Baked split (bone-in) chicken breasts are healthy and delicious, with a juicy and tender inside with crispy skin. An easy recipe for a quick and economical dinner.
Everybody can use more chicken recipes that work. This roasted bone-in chicken breast recipe is one to keep with easy step-by-step photo instructions.
🐓Ingredients
Split chicken breasts (Bone-in)
Pantry ingredients—Garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper
Cayenne pepper—optional
Celery salt—optional
Baking powder Aluminum-free—Optional
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Featured Comment from J.J.:
"So delicious, crispy, fast, easy. This one is immediately in my top 3 chicken recipes…"
Split chicken breasts (bone-in) have superior flavor and are extra moist and juicy. They make a tasty and economical dinner the whole family will love.
Learn to easily trim whole chicken breasts into a better serving size with more surface area for seasoning and much simpler to cook to a safe temperature. Optionally, use baking powder to make the skin extra crispy.
👨🍳How to Bake Split Chicken Breasts (Bone-in)
- Pat dry chicken breasts, trim the chicken of trimmable fat, remove the rib and cut into 2 to 3 pieces.
- Combine spices and baking powder. Then sprinkle and rub on all surfaces. You may not need all the spices, just to your taste.
- Place on a baking pan with a rack. Let rest for 30 minutes if you have time, and use the baking powder.
- Bake until internal temp of 165°—about 35 minutes, depending on your oven and the thickness of the chicken.
This is a summary of the steps and ingredients. See the recipe card or the step-by-step photo instructions below for complete instructions.
⏰How long to bake split chicken breasts
The best oven temperature is 400° convection or 425° for about 35 minutes. The time will vary by the size and thickness of the chicken pieces. This is much lower than the cooking time for whole bone-in chicken breast, which will be more like 50 minutes at 375°.
You can lower the oven temperature by 25°, and the cooking time will increase by about 5 minutes.
The safe endpoint of cooking is a final internal temperature of 165° in the thickest part and not any less. You must use an instant-read thermometer to prevent undercooking (unsafe) or over-cooking (drying).
Like most meat, never cook by time; always cook to final internal temperature.
Other Split chicken breast recipes
Bone-in (Split) chicken breast recipes are economical, easy, and packed with flavor. Stuff them like Garlic Butter Stuffed Chicken Breast or make Chicken Cordon Bleu. Or coat them with BBQ sauce and make Grilled BBQ Split Chicken Breasts or Baked BBQ Split Chicken Breasts. Or try a change of pace with Herbs de Provence Chicken Breasts or Mayonnaise Parmesan Split Chicken Breasts.
✔️Tips—get it right every time
- The “secret” to the success of this recipe is how to prepare the split chicken breasts before cooking. You get a better serving size, more even cooking, and more surface area for the great spices.
- You can use pan juices to help make gravy. See How to Make Gravy from Scratch for details.
- The spicing I have provided is an excellent garlic-based seasoning. Still, like most recipes, you can easily adjust the spicing to your taste using fresh herbs, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and basil may be added.
How to serve chicken breasts
Serve with Roasted Baby Potatoes, Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole, and green beans. Add some yeast dinner rolls and a fresh strawberry pie with Jello for a great finishing touch.
❄️Store leftovers
Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days, but the skin texture will deteriorate. You can also freeze leftovers for 3 months.
Use the leftovers by just reheating, preferably in the oven covered. The microwave will affect the meat's texture. Also, leftovers are an excellent cut-up to top salads or make chicken salad or Waldorf Chicken Salad.
❓FAQs
No, but it is better with a rack and less sticking. If you don't have one, use a good coat of oil on the tray to prevent sticking. It is more important when you want crispy skin on all sides, like chicken drumsticks, or there may be lots of drainage that affects the texture, like chicken thighs.
The baking powder increases the crispness by pulling moisture out of the skin. This a trick from Cooks Illustrated, although I have modified the technique.
I find even short times with the baking powder will enhance the skin's crispiness. I suggest a 30-minute rest in this recipe before cooking, but even just applying the rub with baking powder and cooking immediately seems to enhance the crispiness.
You may skip the baking powder and still have good results—just not as crispy.
I do suggest using aluminum-free baking powder. I never buy baking powder with aluminum, which many can taste.
We no longer recommend rinsing chicken due to contamination of the surrounding area from splattering.
Rinsing chicken is no effect on the crispiness versus just patting it dry with paper towels. See Chicken... To Rinse or Not To Rinse? for a detailed discussion.
The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165°, according to the USDA.
🐓About Split Chicken Breasts (Bone-in)
Split chicken breasts are also known as bone-in chicken breasts. Technically, bone-in should include both sides of the chicken in one piece, but the breast bone is split during processing, creating two pieces. So they are called split or bone-in.
For years they were called skin-on bone-in chicken breasts, but since they are not generally sold without the skin, the "skin-on" part is frequently dropped. Most cooks feel they have more taste and moisture than the more popular boneless skinless chicken breasts.
They have become progressively bigger over the last few decades. They are now too big for a reasonable serving size for most people. They are also hard for most home cooks to get to a safe internal temperature without overcooking the outside. So most home cooks will skip them as an option or settle for poor results. We can fix that.
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 oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional oven.
Pat dry the chicken, trim the chicken off any trimmable fat, and remove the rib area.
Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil and a baking rack—coat with PAM cooking spray.
Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil and a baking rack—coat with PAM cooking spray.
Combine spices and baking powder (if using) in a small bowl. Sprinkle and rub on all surfaces, but you may not need all of the spice mixture; just season to your taste.
Place on a rack skin side up with larger pieces in the corners—and thinner edges to the center. If you use baking powder and have time, let it set for 30 minutes to help dry the skin.
Bake until internal temp of 165°. It takes about 35 minutes, depending on your oven and the thickness of the chicken.
Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
📖 Recipe
Baked Split Chicken Breasts (Bone-in)
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Ingredients
- 3 split chicken breast - scale to what you need, AKA bone-in chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
- ½ teaspoon celery salt - optional if you have it
- 1 teaspoon baking powder - optional Aluminum-free
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional oven.
- Pat dry the chicken, trim the chicken off any trimmable fat and remove the rib area.
- Cut the chicken into pieces—the normal-size ones in half and the huge ones into thirds.
- Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil and a baking rack—coat with PAM cooking spray.
- Combine spices and baking powder (if using) in a small bowl. Sprinkle and rub on all surfaces, but you may not need all of the spice mixture; just season to your taste.
- Place on a rack skin side up with larger pieces in the corners—and thinner edges to the center. If you used baking powder and have time, let it set for 30 minutes to help dry the skin.
- Bake until internal temp of 165°. It takes about 35 minutes, depending on your oven and the thickness of the chicken.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Scale to the amount you want. I was cooking for leftovers, and the packages usually have 3 breasts at our store.
- Properly cutting up and trimming chicken breasts is important for this recipe to work. Better serving sizes, more even cooking, easier to get properly cooked and more surface area for seasoning. Good in every way.
- The celery salt adds some taste, but skip it if you don't have it.
- The cayenne pepper is also optional/to taste. The ¼ teaspoon is a 2 or 3/10 heat level. Don't use it if feeding kids.
- I like cooking chicken on racks, but it is not that important here.
- Keep the thicker parts of the chicken towards the outside of the baking tray.
- Be sure to check for a final internal temperature of 165°. Do not guess or cook by time alone. Use an instant-read thermometer.
- Great leftover in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and can be frozen for 3-4 months.
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 May 25, 2011. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation. Please enjoy one of our easiest, most flavorful chicken recipes.
TJ says
I am going to make this tonight but my chicken breasts are boneless with skin on. Will it come out the same if I adjust the cooking time?
DrDan says
Since you're cooking to an endpoint for internal temp and not by time you should be ok. Although I think the time might be a bit shorter if they are thinner. But bone conducts heat some... so maybe a wash... The thermometer is a must here.
DrDan
Cindy says
I am getting ready to make his for today. Wondering if I cook before church and then turn the oven on low. Would it dry out too much? I like to have dinner ready to To put on the table when we get home!
DrDan says
Nope, not a good idea. Very very dry.
DrDan
LJC says
Would this recipe still work well if the skin was removed?
DrDan says
No
Michelle says
Just stumbled across this and wondered if just a baking sheet with no rack would work? Starting over again and no baking rack in the house.
DrDan says
It should work fairly well but the bottom a bit moist.
DrDan
Michelle says
Thank you for the amazingly fast reply! Giving this a go tomorrow night!
Deirdre says
Absolutely fantastic. Our meal for two cost was easily under $6 dollars. Bravo for bringing this into our lives!
Rhonda says
Hubby & I really liked this! Amazingly moist chicken! I have to say it was pretty spicy for me, but yet I still give it a strong thumbs-up! Thank you! I will definitely make again and again.
Sarah says
How is the baking powder applied? Do you rub it on the skin before seasoning?
Peyton says
I'm probably too late to be helpful, but coincidently, I'm making this tonight as well. The baking powder is mixed with the spice mix, then rubbed in to all surfaces.
Glad I read the comments, as I don't have a convection oven, and hadn't noticed that. I'll cook for a bit, then flip, to better brown all sides.
DrDan says
Hi Sarah... Peyton is correct. Thanks for jumping in with the correct answer Peyton. It has been a long day.
DrDan
Sarah says
Thank you both!! Much appreciated. Making this tomorrow night - very excited!
C says
What is dual action baking powder?
DrDan says
There are two types of baking powder... single and dual action. Single will produce carbon dioxide bubbles as soon as contact with liquid. The dual action produces some immediately and then more later when heated. Both produce the the same amount but different timing. I always use dual action.
DrDan
Yvonne says
This is a great recipe. The chicken was so crispy and tasty. Thank you!
DrDan says
Your welcomed. Thanks for the note.
DrDan
Stephanie S says
This was great, very flavorful and crispy skin. Will definitely make again!
Dana says
I cut the cayenne pepper in half. It was perfect. This is Definately a keeper!
Thank you!!
Dave says
Fantastic!! My family of five ate every piece. I cut the cayenne in half, and did everything else exactly to the recipe. I will use this recipe from now on. Thank you for posting it. Dave H.
DrDan says
Your welcome... thanks for the note.
DrDan
Lisa says
How long would I cook whole split breasts? (With bone and skin)
DrDan says
Highly variable due to size and oven variations. That is why I cut into manageable piece. They cook more evenly. If you must cook them whole please remember you are cooking to a final temp of 165 not by time. I would guess a medium size would take about 45 minutes give or take some.
DrDan
Jessica says
I'm planning to make this tonight. I noticed that I had a mix of drumsticks and thighs. Can I use this exact recipie for it? Might be a silly question but I didn't know if anything needed to be altered.
DrDan says
Cook about the same. It seems like the thighs cook a little faster for me. Go to about 185 on both and start checking at 30 minutes.
DrDan
Seth says
This is easily the best baked chicken recipe I've ever come across. It rivals my all-time favorite (grilled outside w/bbq sauce) for both ready-to-eat succulence and outstanding flavor. 5/5 A+
eva says
Does the t stand for teaspoon or tablespoon?
DrDan says
Little t is teaspoon and big T is Tablespoon. It is in FAQ's. These have been used for many years but still seem to cause confusion. For the last year or so I have started to spell them out.
DrDan