Baked Hen Breasts | Cookies & Cups

That is the one recipe for baked rooster breasts you’ll ever want! Brining after which seasoning the rooster is the key to flavorful, juicy boneless baked rooster breasts within the oven. I take advantage of this simple technique for rooster that seems excellent each time.

When you’ve mastered the artwork of excellent rooster breasts within the oven, strive my fail-proof oven-baked chicken legs and these Instant Pot chicken thighs, subsequent.

Why You’ll By no means Bake Hen Breasts Any Different Method

There’s one thing so satisfying about slicing into a bit of completely cooked rooster breast. This recipe makes the juiciest baked rooster breasts I’ve ever had, and it’s really easy. The times of dry, flavorless baked rooster are over! This technique is:

• Newbie-friendly. Baking any rooster, however particularly boneless rooster, might be difficult for those who’ve by no means achieved it earlier than. This recipe and tutorial hold it tremendous easy. Get in, we’re making PERFECT baked rooster breasts!
• Virtually foolproof. Irrespective of your ability degree, observe the recipe as written, and I can all however assure that your subsequent batch of oven-baked rooster breasts will prove superb. That is my go-to, never-fail strategy to bake rooster breasts which might be juicy, tender, and stuffed with taste each time.
• Versatile. Good baked rooster 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 entire, I’m by no means operating out of how to work them into recipes. Hen breast additionally freezes nicely, so I all the time have it available.

What You’ll Want

These are my notes on what you’ll must brine after which cook dinner your rooster breasts within the oven. Scroll all the way down to the recipe card after the submit for a printable checklist with quantities.

• Heat Water, Sugar, and Salt – For the straightforward brine you’ll use to soak the rooster. Brining is a vital step earlier than baking, however we’ll get to this in a minute!
• Hen Breasts – Boneless, skinless rooster breasts. Attempt to discover rooster breasts which might be shut in measurement. You could must trim or pound the rooster to an equal thickness, for even baking.
• Olive Oil – Or your alternative 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 rooster although, so hold studying for concepts!

How one can Brine Hen Breasts

First issues first, the juiciest oven-baked rooster breasts begin with a brine. This implies letting the rooster soak in a saltwater combination that flavors and tenderizes the meat. It’s a easy step that makes a giant distinction! Right here’s tips on how to do it:

1. Make the brine. Dissolve sugar and salt in heat water in a bowl sufficiently big to carry your rooster.
2. Soak the rooster. Submerge the rooster within the brining liquid. Depart it to brine for Quarter-hour, as much as 1 hour. Should you’ll be soaking the rooster for longer than Quarter-hour, transfer the bowl to the fridge.

There’s some wiggle room on the subject of how lengthy you brine your rooster. The secret is to not depart the rooster in there too lengthy. After an hour, the salty liquid can over-season the rooster and break down the fibers within the meat. Set a timer so that you don’t overlook!

How one can Bake Hen Breasts within the Oven

Right here’s tips on how to bake your rooster breasts, step-by-step. Remember to scroll to the recipe card for printable directions.

• Brine the rooster. Observe the simple steps to brine the rooster breasts (see above). Afterward, pat the rooster dry with paper towels.
• Season the rooster. Subsequent, coat the rooster with olive oil and add your seasonings. Get the rooster breasts organized on a baking sheet.
• Bake. You’ll wish to bake your rooster at 450ºF for 13-17 minutes. At this excessive temperature, the surface sears whereas the within stays juicy. Bake till it’s cooked by. Afterward, relaxation the rooster exterior of the oven for five minutes, to let the juices redistribute. 

When Are My Baked Hen Breasts Completed?

The USDA recommends cooking rooster to an inside temperature of 165ºF. I normally pull my rooster breasts from the oven after they hit 160ºF, and allow them to relaxation exterior of the oven beneath foil for an additional 5-7 minutes. This fashion, the rooster finishes cooking whereas it rests. It’s my helpful trick for completely cooked rooster that isn’t dry.

Recipe Suggestions and Variations

• Serve heat or chilled. These baked rooster breasts are able to serve scorching from the oven, or you possibly can retailer them and benefit from the leftovers chilly. See under for extra serving concepts. 
• Relaxation the baked rooster. Letting rooster relaxation for 5-10 minutes after baking provides the juices inside an opportunity to redistribute all through the meat. For additional tender baked rooster breasts, don’t skip this step!
• Add extra seasonings. Be happy 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 rooster. 
• Make it spicy. Season the rooster 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 rooster or brush the rooster with home made BBQ sauce earlier than baking.

Serving Recommendations

When you’ve baked the most effective rooster breasts on the earth, the query is, what to do with them? In my home, the restrict doesn’t exist. We’ll take pleasure in juicy baked rooster 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 method.

These rooster breasts are additionally nice chopped up right into a chicken salad to serve in sandwiches. Or, make shredded chicken so as to add to soups, chilis, casseroles, and pasta. 

Steadily Requested Questions

Storing and Freezing Leftover Hen

• Refrigerate. Retailer the baked rooster in an hermetic container within the fridge. Reheat leftovers or take pleasure in them chilly in sandwiches and salads inside 3 days. 
• Reheat. One of the best ways to reheat rooster is in a preheated oven beneath foil in order that it doesn’t dry out. Often, 10-Quarter-hour at 350ºF does the trick.
• Freeze. To freeze rooster breasts, retailer them hermetic within the freezer for as much as 2 months. Defrost the rooster within the fridge earlier than reheating.

Extra Hen Breast Recipes

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