It is easy to prepare baked chicken breasts because they are naturally lean and packed with protein. All you have to do is add some oil and herbs, and bake them! If you want really juicy chicken, you should cook it at a high temperature such as 400°F to seal in the juices and be careful not to overcook it.
We bring you a helpful post about how to bake or cook a chicken breast at 400°F in the oven, in an air fryer, from frozen, and more.
How Long To Bake Chicken Breast At 400
You should bake chicken breasts in the oven at 400°F for 20-30 minutes. This baking time is for boneless and skinless chicken breasts of approximately one-inch thickness. Thus, the time will change based on the thickness of the breasts, the oven's performance, and whether or not the breasts were covered with foil.
How Long To Bake Chicken Breast At 400 In Foil
Cover the chicken breasts with aluminum foil and bake them at 400°F for 30 minutes. Season the breasts with salt, pepper, and some herbs and wrap the foil around them. In just a few minutes they will be hot and absorbing the flavors of the spices and herbs and as the breast is covered, they will stay moist and juicy.
Using foil will help you bake chicken breasts so that they remain juicy, tender, and moist.
How Long To Bake Chicken Breast At 400 Uncovered
Usually, baking chicken breast uncovered in the oven at 400°F will take about 25 min. In my opinion, baking chicken breast uncovered is a sensitive operation because, if done incorrectly, you will get dry, and hard breasts, and believe me, you don't want that.
- The first step is to rub the chicken breast well with olive oil or melted butter, or prepare a marinade and let the breasts soak for 2 or 3 hours so they can absorb the flavor and moisture.
- After that, pour about one cup of liquid into the baking pan, such as melted butter, lemon juice, vinegar, or any mix you desire.
- Check the internal temperature of the breast 5 min before the recommended baking time. In our case start checking the temperature after 20 min of baking and keep doing so every 2 min until it is cooked through. The temperature should reach between 160°F and 170°F.
Cooking chicken breasts covered at 400°F will give them a brown and golden color with a crunchy texture.
How Long To Bake Chicken Breast At 400 In Air Fryer
Cooking chicken breasts covered with foil in an air fryer at 400°F takes about 20 minutes, and uncovered it takes 8-10 minutes per side. In order to bake your chicken breasts in an air fryer, you should follow the same rules as in a conventional oven. The air fryer should be preheated to 400°F for no more than 3 minutes. If you intend to bake the breasts uncovered, soak them in the marinade before cooking.
Lastly, spray the basket and breasts of the air fryer to prevent sticking. Do not overload the air fryer; apart from leaving space between your breasts, if you have large amounts, I recommend that you cook them in batches.
How Long To Bake Chicken Breast At 400 From Frozen
Chicken breasts baked from frozen at 400°F in the oven will take about 40-50 minutes, and about 15-25 minutes in the air fryer at the same temperature. In case you have frozen chicken breasts that are not seasoned, please thaw them first. Place the frozen breasts in the fridge and they will be defrosted in about 12h, or use warm water and they will be completely thawed in less than 3 hours.
You can still bake them straight from frozen if you don't want to season them. However, make sure to change the temperature before the recommended time to avoid drying them out.
Baked Chicken Breast Ingredients
- 6 chicken breasts boneless skinless
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
How To Bake Bake Chicken Breast At 400°F
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Rub chicken breasts with olive oil and seasonings.
- Make Sure to cover the chicken breasts well
- Grease the baking pan with melted butter or vegetable oil.
- Bake chicken breast at 400°F for 25-30 minutes or until temperature reaches 165°F.
- Let the baked chicken breast rest for 5 min.
- Serve with your favorite sides.
Is It Better To Bake Chicken At 350 Or 400?
The reason why baking chicken breast at 400°F is better than 350°F is that cooking the breasts at a high temperature will require fewer minutes and it is the best option if you want a juicy and moist breast. However, this does not mean that you should bake chicken breasts at higher temperatures than 400°F because they will increase the risk that the breast will be burned or dry. Try to avoid baking at higher temperatures such as 450° or higher.
How To Know Chicken Breast Is Cooked
In order to know whether your chicken breast is completely cooked, simply insert your food thermometer into the thickest part of it and check the internal temperature. When the thermometer reads 160°F-170°F, your chicken breast is perfectly cooked.
How To Know Chicken Breast Is Cooked Without Thermometer
If you want to check if the chicken breasts are cooked properly without using the term method (old school method), simply pull apart the sides with a fork and knife until you can see the color of the meat all the way through. The chicken breast should be white throughout. If you are going to use this method, make sure you do so under good lighting to ensure that it's the real color.
Baked Chicken Breast Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 breast boneless skinless (172g)
- Calories from Fat 56
- Calories 284
- Total Fat 6.2g
- Saturated Fat 1.7g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 1.3g
- Monounsaturated Fat 2.2g
- Cholesterol 146mg
- Sodium 128mg
- Potassium 440mg
- Total Carbohydrates 0g
- Dietary Fiber 0g
- Sugars 0g
- Protein 54g
How Long To Bake Chicken Breast At 400
Description
You should bake chicken breasts in the oven at 400°F for 20-30 minutes. This baking time is for boneless and skinless chicken breasts of approximately one-inch thickness.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Rub chicken breasts with olive oil and seasonings.
- Make Sure to cover the chicken breasts well
- Grease the baking pan with melted butter or vegetable oil.
- Bake chicken breast at 400°F for 25-30 minutes or until temperature reaches 165°F.
- Let the baked chicken breast rest for 5 min.
- Serve with your favorite sides.
Serving Size 1 breast boneless skinless (172g)
Servings 1
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 284
- Calories from Fat 56
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 6.2g10%
- Saturated Fat 1.7g9%
- Cholesterol 146mg49%
- Sodium 128mg6%
- Potassium 440mg13%
- Protein 54g108%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Linda Kekahuna
Thank you for simple, easy to follow recipes as yours. I will try your recipe for the chicken breasts (baking) and I will be coming back to leave a review. Wish me luck!
Kathleen North
Not all chicken breasts are 1” thick. Mine are 2” thick. You do not have info stating how much longer per 1/2 to 1” thicker.