An easy 30-minute recipe starting with searing the chicken breasts on the stovetop, then oven-baked to a final temperature of 165° for a great tasting, moist, and tender weeknight dinner.
Introduction
This is how we cooked for many years. We had a freezer in the garage fridge for meat only. I would take out a couple of chicken breasts, a pork tenderloin, and some steaks, let them thaw in the refrigerator for a few days and work our way through them.
I would get home late from work. But we want a nice dinner on a short timeline. I spend 5-10 minutes of preparation time and usually finish in the oven as I'm unwinding, and in 15-20 minutes, dinner was ready.
Faster than ordering pizza and so much better, healthier, and cheaper if you're cheap.
👨🍳How to make this recipe
- Preheat the oven to 375° convection or 400° conventional.
- Trim and pat dry the chicken. If the chicken breast is over ¾ inches thick, flatten it with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan.
- Heat oil in an oven-safe pan (cast iron preferred) over medium-high heat.
- Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper or the seasoning of your choice.
- When the oil is hot and shimmering, carefully lay the chicken breasts in the hot pan. Brown both sides for 3-4 minutes each—to almost the color you want when eating.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until an internal temperature of 165°. The thinner breast will be for 15 minutes, and the bigger ones for about 20 minutes.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
⏰Oven baking time
In an oven temperature of 375° convection or 400° conventional, the most common size breasts (10-12 oz.) will take about 15 minutes after a nice medium searing. A larger breast will be about 5 minutes more. A small breast may take as little as 10 minutes in the oven.
Variability is related to the thickness of the chicken breasts and a bit by the amount of searing. Always cook to a final internal temperature of 165° and never by time alone. Times are provided to help you plan only.
You can use a different oven temperature if you are cooking something else since you are cooking to a final internal temperature. It will take a bit longer or shorter, depending on your adjustments.
Also, let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before cutting to reabsorb the fluid in the meat from the cooking process.
🐓Ingredients
The Chicken
This is a skinless boneless chicken breast recipe. It is not for skin-on or bone-in breasts. You can use skinless chicken thighs, but I suggest a finish temperature of 180°+, although 165° is safe.
If you are doing more than one breast, try to use breasts of about the same sizes and thickness. If the breasts you use vary in thickness, you should flatten the thicker ones to ¾ inches with a meat mallet or heavy pan.
This cooking method should not be used for chicken that is still frozen. The outside will be overcooked and chewy before you get the thickest part of the breast to the safe temperature of 165°.
🧂The Seasoning
Just a coarse salt and pepper will do, but we like our homemade All Purpose Seasoning - 7:2:1 and 7:2:2 and keep it on the stovetop. It adds garlic, which is required in our household.
Season to your taste, but I don't suggest anything with sugars since they might burn with the searing.
❓FAQs
Searing will create a Maillard reaction caused by heating proteins and carbohydrates. It leads to browning and new flavors. It is different from caramelization since caramelization involves only carbohydrates.
One of the secrets of this recipe is the searing. You get a nice Maillard reaction (the searing/browning) to add lots of flavors you get no other way.
Get them close to the final color you like during the searing before you move on to the oven-roasting step. Just baking them in the oven will not get you there/
Cast iron can quickly go from the stovetop to the oven safely. It excels at even heat distribution without hot spots, it is cheap and relatively non-stick—a near-perfect pan for this sort of recipe.
I use a 10-inch cast iron skillet for two breasts for this recipe. A 12-inch skillet will work for up to 4 chicken breasts.
If you don't have cast iron or another pan that is safe to go from the stovetop to the oven, you can use a different pan for the stovetop, then transfer the chicken to a preheated oven-safe pan to finish cooking.
👨🍳Food Safety Tips
For safety, use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken to be sure the internal temperature reaches the safe temperature of 165° and never cook by time.
Chicken should not be rinsed for food safety. It will splatter germs over your kitchen. For more details, please see Chicken- To Rinse or Not To Rinse? .
📖Chicken Breast Recipes
How to Bake Chicken Breasts in a Convection Oven
How to Grill Chicken Breasts on a Gas Grill
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375° convection or 400° conventional. Trim and pat dry the chicken with paper towels. If the chicken breast is over ¾ inches thick, flatten it with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan.
Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper or the seasoning of your choice.
Put an oven-safe pan (cast iron preferred) over medium-high heat with a teaspoon of oil or some butter. When the oil is hot and shimmering, carefully lay the chicken breast in the hot pan. Brown both sides for 3-4 minutes each.
