Baked Cajun Chicken Breasts are easy to cook and incredibly JUICY! Forget dry chicken with this tender, succulent oven baked chicken breast recipe!
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BEST baked Chicken Breast recipe
We love quick and simple chicken recipes that are ready super-fast in no time without marinating.
Oven Baked Cajun Chicken Breasts is couldn’t be more simple or delicious to make! Chicken breasts are tossed in a simple Cajun Seasoning then oven baked until they are golden and caramelized!
For extra flavor, mix the juices with a quick garlic butter for the most fantastic sauce to drizzle all over your chicken!
Quick and Simple Oven Baked Cajun Chicken Breast Recipe
When you need something quick on the table for dinner, and you don’t have a lot of time, these Cajun Chicken Breasts are the perfect thing to make.
Baked Chicken Breasts are as simple as adding some seasoning and oil, and throwing them in the oven! They’re easy, fast, and incredibly tasty!
There’s no brining or marinating needed. Instead, a seasoning rub is used that helps the chicken retain off of its natural juices.
My secrets to a JUICY Baked Chicken Breast!
Oven baked chicken breasts don’t have to be dry and tough. With a few helpful tips, you can be serving the juiciest, most succulent, full flavored chicken breasts!
My secrets to the JUICIEST baked chicken breasts?
- The magic seasoning
- High heat
Magic Cajun Seasoning
The flavor in these Cajun Chicken Breasts lies in the BEST Cajun Spice Mix! Simple to throw together with ingredients you probably have in your cupboard, it adds fantastic flavor.
The secret ingredient in this Cajun Seasoning is brown sugar. The brown sugar caramelizes while it’s baking, sealing in the juices and giving the chicken its beautiful crust and caramelized edges.
Don’t worry, it won’t make the chicken very sweet. It just adds the perfect balance to the mildly spicy flavors. Just a spoonful goes a long way.
The Secret to super JUICY chicken is High Heat
Baking the chicken breasts at a high temperature (425-450° F) seals in the juices and creates a beautiful golden crust. Turning on the broiler in the last few minutes gives those beautiful caramelized edges – my favorite part!
Cooking it hot and fast is what makes it so juicy with those crispy, caramelized edges.
I highly recommend using an instant meat thermometer. It’s a small investment for perfectly cooked chicken every time.
How Long To Bake
The key to perfectly baked chicken breasts is not overbaking them. Bake them until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. This should take about 15-18 minutes depending on the size/weight of the breasts.
To brine or not to brine
I don’t usually brine chicken breasts before baking them. In fact, when testing for this recipe, I brined half of the breasts. By the time they were done baking, I had forgotten which where brined and which weren’t. It was difficult to tell the difference between the two.
If you would like to brine the chicken, put 1 quart of cool water into a bowl. Stir in ¼ cup of salt. Add the chicken breasts and let them sit in the salted water for at least 15 minutes on the counter or in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours.
When you’re ready to cook, remove them from the brine and pat them off with a paper towel. Use a little less salt in the seasoning mix.
How to make Oven Baked Cajun Chicken Breasts
Prep the chicken breasts – use a meat mallet or rolling pin, hit the chicken breasts so that they are about 1 ½ cm thick at the thickest end. This ensures even cooking.
Rub – rub in the Cajun seasoning, brown sugar, and oil. Add salt to taste if your Cajun Seasoning doesn’t contain salt.
Bake – in a 450° F oven until the internal temperature reaches 165°F on an instant meat thermometer. This should take about 15-18 minutes depending on the size/weight of the breasts. For caramelized edges and crispy bits, turn on the broiler for the last few minutes of baking.
Rest – Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting into it. This lets all those natural juices recirculate throughout the meat.
Grilled Cajun Chicken Breasts
This Cajun Chicken Breasts recipe is also fabulous on the grill. Simply rub the chicken breasts in the spice mix, brown sugar, oil, and salt to taste, and grill until the internal temperature reaches 165° F.
Recipe
Easy Oven Baked Cajun Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded to even thickness (about 1 ½ lbs, 680g)
- 1 - 2 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning or to taste *SEE NOTE
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon oil I use olive or canola
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste, if Cajun Seasoning doesn’t contain salt
Optional garlic butter sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F
- Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, hit each chicken breast to about 1 ½ cm at the thickest part. Make they are all the same thickness to ensure even cooking.
- Combine Cajun Seasoning, brown sugar, and salt if using.
- Line a baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Alternatively, bake directly in a baking dish.
- Transfer chicken to the pan and toss with seasoning mix. Drizzle with the oil and rub seasoning all over to coat evenly.
- Bake chicken in preheated oven for about 18 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165°F (75°C) using an instant meat thermometer.
- Broil on high during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking until golden and the edges begin to caramelize.
- Remove pan from oven. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
For the optional garlic butter:
- Melt the butter in a small pan. Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, but don’t let it brown. Combine the garlic butter with any pan juices and drizzle over chicken.
Notes
- 2 tablespoons paprika or smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- Optional: 1 tablespoon salt or to taste
Nutrition
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Enjoy, friends!
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Anonymous says
Judy witkowski says
This was absolutely delicious cooked mine with red pepper and onions and garlic. Will make again. My husband just loved this dish
Kelly says
So happy you liked it, Judy! Thanks so much!
Katie says
Please can you tell me if the 450f is for a conventional oven or a fan oven?
Thank you
Kelly says
Hi Katie! I bake mine in a conventional oven with some browning under the broiler at the end. If you did try the fan oven, you might not need the broiler at the end. Thanks so much!