An easy recipe for oven roasted split chicken breasts. Makes flavorful and tender roast white meat chicken.
Like many families, groceries have become a major expense . I'm constantly trying to find ways to feed my family nutritious meals within a budget. I've been buying split chicken breasts with bones and skin on. They typically cost less than $2 per pound compared to the $5 per pound boneless chicken breast.
Along with being cheaper, the meat is more tender and flavorful. This recipe results in such delicious chicken, I think every home cook needs this reliable cooking method in their repertoire.
What's to like about this chicken recipe:
- Takes about one hour of cook time with this simple method of roasting a bone-in chicken breast.
- Enjoy a meal of succulent roast chicken or remove the meat from the bone to mix in casseroles, soups, salads or any other dish that calls for cooked chicken.
- Similar flavors to a rotisserie chicken.
- Kid and husband approved.
Ingredients
Simple ingredients are all you need to make a flavorful roasted bone in chicken dinner at home.
- Olive oil - for rubbing the chicken. If you are out of olive oil, butter or another neutral flavored oil can be substituted. I like to rub the chicken with oil because I think it helps the skin to get nice and crispy.
- Split Chicken Breast (bone-in, skin-on) - The chicken breasts I buy come in a 4 pack and weigh ~1.25 pounds each. Do not substitute a boneless or skinless chicken breast.
- Homemade Dry Rub Spices: Salt, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
I have included a recipe for a basic, neutral-flavored dry rub but you can substitute any rub or spice blend that tastes good on chicken.
I like to use a neutral flavored spice blend because I use leftovers to make chicken salad. The mixture is very versatile and you can easily customize with additional spices.
How to cook
I make this on a large rimmed baking sheet and have not had juices overflow. If you are worried about that you can use a roasting pan or cast iron skillet.
Prep chicken
Line baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Fit baking rack into pan, if desired. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, rub with olive oil and sprinkle seasoning on the chicken.
Bake
Roast at 400°F in preheated oven for around one hour or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken breast.
Cooking Tip: Use a Kitchen Thermometer
Having a kitchen thermometer will make cooking chicken so much simpler and take the guess work out of "is the chicken ready yet?"
I have a Thermapen at home, but for my dietitian job, I carry this budget one with me. It's not as fast as the Thermapen, but if you don't have an instant-read thermometer, I would recommend it.
Serving and Storage
If making a meal out of these roasted split chicken breasts, I recommend serving with a starchy side such as potatoes, rice or pasta and a green vegetable.
For easy storage of leftover chicken, remove from bone and store in airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. A few of my favorite dishes to use leftover chicken in are chicken salad, casseroles and soup.
📖 Recipe
Oven Roasted Split Chicken Breasts (Bone-In)
Ingredients
Texas Style Dry Rub
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- ½ Tablespoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Chicken Breast
- 2-4 split chicken breasts bone-in, skin-on
- ½ Tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Whisk together dry rub ingredients (salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper) in a small bowl.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line large sheet pan with aluminum foil. Fit with metal rack in pan, if desired.
- Place chicken on prepared baking sheet, pat chicken dry with paper towel, rub with olive oil and lightly sprinkle dry rub on chicken. You will have extra dry rub left over.
- Roast chicken skin side up, uncovered at 400°F for 45-65 minutes or internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes until cutting into.
Notes
- Using all of the rub will result in too much seasoning for one piece of chicken.
- This recipe is intended for bone-in, skin-on chicken. Do not substitute with boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Chicken does not need to be flipped during cooking.
Nutrition
This easy recipe is great for those just starting to cook with bone-in chicken. Budget friendly and a flavorful dinner within an hour. I find myself making this recipe more often than roasting a whole chicken because it is faster and easier.
How to long to bake split chicken breasts at 400°F?
For a 1.25 pound chicken breast, it takes around one hour of cooking time at 400 degrees f to reach 165°F. For a smaller chicken breast, I would recommend checking the temperature at 45 minutes.
More easy dinner recipes you may also enjoy:
- Crock Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken Thighs
- Crock Pot Pulled Pork Tenderloin
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
- Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Enjoy!
Alaine
Camille says
The skin of the chicken was a little too salty for me, so next time I will use less salt. It might have been okay if I had not done the brining. It was an easy recipe to prepare. I liked using the rack to cook it on. It let the chicken get brown on all sides without having to turn it over. I will be making this again.
Alaine says
Thank you so much for this feedback. You are exactly right—the seasoning blend is a classic, heavy-hitting Texas BBQ rub, and I’ve actually updated the recipe notes to clarify that it’s a bulk batch meant for multiple meals, not a single use! I'm so glad you enjoyed the cooking method and the rack tip. It really is the best way to get that skin crispy without having to flip the chicken. Happy cooking!
Nicole says
Came out great! Chicken was so juicy and tender. Flavor was great! Will definitely make it again.
Elaine K says
The chicken was flavorful and tender. I did use less salt than the recipe stated. I will make it again using a oven cooking bag . The oven was splattered with grease from the chicken and olive oil. I did cook it at 400 degrees for 1 hour. After cleaning the oven, I will avoid the mess and use the alternate cooking method. The recipe is worth making again.
Alaine says
I’m so glad you found the chicken flavorful and tender. I’ve officially updated the recipe to emphasize that the dry rub is a bulk Texas-style blend—it’s definitely meant to be used sparingly across several batches! Regarding the mess, that high 400°F heat is the secret to the crispy skin, but it can definitely be a bit 'active' in the oven. I'm curious to hear how the oven bag turns out for you next time!