy. The times of dry, flavorless baked hen are over! This methodology is:
- Newbie-friendly. Baking any hen, however particularly boneless hen, might be difficult when you’ve by no means completed it earlier than. This recipe and tutorial hold it tremendous easy. Get in, we’re making PERFECT baked hen breasts!
- Virtually foolproof. Irrespective of your ability stage, comply with the recipe as written, and I can all however assure that your subsequent batch of oven-baked hen breasts will end up wonderful. That is my go-to, never-fail strategy to bake hen breasts which are juicy, tender, and filled with taste each time.
- Versatile. Good baked hen breasts are scrumptious on their very own, however there are such a lot of methods to show them right into a meal! Shredded, sliced, chopped, or complete, I’m by no means working out of how to work them into recipes. Hen breast additionally freezes effectively, so I all the time have it readily available.
What You’ll Want
These are my notes on what you’ll must brine after which prepare dinner your hen breasts within the oven. Scroll all the way down to the recipe card after the submit for a printable record with quantities.
- Heat Water, Sugar, and Salt – For the straightforward brine you’ll use to soak the hen. Brining is a vital step earlier than baking, however we’ll get to this in a minute!
- Hen Breasts – Boneless, skinless hen breasts. Attempt to discover hen breasts which are shut in measurement. You could must trim or pound the hen to an equal thickness, for even baking.
- Olive Oil – Or your selection of good-quality cooking oil, like avocado oil.
- Seasonings – This recipe retains it easy with pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and paprika. There’s a couple of strategy to season baked hen although, so hold studying for concepts!
Easy methods to Brine Hen Breasts
First issues first, the juiciest oven-baked hen breasts begin with a brine. This implies letting the hen soak in a saltwater combination that flavors and tenderizes the meat. It’s a easy step that makes an enormous distinction! Right here’s how you can do it:
- Make the brine. Dissolve sugar and salt in heat water in a bowl sufficiently big to carry your hen.
- Soak the hen. Submerge the hen within the brining liquid. Go away it to brine for Quarter-hour, as much as 1 hour. If you happen to’ll be soaking the hen for longer than Quarter-hour, transfer the bowl to the fridge.
There’s some wiggle room relating to how lengthy you brine your hen. The secret’s to not depart the hen in there too lengthy. After an hour, the salty liquid can over-season the hen and break down the fibers within the meat. Set a timer so that you don’t overlook!
Easy methods to Bake Hen Breasts within the Oven
Right here’s how you can bake your hen breasts, step-by-step. Remember to scroll to the recipe card for printable directions.
- Brine the hen. Observe the simple steps to brine the hen breasts (see above). Afterward, pat the hen dry with paper towels.
- Season the hen. Subsequent, coat the hen with olive oil and add your seasonings. Get the hen breasts organized on a baking sheet.
- Bake. You’ll need to bake your hen at 450ºF for 13-17 minutes. At this excessive temperature, the skin sears whereas the within stays juicy. Bake till it’s cooked via. Afterward, relaxation the hen outdoors of the oven for five minutes, to let the juices redistribute.
When Are My Baked Hen Breasts Finished?
The USDA recommends cooking hen to an inside temperature of 165ºF. I often pull my hen breasts from the oven after they hit 160ºF, and allow them to relaxation outdoors of the oven below foil for an additional 5-7 minutes. This manner, the hen finishes cooking whereas it rests. It’s my useful trick for completely cooked hen that isn’t dry.
Recipe Suggestions and Variations
- Serve heat or chilled. These baked hen breasts are able to serve scorching from the oven, or you’ll be able to retailer them and benefit from the leftovers chilly. See beneath for extra serving concepts.
- Relaxation the baked hen. Letting hen relaxation for 5-10 minutes after baking provides the juices inside an opportunity to redistribute all through the meat. For additional tender baked hen breasts, don’t skip this step!
- Add extra seasonings. Be at liberty to incorporate ½ teaspoon of different herbs and spices, like dried thyme, oregano, cumin, rosemary, or an Italian seasoning mix within the seasoning on your hen.
- Make it spicy. Season the hen with a ready-made spice mix, like Cajun spice or taco seasoning, for much more taste.
- Add a marinade. Borrow the marinade from recipes like my huli huli hen or brush the hen with home made BBQ sauce earlier than baking.
Serving Recommendations
When you’ve baked the most effective hen breasts on the planet, the query is, what to do with them? In my home, the restrict doesn’t exist. We’ll take pleasure in juicy baked hen breasts as they’re with a facet of mashed potatoes and asparagus or roasted carrots. They’re additionally nice sliced up and served with dipping sauce, Chick-fil-A mode.
These hen breasts are additionally nice chopped up right into a hen salad to serve in sandwiches. Or, make shredded hen so as to add to soups, chilis, casseroles, and pasta.
Incessantly Requested Questions
Since this recipe makes use of such a brief cooking time, baking uncovered at a excessive temperature is vital to hen that’s browned outdoors and juicy inside, locking in all of the flavors.
Brining is step one to protecting hen moist whereas it bakes. The second is cooking the meat to the proper inside temperature (165ºF), the place it’s cooked via however nonetheless juicy. See the How To part earlier.
Storing and Freezing Leftover Hen
- Refrigerate. Retailer the baked hen in an hermetic container within the fridge. Reheat leftovers or take pleasure in them chilly in sandwiches and salads inside 3 days.
- Reheat. The easiest way to reheat hen is in a preheated oven below foil in order that it doesn’t dry out. Often, 10-Quarter-hour at 350ºF does the trick.
- Freeze. To freeze hen breasts, retailer them hermetic within the freezer for as much as 2 months. Defrost the hen within the fridge earlier than reheating.
Extra Hen Breast Recipes
Description
The one recipe for baked hen breasts you’ll ever want! Right here’s how you can brine, season, and bake completely juicy, tender boneless hen breasts within the oven.
- 4 cups heat water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1 pound boneless, skinless hen breasts (see notice)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon floor black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Elective seasoning concepts: 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, oregano, cumin, rosemary, Italian seasoning mix, and many others.
- In a medium bowl stir collectively the water, sugar, and salt till the sugar and salt are dissolved.
- Place the hen within the bowl and submerge within the brining liquid. Permit the hen to soak within the liquid for Quarter-hour at room temperature (see notes).
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- While you’re able to bake the hen, take away it from the liquid and pat it utterly dry. Brush it evenly with olive oil (I like to make use of my olive oil mister) and season them with the pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and thyme.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for 13 – 17 minutes relying on the thickness of your hen, or till an oven thermometer reaches 160° – 165°F (see notice).
Notes
- Serve heat or chilled.
- Retailer hermetic within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Freeze hermetic for as much as 2 months. Thaw within the fridge in a single day.
- Hen Observe: For even baking, trim or pound the hen breasts to equal thickness.
- Brining Observe: You may depart the hen out for Quarter-hour at room temperature, any longer than that place it within the fridge to forestall micro organism. I recommend brining the hen for as much as an hour. Too lengthy within the salty combination could make the hen too salty and in addition have an effect on the feel of the meat. An hour is usually recommended, however actually, there’s some wiggle room.
- Baking notice: I deliver my hen out of the oven at 160°F, regardless of 165°F being really helpful by the USDA. I tent my hen below aluminum foil after baking for five – 7 minutes which is able to proceed the cooking course of with out over-baking the meat. This ensures your hen breast received’t be dry. Use your individual discretion on my advice.
