Best dinner hack EVER! Baked Chicken is simple to make and is great to have ready for anything. Eat your oven baked chicken on it’s own, add it to another recipe, or freeze in batches for later!
Having a baked chicken recipe that you can rely on will make your life easier. The beauty of having baked chicken ready to go and in the fridge is that you can pull it out at the last minute to make a super fast meal, like taquitos, chicken noodle soup, buffalo chicken dip or my chicken salad recipe!
Baked Chicken
Baked Chicken – Perfect Every Time!
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Baked Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken breasts or thighs – You can totally buy these pre-cut and prepackaged; you can leave this with skin on or use skinless. Boneless chicken will cook faster than bone-in.
- Seasoning – I am addicted to the spice aisle, so I have dozens of prepared chicken seasonings, but if you’re not crazy like me then a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder works great!
How Do You Make Baked Chicken?
⭐ First, pack all of the chicken into casserole dishes. It’s ok if they’re closely packed, but it is important that they are just in one layer.
⭐ Next, sprinkle with your choice of seasonings.
⭐ Then, bake until done (usually about an hour).
⭐ Finally, rest the chicken before cutting and prepping for freezing!
Three dishes ready to go! This will make dinners so easy!
Preparation
Baked Chicken is always in demand, whether you’re using baked chicken breasts or baked chicken thighs. You know if you’ve been reading this site for any length of time, I have a running theme. Easy. Simple. No fuss.
How Long Do You Bake Chicken in the Oven at Different Temperatures?
Bake on a baking sheet or in a dish until cooked through. Sometimes you are baking more than one thing in your oven and you don’t want to have to adjust your temperature settings. This is a quick guide to baking chicken at different oven temps.
The actual time may vary depending on the size of your casserole dish, the thickness of the chicken, how many are in the dish, and your oven, but here are some general guidelines for this recipe:
- How long to bake chicken at 350 degrees F: 65 minutes
- How long to bake chicken at 375 degrees F: 60 minutes
- How long to bake chicken at 400 degrees F: 50 minutes
- How long to bake chicken at 425 degrees F: 45 minutes
- How long to bake chicken at 450 degrees F: 35 minutes
When you cook chicken this way it comes out perfectly moist.
How do you check that your oven baked chicken is done?
You check that it’s done by cutting into it or checking the temperature. The most important thing is not cooking time, but doneness! Cut into two of the thickest sections and make sure the juices are clear, not pink; a meat thermometer into the thickest part is should be at 165 degrees F.
How do you keep roasted chicken moist?
You keep cooked chicken moist a few ways. Keeping your chicken moist will be easier if you leave the skin on. If you’d prefer skinless, you can add a bit of olive oil or butter to the chicken before cooking.
Cooking past 165 degrees F will also dry it out, so keep an eye out for doneness! Chicken thighs are a great way to bake moist chicken! They have a higher fat content than breasts and are usually less expensive.
We like to keep some of ours whole, some sliced, some chopped, and some shredded!
Leftovers and storage
How long can I store cooked chicken in the refrigerator?
You can store your chicken in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, and in the freezer for up to 9 months.
How do I freeze my baked chicken?
You freeze the chicken by letting it rest in the casserole dish for at least 15 minutes after it’s done baking. Put it on a cutting board and cut into whatever size you need for your future recipe.
Once cut, put the chicken in the casserole dish and toss with the drippings. This will keep your chicken moist when it’s time to reheat, as well as reduce the risk of freezer burn. Put in freezer bags or containers, label and date, and toss them in the freezer!
You can choose to lightly season the breasts, or leave them plain.
How do I reheat my baked chicken?
You can reheat in the oven, toaster oven, or microwave. Reheating your chicken is easier if you followed the directions in the recipe for freezing, as the drippings provide a barrier from freezer burn and add moisture when thawing and reheating.
Put the container in the refrigerator overnight to thaw, then either add directly to recipe or, if just using the chicken pieces as the main event, wrap them in aluminum foil with some of the chicken drippings that you saved.
If there are no drippings, add a bit of moisture (like chicken broth) to the foil packet, about 1 tablespoon per chicken breast or thigh. Cook at 350 F until internal temp comes back up to 165 F. If cooking in the microwave, place in a microwave safe dish and cover with plastic wrap, venting at 1 corner, for 3 minutes, then let it rest for 2 minutes before removing.
These guys got a dash of seasoned salt before heading into the oven.
Complete your meal with these serving suggestions
When you roast chicken as the main protein, it goes great with really classic sides like roasted vegetables and pasta. Here are a few links to our favorites.
