The secret to juicy chicken is something you probably already have at home! Easy clean-up and big flavor awaits with our foil-baked chicken breast recipe. 

THE INGREDIENTS:

Boneless Chicken Breasts, Skin-Off: Compared to bone-in chicken breasts, boneless chicken breasts take less time to cook. In addition to that, they are easier to eat and break down for chicken recipes. You do not have to worry about maneuvering around the bone. If you want to use bone-in chicken breasts, know you must add more time! If you have a meat thermometer on hand, we recommend double checking that your chicken gets to 165 F / 73.9 C. We recommend skin off chicken breasts as baking them in the oven in this manner will not make the skin crispy. Soft chicken skin is not most people’s thing. 

Salt: A basic seasoning! The amount of salt on this chicken breast is relatively light. Most baked chicken breast finds its way into another recipe where more seasoning will later be added. If this chicken breast is your main course, we recommend doubling the salt. 

Black Pepper: Another basic seasoning! Please adjust to your preference, but ½ tsp is an enjoyable amount for most. 

Garlic Powder: A lot of baked chicken breast seems “sad”: overcooked, pale white in appearance, and unseasoned. Our cooking times and method ensures a juicy chicken breast, but we also recommend adding this garlic powder so that the flavor doesn’t seem subpar! This amount of garlic is perfect for when you are adding cooked chicken as a part of a recipe. If this is your main course, please increase the garlic powder to 1 tsp. The ½ tsp will produce a flavorful chicken breast, but the more garlic, the better!

Onion Powder: Onion powder also adds a nice flavor to this foil-baked chicken breast! Even if this chicken is going to be added to another recipe later with more seasonings, it is good to season the chicken itself. It is noticeable when you are having a well-seasoned chicken salad with bland chicken versus a well-seasoned chicken salad with already flavorful chicken! The reason that we use onion powder, among our other seasonings, is that they are relatively basic-meaning that they will pair with just about any dish you put this chicken in! Again, if this chicken is your main dish, please also double the onion powder so that the flavoring on this chicken is even stronger. 

Olive Oil: Easily substituted with whatever oil you have on hand, oil helps ensure a juicy chicken breast. Although it adds a little bit of fat and moisture to your chicken, its highest importance is that it helps the chicken breast not dry out. If you skip the oil in this recipe, you will not get a juicy chicken breast. 

KEY INFORMATION: 

Why is the chicken covered in foil? Evaporation! To keep the chicken exposed on a baking sheet means to let a lot of its moisture evaporate. By sealing the chicken in with foil, the moisture cannot leave. The chicken “steams” surrounded by its juices, keeping it very moist. 

How should I use this chicken breast? Truthfully, however you want! With the light and basic seasonings that we have in this foil-baked chicken recipe, this chicken is a welcome addition to meals that later add more seasoning. Think about chicken salad, for example! However, if you just want this chicken breast to be your meal, please think about increasing the amount of seasonings-and adding other seasonings not mentioned if you know you like their flavor! 

Why let the chicken breasts sit for 10 minutes before slicing? The juices! If you slice the chicken right after taking it out of the oven, the juices will start to drip out and you will get a less-juicy chicken breast. Wait patiently as the juice moves around and soaks back into the chicken. Next, cut into it: less juices spill out, meaning the chicken will be more moist!

THE RECIPE