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 straightforward methodology for hen that seems excellent each time.
Why You’ll By no means Bake Hen Breasts Any Different Means
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, may be tough should you’ve by no means finished it earlier than. This recipe and tutorial hold it tremendous easy. Get in, we’re making PERFECT baked hen breasts!
Virtually foolproof. Regardless of your talent degree, 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 stuffed 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 entire, I’m by no means working out of how to work them into recipes. Hen breast additionally freezes properly, so I all the time have it available.
What You’ll Want
These are my notes on what you’ll have to brine after which prepare dinner your hen breasts within the oven. Scroll all the way down to the recipe card after the put up 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 crucial 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 have to trim or pound the hen 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 hen although, so hold studying for concepts!
The way 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 a giant distinction! Right here’s how you can do it:
Soak the hen in brine.Take away and pat dry.
Make the brine. Dissolve sugar and salt in heat water in a bowl large enough to carry your hen.
Soak the hen. Submerge the hen within the brining liquid. Depart it to brine for Quarter-hour, as much as 1 hour. Should you’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 bottom line is to not go away 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!
The way to Bake Hen Breasts within the Oven
Right here’s how you can bake your hen breasts, step-by-step. Make sure you scroll to the recipe card for printable directions.
Oil and season the hen.Bake!
Brine the hen. Observe the straightforward 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 wish 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 Carried out?
The USDA recommends cooking hen to an inside temperature of 165ºF. I normally pull my hen breasts from the oven after they hit 160ºF, and allow them to relaxation outdoors of the oven underneath foil for one more 5-7 minutes. This manner, the hen finishes cooking whereas it rests. It’s my helpful trick for completely cooked hen that isn’t dry.
Recipe Ideas and Variations
Serve heat or chilled. These baked hen breasts are able to serve scorching from the oven, or you possibly can 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 offers the juices inside an opportunity to redistribute all through the meat. For further tender baked hen 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 to 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 Options
When you’ve baked the perfect 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 aspect of mashed potatoes and asparagus or roasted carrots. They’re additionally nice sliced up and served with dipping sauce, Chick-fil-A method.
These hen 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.
Regularly Requested Questions
Ought to I bake hen breast lined or uncovered?
Since this recipe makes use of such a brief cooking time, baking uncovered at a excessive temperature is essential to hen that’s browned outdoors and juicy inside, locking in all of the flavors.
How do I cease my hen breasts from drying out within the oven?
Brining is step one to maintaining 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. One of the best ways to reheat hen is in a preheated oven underneath 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.
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 observe)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon floor black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Non-obligatory seasoning concepts: 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, oregano, cumin, rosemary, Italian seasoning mix, and so on.
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 observe).
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 Be aware: For even baking, trim or pound the hen breasts to equal thickness.
Brining Be aware: You’ll be able to go away the hen out for Quarter-hour at room temperature, any longer than that place it within the fridge to forestall micro organism. I counsel brining the hen for as much as an hour. Too lengthy within the salty combination could make the hen too salty and likewise have an effect on the feel of the meat. An hour is recommended, however definitely, there may be some wiggle room.
Baking observe: I carry my hen out of the oven at 160°F, regardless of 165°F being really useful by the USDA. I tent my hen underneath aluminum foil after baking for five – 7 minutes which can proceed the cooking course of with out over-baking the meat. This ensures your hen breast gained’t be dry. Use your individual discretion on my suggestion.