Get them to be almost the color you want when eating. So, sear, flip, sear, and a final flip into the oven.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until an internal temperature of 165°. The thinner breast will be for 15 minutes, and the bigger breasts for about 20 minutes.
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Done in less than 30 minutes, and you spent most of the time setting and unwinding. Not bad, not bad at all.
📖 Recipe
Pan Seared Oven Baked Chicken Breasts
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Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts - about 10 oz each well timed
- 1 teaspoon oil
- Salt and pepper to taste OR 7:2:1
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° convection or 400° conventional. Trim and pat dry the chicken with paper towels. If the chicken breast is over ¾ inches thick, flatten it with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan.
- Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper or the seasoning of your choice.
- Put an oven-safe pan (cast iron preferred) over medium-high heat with a teaspoon of oil or some butter. When the oil is hot and shimmering, carefully lay the chicken breast in the hot pan. Brown both sides for 3-4 minutes each.
- Get them to be almost the color you want when eating. So, sear, flip, sear, and a final flip into the oven.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until an internal temperature of 165°. The thinner breast will be for 15 minutes, and the bigger breasts for about 20 minutes.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Done in less than 30 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Do not try with still frozen chicken.
- Try to use breasts of about the same size and thicken. If over ¾ inch thick, flatten them with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan.
- Season as you want, but I suggest nothing with sugar that may burn. We use All Purpose Seasoning - 7:2:1 and 7:2:2.
- Start searing with a preheated pan, not cold. The oil should be shimmering. You may need more oil if you don't use well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick skillet. Butter will work but if you have smoking, turn the heat down a bit.
- Sear in the pan to approximately the final color you want.
- First, sear with the smooth side up, then flip, sear, then one final flip as it goes into the oven.
- The oven time can vary by size and thickness. Usually, 15-20 minutes, but you must check for the final internal temperature of 165°. Thinner breasts may take as little as 10 minutes.
- Rest for 5 minutes after cooking before cutting.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally Published August 28, 2011. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Vince says
best recipe for chicken breasts. I have been cooking this daily. I use a cast iron when cooking for myself. When cooking these breasts for my family, I use a big stainless steel pan to cook more at the same time. Everyone loves it. My picky eater 6 year old son eats a whole breast to himself when prepared this way!!
Deni says
BY FAR the best cast iron skillet recipe for chicken I have ever came across. I found this last night while I was in a rush to find a good recipe for a crispy juicy chicken breast without breading. This is now my new way of making chicken! Thank you very much for sharing this recipe with us!
DrDan says
I do so love cast iron. Everybody should have some. I do the same method for pork tenderloins, country style boneless ribs, and steak. If you look around the site you will find those.
Thanks for the note
DrDan
Mom of 4 says
Hello,
I'm curious about to cover or not when in the oven. From pics it looks like that's a no. And- I want to do about 8 chicken breasts. I have a large dutch oven. Would you do 4, (sear, flip, sear, flip, oven) at a time so the entire surface is touching the bottom? Or could I sear, flip, sear, flip 4 then 4, and then put all 8 in the oven? Covered? Not?
hah. thanks!!
DrDan says
First uncovered.
The Dutch oven can only do 3-4 so I would have something like a rimmed baking sheet in the oven. Preheat the tray with the oven. Do the stovetop part on the first 4 and put in oven on tray and immediately do the other 4 and place in the oven. Keep track of the first in so they will be the first out and tent them to keep them hot while the others finish.
DrDan
Amanda says
Ok I am not one to ever leave a comment (usually just lurk!) but between this and the filet recipe that is done similarly, my boyfriend and family think I am some extravagant chef! Ha! I have this bookmarked and use it at least once a week. So I wanted to say thank you for sharing! We love it! Xo!
DrDan says
Thanks Amanda... you made my day. It reminds me why and what I'm doing.
Dan
Ashley says
Making this now. I added some thyme and rosemary as well as searing the sides of the breasts along with the top and bottom. Wanted that nice golden color everywhere. I also had to add more olive oil. The 1t. cooked off too quickly and they were almost burning so I added the oil and good :) can't wait to eat them. They're in the oven now!
