Oven Baked Chicken Breasts with Brown Butter Pan Sauce

My baked chicken breasts are seasoned with a bold paprika rub and cooked in brown butter, so they come out tender with a rich, nutty pan sauce to spoon over the top. It’s an easy one-pan dinner for busy weeknights.

I make these baked chicken breasts when I want a dinner that’s simple, dependable, and full of flavor. They’ve been on regular rotation at our house for years. A bold rub of paprika, garlic, onion, chili powder, and oregano coats the outside, while the inside stays tender.

The secret is the pan sauce. I brown the butter first, toss the chicken with it and the spices until it’s coated in a buttery paste, then bake everything with a splash of water. As the chicken cooks, the butter, water, and pan juices come together into a nutty, paprika-spiked sauce that keeps the meat tender and moist. There’s enough to spoon over the chicken, with a little left for your mashed potatoes.

The other trick is a small pan. When the chicken fits snugly, the sauce stays put instead of cooking off, and the chicken stays juicy. It’s the same trick I use for my baked pork chops. No brining or marinating needed, just pantry spices and one skillet.

How long to bake chicken breasts at 425°F

Chicken breasts are lean, so a few extra minutes in the oven is the difference between tender and dry. That’s why I bake them hot and fast, and why the size of your chicken matters more than anything else.

For medium chicken breasts (about 6 to 8 ounces each), bake for 18 to 22 minutes. That’s the size I use when I test this recipe, and four of them fit snugly in a 9-inch cast iron pan. If yours are a different size, use this as a guide:

Larger breasts take up more room, so you may need a bigger pan. Choose one they still fit into snugly, so the pan sauce doesn’t cook off. For extra-large breasts, you can also slice them in half horizontally into two thinner pieces. Just start checking them early.

The most reliable way to know your chicken is done is with an instant-read thermometer. I use mine all the time. Chicken is safe to eat once the thickest part reaches 165°F. Cast iron holds a lot of heat, so the chicken keeps cooking a little while it rests in the pan. Start checking at the low end of the time range so it doesn’t overshoot.

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Oven Baked Chicken Breasts with Brown Butter Pan Sauce

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 22 minutes mins

Total: 32 minutes mins

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Tender chicken breasts with a warm paprika rub, baked in brown butter and a splash of water for a buttery pan sauce. Pantry spices, one skillet, and dinner is done.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons EACH: onion powder and garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon EACH: chili powder, oregano, and sea salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6-8 ounces each)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons water

Instructions 

• Position an oven rack in the top third of your oven and preheat it to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, mix the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.
  1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 1 ½ teaspoons EACH: onion powder and garlic powder, 1 teaspoon EACH: chili powder, oregano, and sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
  
• Heat a 9" cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Once it's hot, add the butter, let it melt, and let it brown for about 30 seconds (it browns very quickly at this heat).
  3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• Place the chicken breasts in a bowl and pour the browned butter over the top. Sprinkle the spices into the bowl and mix well – it will form a paste. Add the chicken to the pan, scrape any of the buttery paste from the bowl onto the chicken, then add the water.
  4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2 tablespoons water
  
• Bake the chicken, uncovered, for 18-22 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. (Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check this.) Let the chicken breasts rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Spoon the juices from the bottom of the pan over the chicken and serve.
  

Video

Notes

Pan size: If you don’t have a 9″ pan, choose one that fits the chicken breasts the best. Don’t use one that’s too big, or the juices will evaporate.

Pan selection: If you don’t have an ovenproof pan, use a small skillet to brown the butter, then transfer to a small baking dish to cook the chicken.

Cooking time: Medium-sized chicken breasts will cook in about 18 minutes, but the exact time depends on several factors, including the thickness of the chicken, your specific oven temperature (which can vary), altitude, and pan size. An instant-read thermometer is the best way to check whether the chicken is fully cooked. 

Leftovers: This chicken makes terrific leftovers. I sometimes make an extra to slice and serve cold over salad the next day. To store chicken breasts, place them in a sealed container in your fridge for up to four days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 chicken breast, Calories: 335kcal (17%), Carbohydrates: 2g (1%), Protein: 31g (62%), Fat: 12g (18%), Saturated Fat: 6g (38%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 95mg (32%), Sodium: 716mg (31%), Potassium: 477mg (14%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 0.2g, Vitamin A: 1160IU (23%), Vitamin C: 1mg (1%), Calcium: 15mg (2%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

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