Best Baked Hen Breast – Good Hen, Each Time!

My methodology for Best Baked Hen Breast leads to excellent hen, each time! Tender, juicy, flavorful, and hands-off too.

At first look, the title Best Baked Hen Breast won’t scream: “tremendous thrilling recipe!”, however right here’s what IS thrilling:

1. It really works. My methodology for baking hen breasts works each single time. It’s a recipe you may depend on.
2. It’s versatile. Function is with a few sides, or chop the baked hen and use it in dozens of different methods (together with the Korean-inspired hen and rice bowl I can’t cease consuming — extra on that under…)
3. It’s household pleasant. My husband and three youngsters have by no means not cleaned their plates of this 3 ingredient, 30 minute meal. Such a gem!
4. It’s fingers off. Ship the baking dish into the oven then kiss it goodbye — don’t name us, we’ll name you, baked hen breast.
5. It’s make-ahead. Prep your complete dish as much as 24 hours forward of time then bake straight out of the fridge.

So whereas this simple baked hen recipe isn’t successful any ingenuity awards, it’s one which I simply love having in my again pocket as a result of I do know it all the time seems properly. I’m assured it’ll turn out to be a brand new go-to for you, too!

Baked Salad Dressing Hen

My Mother made a model of this recipe typically after I was rising up, calling it “Salad Dressing Hen”. She’d marinate hen breasts in salad dressing then saute them in a skillet. It was all the time so good and straightforward for her, too.

That stated, BAKING the hen breasts is even simpler as a result of its utterly fingers off and also you don’t must marinate it. Plus it makes for essentially the most tender and juicy hen — I swear by this methodology!

A bunch of individuals have requested on my Baked Hen Thighs publish adapt the recipe for hen breasts too, so I assumed I ought to lastly share it.

Components Wanted

• Hen breasts: I like utilizing 7-8oz boneless, skinless hen breasts, although you probably have smaller or greater ones readily available, that’s high-quality too. Take a look at the “ideas” part under.
• Salad dressing: a drizzle of Zesty Italian salad dressing not solely retains the hen breasts moist as they bake within the oven, however gives tons of taste. You need to use just about any vinegar/citrus based mostly dressing like Balsamic French dressing, Lemon Dressing, or an Asian-style French dressing.
• Seasonings: I all the time add extra seasonings, spices and/or dried herbs to the hen earlier than baking. Sometimes simply garlic salt and black pepper, or garlic powder, salt, and pepper. That stated, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, or no matter seasonings or seasoning blends you’re keen on are high-quality so as to add.

Methods to Prepare dinner Hen that Doesn’t Dry Out

It’s comprehensible that you simply’d suppose baking hen breasts would end in dry and chalky hen, however this recipe disproves that!

• As a substitute of baking at a decrease temperature like 350 levels for an extended period of time, we bake the hen breasts at a better temperature, 400 levels, for simply 20 minutes. A decrease cooking time at a better temperature leads to completely cooked, juicy hen breasts each single time.

Plus, for the reason that salad dressing surrounds the hen breasts in moisture because it bakes, I discover the hen can go above the 165 diploma benchmark for doneness and nonetheless keep good and juicy.

What to Serve with Baked Hen Breast

For the reason that hen breasts bake at 400 levels for 20 minutes, I sometimes roast greens on a baking sheet within the oven on the identical time. Listed here are some simple facet dish concepts to spherical out the meal:

Use Baked Hen in these Recipes

The baked hen breasts are implausible to make use of in different recipes too — such an incredible meal prep device! Bake then chop or shred the hen and add or use it in these recipes:

Oh! These Korean-inspired Hen and Rice Bowls — I get up dreaming of them! Scoop cooked white rice right into a bowl then high with chopped Baked Hen Breasts, drizzle with toasted sesame oil and gluten free Tamari, then squeeze on a little bit of Siracha and a teaspoon or two of mayonnaise (lazy lady’s Spicy Mayo, y’all). Add a ton of chilly kimchi then devour. Actually good with sauted mushrooms, too. OBSESSED!

5 Suggestions for Success

Whereas this baked hen breasts recipe is blissfully simple, there are a number of ideas to remember when making:

1. Pound it out: my #1 tip for fulfillment is to make sure the hen breasts are the identical thickness from high to backside earlier than baking. We do that by protecting the hen with plastic wrap then gently pounding them to an excellent thickness utilizing a meat mallet or rolling pin.
2. Slice in half: in case your hen breasts are bigger than 10oz, pound them out then slice them in half to make sure they bake in simply 20 minutes.
3. Select a dressing: I virtually all the time use Ken’s Zesty Italian salad dressing when making this recipe, however your favourite balsamic French dressing, lemon French dressing, or Asian-style dressing are all high-quality to make use of.
4. Prep forward: add the pounded hen breasts to a gallon-size Ziplock bag with the dressing and seasonings as much as 24 hours forward of time. When it’s time to bake, pour the contents right into a nonstick sprayed baking sheet then proceed with the recipe.
5. Go easy: in the event you don’t have a salad dressing readily available that you simply’d like to make use of, be at liberty to easily brush the hen breasts with further virgin olive oil then add your seasonings and bake as directed.