Windy says
Can you give me some tips on what to cook a picky autistic 4 year old help
DrDan says
OK... Give me the simple ones. I have many of these kids and they all are different so no stock answer. But I believe you should pick what the other kids like. My best suggestions come from what parents have shared in the comments. First the oven baked drumsticks ( https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/the-art-of-drummies-oven-baked-chicken/ ) always get high praise from parents. Second the chicken nuggets at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/healthy-baked-chicken-nuggets/
The mac and cheese is alway a favorite but not so healthy. I'll try the think of more.
Dan
Becky says
Can I also roast this low and slow with gravy? How would you recommend I do this?
DrDan says
Lean meat (like this chicken breast) should usually be quick. Fatty meat with lots of marbling like a pork butt is where low and slow should be used. If I were brazing this I would do it in chicken broth then make that into gravy.
DrDan
J says
Great cooking method, I discovered it on your site a couple years ago and now I always use it to cook the chicken for my salad.
Debbie says
Used this tonight with the exception of I replaced the chicken with wild turkey and it was AWESOME!! Can't wait to try more of your recipes.
DrDan says
I have never tied it with wild turkey... I had 6 of them as I left the driveway this morning. Maybe step on the gas instead of the brake tomorrow...
A similar technique should work well for almost any lean meat as long as you pay attention to internal final temperature. I have posts for pork tenderloin, boneless ribs and this one for chicken breasts.
Thanks for the note.
DrDan
Try to cook says
I read thru this recipe sor searing the chicken, then I got to the part about the convector oven and I was like ohhh no! I only have a regular old stove. Chef Ramsay has me in the mood for searing and finishing off in the oven this week. However, I've got two huge breasts and wasn't sure how long to do them, I'm going to give them extra time because they are large and I dont have convection. Love your site!
hunnydew says
I just discovered your site. Thank you for sharing such delicious and easy recipes! I appreciate the fact that most of your recipes ingredients that everyone probably already have in their kitchen. I can make healthy meals for my family without spending all day in the kitchen.
Elizabeth says
FINALLY a quick chicken that isn't dry. My husband is extremely picky when it comes to poultry and he loves this. 6 stars!
DrDan says
I still do this one over and over.
Thanks for the note and the rating.
DrDan
cathy says
hello!! I have tried numerous times to print recipies but nothing prints.. am I missing something on this web page that I
need to do in order to print. thanks,cathy
DrDan says
Hi Cathy, Sorry you're having a problem. I checked the log and I think you're using Internet Explorer. Try flushing the cashe by pressing Ctrl-Shift-Delete and then choose to delete the temporary internet files. That usually works. If not then next try right clicking on the print button and see if it will open in another window and then you should be able to print that with the print function.
The print function is Java script controlled by a "plug in" which means there is not much else I can do.
Hope that helps.
DrDan
Teddy Winston says
Dr. Dan,
I'm an Opera Singer, who tours approximately 250 days out of the year. when and wherever possible, I always request a suite that has a kitchenette or at least a stove top... I've always been extremely paranoid about undercooking chicken breast, so the unfortunate flip side has been done, yet rubbery chicken... Until I tried your method, my chicken breasts were perfect!!! My suite did not come with an oven, so I modified your instructions ever so slightly, by cooking each breast 5 to 6 minutes on each side until golden brown, then letting them rest covered for 10 minutes. just before plating, I added a fine chop of fresh chives, and a light sprinkle of paprika. Then, in a separate saucepan, I brought to a boil some high end chicken stock, then added some store bought canned biscuits and made some very large dumplings! and by adding just a little cornstarch, wine and heavy cream to the stock, I created a velvety sauce, bringing it all together with thinly sliced organic carrots! A triumph! Thanks to you!!! You've helped me to conquer my fear of fowl and given me a new favorite thing.
Teddy Winston
DrDan says
Hi Teddy,
Thanks so much for the note. It sounds wonderful and so very creative. I always say recipe are just guidelines not rules. I'm so glad it works for you.
DrDan
Art says
How many times do you flip the breasts before sending to the oven and does it matter which side goes down first?
Love the recipe! Thanks.
DrDan says
Sear - flip - sear - flip - oven. I like to start with "good side up" since that will be the final side up into the oven and will look the best. That is the smoother side. It does not really matter it just looks better to me.
DrDan
robert olsen says
this is the real deal. i have been learning to cook beef, pork, and chicken in an iron skillet for about six years. this is the best way to cook a chicken breast period. le' beau beau.
DrDan says
I have some great pans but I seem to always reach for cast iron. So that $20 investment is good for life.
Thanks so much for the note, compliment and rating.
DrDan