Juicy Oven-Baked Chicken Breast with Garlic Herb Butter
This oven-baked chicken breast with herb butter is a juicy, flavorful, and foolproof chicken dinner. Finished with garlic herb butter and baked until tender, it’s perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or a healthy homemade dinner.
Equipment
- Oven-safe skillet
- Small bowl
- Meat thermometer (recommended)
Ingredients
Garlic Herb Butter
- 4 tbsp butter softened
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped (or 2 tsp dried parsley)
- 3 cloves garlic freshly minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp honey
- red pepper flakes pinch (optional)
Chicken
- 4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp oil for searing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Prepare the garlic herb butter: In a small bowl, mix butter, parsley, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, honey, and red pepper flakes (optional) until well combined. Set aside.
- Season the chicken: Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, black pepper, paprika, dried thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Sear for extra juiciness: Heat oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken for 2–3 minutes per side until lightly golden.
- Add herb butter: Remove skillet from heat and spread the garlic herb butter generously over each chicken breast.
- Bake: Transfer skillet to the oven and bake until chicken is cooked through and juicy. Spoon the melted herb butter over the chicken once or twice while baking.
- Rest & serve: Remove from the oven and let chicken rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
Pro tips: Pound thicker chicken breasts slightly for even cooking, use a meat thermometer to avoid overbaking, and let the butter melt naturally in the oven.
Variations: Use reduced-fat butter or olive oil butter; add extra red pepper flakes or chili powder for spice; swap thyme for rosemary or oregano.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat gently to avoid drying out. Great for weekly meal prep and protein bowls.