Alrighty, let’s get you some saucy, tender, tremendous simple BAKED hen!

Attempt my Greatest Baked Hen Thighs

Methods to Make Best Baked Hen Breast

Step 1: Pound the hen breasts to an excellent thickness.

Whether or not you’re baking, sauting, or grilling hen breasts — my #1 tip for ensuring they cook dinner evenly is to pound them to an excellent thickness first. That manner you don’t find yourself with a dry, skinny finish, and a uncooked, thick finish.

I discover 7-8oz boneless skinless hen breasts cook dinner completely in 20 minutes, although even when they’re bigger, pounding them out to an excellent thickness helps them cook dinner sooner and extra evenly.

Place the hen breasts on a clear chopping board then cowl with a chunk of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to softly pound them to an excellent thickness.

• Tip: Some hen breasts, just like the one on the far left within the picture above, have a brilliant skinny finish. In these cases, pound the bigger finish to the identical thickness as the middle of the hen breast.
• Tip: In case your hen breasts are 10oz+, pound them out then minimize them in half to make sure they cook dinner evenly.

Voila! What began out as hen breasts in varied sizes and thicknesses, ends with consistency that leads to even cooking.

Step 2: Season the hen breasts.

Place the hen breasts into the underside of a nonstick sprayed 9×13″ baking pan then drizzle the salad dressing of your alternative excessive. Subsequent add your required seasonings — I add garlic salt and pepper, and typically onion powder and paprika as properly.

Use tongs or your fingers to flip the hen round to evenly coat within the dressing and seasonings.

Step 3: Bake.

Bake the boneless hen breasts in a 400 diploma oven for 20 minutes, or till the thickest a part of the most important hen breast reaches an inside temperature of 165 levels as learn by a digital instant-read thermometer.

Pull the baking pan out of the oven then let it sit for 15-Half-hour earlier than serving and slicing. This provides the dressing and juices from the hen an opportunity to chill and thicken barely, which turns into essentially the most scrumptious sauce to drizzle over the hen.

Methods to Retailer and Freeze

My husband lately got here dwelling from Costco with individual-sized packs of grilled, cubed hen breasts, that are tremendous handy — the excellent news is you may simply make them your self utilizing the cooled baked hen breasts!

• To Retailer: place leftover hen in an hermetic container with a lid then refrigerate for as much as 4 days.
• To Reheat: microwave with a spoonful of the leftover baking liquid (or broth or water) till scorching, or air fry at 360 levels till scorching.
• To Freeze: add the cooled, cubed or shredded hen breast to a freezer-safe Ziplock bag then take away the air, seal, and freeze flat. Thaw within the fridge, or add to soups / skillet meals from frozen.

I hope you’re keen on this tasty, versatile, simple baked hen breast! Take pleasure in!

Extra Tremendous Straightforward Hen Recipes

Best Baked Hen Breast

Description

My methodology for Best Baked Hen Breast leads to excellent hen, each time! Tender, juicy, flavorful, and hands-off too.

Components

• 4 hen breasts (~2lbs whole), pounded to an excellent thickness
• 3/4 cup Italian salad dressing, see notes
• Seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 levels then spray a 9×13″ baking pan with nonstick spray.
2. Place the hen breasts into the underside of the baking pan then drizzle on the Italian dressing and sprinkle on seasonings  to style. Use tongs or your fingers to flip the hen breasts to coat within the dressing and seasonings then prepare into an excellent layer.
3. Bake for 20 minutes or till the thickest a part of the most important hen breast reaches an inside temperature of 165 levels as learn by a digital instant-read thermometer. Let the hen relaxation for 15-Half-hour earlier than serving and/or slicing.
4. To make forward: Add the hen breasts, Italian dressing, and seasonings to a gallon-size Ziplock bag then seal and squish to coat. Press out all of the air then reseal and refrigerate for Half-hour or as much as 24 hours. Pour your complete contents of the bag into the nonstick sprayed baking dish then bake as directed above.

Notes

• In case your hen breasts are 10oz+, pound them out then minimize them in half to make sure they cook dinner evenly.
• Actually any ready French dressing/dressing will work for this hen, although creamy dressings like Ranch or vinaigrette will burn within the oven. I virtually all the time use Ken’s Zesty Italian salad dressing, however your favourite balsamic vinegar, lemon French dressing, or Asian-style dressing are all high-quality to make use of.
• In the event you don’t have a salad dressing readily available that you simply’d like to make use of, be at liberty to easily brush the hen breasts with further virgin olive oil then add your seasonings and bake as directed.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Woman Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

Pictures by Ashley McLaughlin