Baked Bone-In Chicken Breast

Here is my absolute favorite and foolproof recipe for baking bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts in the oven. Since I cook a lot of chicken recipes, I thought it was about time to share the best way to roast chicken.

This is the chicken I use every time I make my Chicken Salad With Greek Yogurt recipe. But it also makes a wonderful addition to a salad of any style. A subtle hint of soy can transform it for this Asian Sesame Chicken Salad, but you can also slice or dice it and place it on top of Southwestern Chicken Salad.

All it takes is four ingredients and a little bit of know-how to achieve juicy, tender, succulent white meat chicken every time!

What Is Split Chicken Breast?

Split Chicken Breast, sometimes referred to as Bone-In/Skin-On, Half or Chicken Breast with Ribs Attached, are simply whole chicken breasts with the ribs and skin intact.

A whole chicken breast (a large, heart-shape cut of meat – including both sides of the chicken) is literally “split” in two. Although it sounds fancy, this cut of meat is actually quite economical and cheaper than the popular boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

If that weren’t reason enough, the skin and bones provide an extra touch of chicken flavor and allow the chicken to stay moist throughout cooking.

Ingredients

All it takes is four ingredients and three pieces of kitchen equipment for perfectly cooked chicken.

For the recipe ingredients, you will need two split breasts, oil, kosher salt and black pepper.

• Chicken Breasts. Purchase the freshest chicken breasts you can find for optimal flavor. Remember, we are buying bone-in chicken breasts (also sold as “Split Chicken Breasts”) with the skin on for this recipe. I always look for the packages of chicken with the furthest expiration date. Sometimes it requires a bit of digging to the back, but it’s worth it. Conventional or organic is totally up to you. Purchase the brand and value appropriate for your budget.
• Oil. Any high-heat cooking oil does the trick – this includes avocado oil, grapeseed oil, ghee, or regular olive oil.

• Kosher Salt. Diamond Crystal kosher salt is my go-to salt for most of my recipes. It’s cleaner in flavor and the salt crystals are just the right size to evenly coat the surface of the chicken. If you use table salt, use half the amount listed in the recipe.
• Black Pepper. A little goes a long way. Feel free to add more pepper once the chicken breasts are done cooking.

Optional Add-Ins:

While the recipe I am sharing here is a basic one, most bone-in chicken breast recipes use additional flavorings to make it taste even more delicious. Here are a few optional add-ins:

• Fresh Herbs: You cannot go wrong with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley, rosemary, oregano, or thyme. Simply use whatever you have on hand or works for the recipe you are using your roasted chicken breasts in.
• Spices & Flavoring agents: Enhance the flavors of these juicy chicken breasts with a sprinkle of spices like smoked paprika, ground cumin, and ground coriander or flavoring agents like garlic powder and onion powder.

The Perfect Recipe Ratio

After a number of trials and errors, I have finally created the perfect recipe ratio for cooking split chicken breast.

For every 14 – 15 oz Bone-In, Skin-On Chicken Breast, you will need:

• 2 teaspoons oil (high heat preferred)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Kitchen Equipment

For the kitchen equipment, you will need a baking sheet, parchment paper and an instant read thermometer.

• Baking Sheet. Use a quarter sheet pan (9×13 inches) (affiliate link) for two chicken breasts and a half sheet pan (13×18 inches) (affiliate link) for four chicken breasts.
• Parchment Paper. Lining the baking sheet with parchment paper makes for a more even bake and easy clean-up.

• Instant Read Thermometer. This is the most reliable tool to ensure your baking the chicken to the right temperature. I have one tucked inside my kitchen drawer and use it for all my meat recipes. Here is the one I use (affiliate link).

A Few Tips Before Getting Started

Before we get started with the split chicken breast recipe, here are a few tips and tricks to ensure success in the kitchen.

1. Bring the chicken to room temperature: I always remove the chicken from the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour before I bake it in the oven. This will allow for an even bake and prevent overcooking.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels: The dry surface of the meat and high heat from the oven create an even, golden-brown crust (with super crispy skin) during baking. It’s the one trick that results in ultra-crispy chicken breast halves. Make sure not to skip it!
3. Use an Instant Read Thermometer: As mentioned in the kitchen equipment, it is important to use a cooking thermometer for accuracy. It is fully cooked as soon as the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F (~ 74 degrees Celsius.)
4. Allow the chicken to rest: This is the most important step when it comes to moist and tender chicken. A short 5-10 minutes under a tent of foil is enough time to get those juices redistributed.
5. Reserve the pan juices: Although you may want to discard them, the juices on the bottom of the baking sheet pack in so much flavor. Toss them in sliced, diced, or shredded chicken before adding additional ingredients. If there is enough juice on the bottom of the baking sheet, you can even use it to make a homemade pan sauce – but we’ll reserve that cooking lesson for another day.
6. Save the bones for chicken broth: Nothing beats a Homemade Chicken Stock. Get your money’s worth and use the bones once you’ve removed all that tender meat. The roasted bones make your chicken stock that much more flavorful.