Roasted Broccoli | Cauliflower Rice | Cauliflower Mash | Broccoli and Cheese Soup | Mac and Cheese | Baked Sweet Potato | Easy Stir Fry Noodles | Baked Green Bean Casserole | Easy Sauteed Vegetables
What to make with pre-baked chicken
The great thing about having cooked chicken ahead is that it can be added to so many delicious recipes. A few of our favorites are listed below and you can see a full list of chicken recipes here!
- Taquitos
- Tater Tot Casserole
- Barbecue Chicken Pizza
- Hot Chicken Salad
- Baked Ziti
- Chicken Salad Recipe
- Loaded Tostadas
- Need more ideas? Our new cookbook Dinner Hero has 75+ recipe ideas to make with cooked chicken or other pre-cooked meats!
More awesome chicken recipes
- Crispy Chicken Thighs
- Teriyaki Chicken
- Honey Sriracha Chicken
- Honey Mustard Chicken
- See all our chicken dinner ideas!
I’ve been known to make up to 30 pounds of chicken breast in an afternoon. That’s nearly 30 meals partially prepped!
Tools we love
- End Grain Cutting Board -This is my absolute favorite cutting board and the one that I get the most compliments on. And p.s. I have a lot of cutting boards. It really is absolutely stunning, and knows how to take a beating. We use it every single day!
- Santuko knife – My favorite knife for cutting vegetables! This knife is the perfect size and shape, handles great, and is super reasonably priced. Also, I just love that it’s fun and colorful!
- Dinner Hero – If you love dinner shortcuts, this book is for YOU. In three it will teach you how to 1. stock your pantry, 2. prep your proteins ahead (like we’re doing with this chicken!), and 3. cook 75+ recipes with no planning necessary!
Get our FREE Easy Casseroles Ebook!
Follow us below!Use #mamalovesfood on Instagram!
How to Make Baked Chicken
Baked Chicken
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts
- Seasoning I am addicted to the spice aisle, so I have dozens of prepared chicken seasonings, but if you're not crazy like me then a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder works great!
Instructions
- Place chicken it into the casserole dish(es). Pack them in, don't worry if they are crowded, but do make sure they are in one single layer.
- Sprinkle with your choice of seasoning.
- Bake at 375 for approximately one hour. Check for doneness by cutting into the middle of one or two of the thickest pieces and making sure there is no pink.
- Allow chicken to rest in the casserole dish(es) for about fifteen minutes, then remove chicken and cut into pieces (keep in mind what you plan to use it for, and cut accordingly!)
- Throw cut chicken back into casserole dishes and toss with the chicken drippings (this will help it freeze better and keep from freezer burning).
- Pack tightly into freezer tubs, label with the item and the date and toss in the freezer! When you're ready to use, just thaw in the fridge overnight or throw the tub in some warm water a few minutes before you're ready to cook.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Baked Chicken – Perfect Every Time!
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Recipe FAQS
How long do you cook chicken in the oven at 350?
For a single 4 ounce breast, about 25 - 30 minutes. For a packed casserole dish, about 60 - 65 minutes.
Is baked chicken healthy?
Baked chicken is healthy for most diets. Especially chicken breast as it is a wonderful source of lean protein.
Is baked chicken better than fried?
Baked chicken is healthier than fried chicken.
2.7.12
Christy says
When you cook the chicken do you cover the dishes in the oven?
MommyNamedApril says
@christy – no, i cook them uncovered.
Sherri says
Brilliant and easy! 🙂
Jackie S says
How long are you able to keep these in the freezer?
April says
@JACKIE – depends on what type of freezer. i would say for an upright, maybe three months, but a deep freeze as long as a year.
Elizabeth Mann says
I crock pot chicken breasts for the same reason, plus I freeze the chicken stock for using in soups & dishes. I have frozen the stock in ice cup trays for easy freezing & then you can drop as many cubes as you want into your soups,etc 8)
Anonymous says
What seasoning do you put on your chicken breast?
Stephanie says
Wow, this recipe is nice, my younger sister is doing a lot of meal prep and these kinds of things, I am going to tell her.
Jayne says
Thank you for the good writeup.
tutu vip says
It works so well thanks
Jane Saunders says
Great idea to make a batch and freeze – I always need cooked chicken for lunches and soups.
Stef says
Such a classic recipe! My mom used to make baked chicken all of the time. I haven’t made any in ages. I’m going to make some soon. Thanks for all of your tips. That will come in handy!
Helan says
Thanks For Sharing this Amazing Recipe. My Family Loved It. I will be sharing this Recipe with my Friends. Hope They will like it.
Harold Burton says
Love this.
Paul Brown says
Have used this method a couple of times, and it really is fool proof. This is my go to recipe for grilling chicken for one.
Brenda Warner says
I can freeze with my Food Saver, right?