How To Bake Bone-In Chicken Breast

Split chicken breasts are baked in the oven in a few easy steps. First, remove the chicken from the fridge 30-60 minutes prior to baking and preheat the oven(see notes on oven temperature below). When ready:

1. Pat dry and season the chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, coat the entire surface (including the backside) with oil, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Alternatively, you can put it in a small bowl and coat everything with your clean hands.
2. Roast in the oven. Place the now-seasoned chicken (skin side up) on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake according to the baking times below, or until the thickest part of the breast meat reaches 165 degrees F. Remove from the oven, tent with aluminum foil, and rest for 5-10 minutes.
3. Slice, Dice, Shred, and Serve! Enjoy the whole chicken breast as is or slice, dice or shred it to your desired size to use in any one of your favorite chicken recipes.

What Temperature and How Long To Cook Chicken Breast With Bone

There are so many recipes for oven-roasted split chicken breasts, it’s hard to decipher what is the correct oven temperature and cook time. After multiple recipe tests, below are the best temperature and time variances both in Fahrenheit and Celsius scale:

• 350 degrees F / 177 degrees C – 55-65 minutes
• 375 degrees F / 191 degrees C – 45-60 minutes
• 425 degrees F / 218 degrees C 35-45 minutes (preferred method)

It’s important to note that my favorite oven temperature is 425 degrees F. Not only do the halved chicken breasts cook faster, but the higher temperature produces a super crispy, golden-brown crust that is absolute heaven!

The Right Internal Temperature

According to Food Safety guidelines, poultry must be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). This is considered the safe minimum.

In other words, this is the temperature that is hot enough to kill harmful bacteria and germs that cause food poisoning. Make sure to use a food thermometer and insert it into the thickest part of the breast without touching the bone for an accurate reading.

The temperature should read between 160 – 165 degrees F. A few degrees of wiggle room is okay as the temperature will continue to rise after you remove the chicken from the oven (aka carry over cooking).

How To Make Half Chicken Moist

The trick to a succulently moist, tender chicken breast is all about the rest. The juices need time to redistribute throughout the meat, so a quick 5-10 minute rest after roasting will do the trick. Simply tent it with aluminum foil to keep it warm.

Cooking time and oven temperature play a factor too, but as long as you let the chicken rest, it’ll be moist every time.

How To Store

• Refrigerator: Store the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Cool the chicken completely and slice, dice or shred to your desired size. I do not recommend leaving the chicken in whole breast form when freezing. Cooked chicken can be stored in individual containers (1-2 cup portions) or a large plastic freezer storage bag. Seal tight, label, date and store for up to 3 months.

How To Thaw Frozen Cooked Chicken

Cooked chicken makes for easy meal prep and adds a wonderful protein boost to any meal. To safely thaw from frozen, you can:

1. Thaw overnight in the fridge to slowly bring the temperature up.
2. Submerge the chicken in a ziplock bag in a bowl of cold water for 2-3 hours, or until fully thawed.
3. Thaw on the “Defrost” setting in the microwave on a microwave-safe dish.

Since the chicken is fully cooked, feel free to enjoy cold on top of easy salad recipes or warm through in soups, stews, chilies or pasta dishes.

Use Bones For Chicken Stock

As mentioned, make sure to keep the bones and use them in your next chicken stock at home. Feel free to use the chicken bones within 3-4 days or freeze and use within 3 months.

Not only is homemade chicken stock more flavorful than store-bought varieties, but it’s the perfect base for soups and stews. I use both the meat and stock in Healthy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, Healthy Chicken Chili and Easy Chicken Chili Recipe.

What To Serve – What To Make With Split Chicken Breast

It’s easy to cook the chicken and keep it in the fridge for easy meal prep, but there are nights when I love to make a beautifully roasted chicken the star of the show.

Chicken is a wonderful blank canvas to serve with easy side dishes, salads, casseroles, and more. Below are a few ways you can use these baked chicken breasts in your daily cooking:

• Serve as the main course: Make it the star of your meal by serving it with roasted vegetables, cooked grains, and a green salad. My favorite combo to serve with freshly baked chicken is roasted asparagus, Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes, lemon quinoa, and spring mix salad.
• Use in salads: Simply shred or cut it into small pieces and top off your favorite salads for a protein-packed meal. I usually serve them atop (or on the side) my Tomato Mozzarella Salad, Mexican Corn Salad Recipe, and Avocado and Kale Salad.
• Make it a part of your sandwiches: Slice it and add it as a layer to any of your sandwiches just like I did in this Caprese Chicken Sandwich recipe.
• Add it to casseroles: Make a mouthwatering chicken casserole or even chicken pot pie with leftover chicken on a weeknight.

FAQs

Other Chicken Breast Recipes You Might Like:

• Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry
• Slow Cooker Chicken Curry with Greek Yogurt
• Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken