This easy recipe for oven-roasted bone-in split chicken breasts yields flavorful, juicy white meat chicken and crispy skin every time. Seasoned with a savory Texas dry rub, it's an affordable protein-packed entree.
Why You'll Love This Split Chicken Breast Recipe
- Hands-off roasting: This simple method takes about one hour of total cook time. Just prep the bone-in breasts and bake.
- Rotisserie Flavor: A savory dry rub that delivers that classic, slow-roasted taste at home.
- Perfect for meal-prep: Enjoy a meal of succulent roast chicken or remove the meat from the bone to mix in casseroles, soups, salads.
- Family dinner approved: A protein-packed dinner the whole family will enjoy.
- Budget-friendly protein: Bone-in chicken is much cheaper than boneless cuts, making it a great way to serve high-quality protein on a budget.
With three growing boys, groceries have become a major expense . I'm constantly trying to find ways to feed my family nutritious meals without breaking the 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 method for roasting the chicken results in such delicious chicken, I think every home cook needs this reliable cooking method in their repertoire.
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Ingredients You Will Need
Simple ingredients are all you need to make a flavorful, oven-roasted bone-in chicken dinner at home.
- Olive Oil: This is for rubbing the chicken to help the seasoning stick and to ensure the skin gets nice and crispy. If you are out of olive oil, butter or another neutral flavored oil can be substituted.
- Split Chicken Breast (bone-in, skin-on): The chicken breasts I buy from H-E-B usually come in a 4-pack and weigh ~1.25 pounds each. Do not substitute a boneless or skinless chicken breast.
- Homemade Texas Dry Rub Spices: Salt, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
A Note on the Seasoning:
I have included a recipe for a versatile, mild Texas dry rub in the recipe card, but you can substitute any rub or spice blend you love. I purposely keep this spice blend savory but not overpowering so the leftover meat is perfect for mixing into chicken salad or casseroles the next day. You can easily customize it by adding garlic powder, onion powder, or extra cayenne for more heat!
How to Make Crispy Oven-Roasted Split Chicken Breasts
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 the Chicken
Line baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Fit baking rack into pan, if desired. Remove the bone-in chicken breasts from the packaging and thoroughly pat them dry with paper towels.
Season Chicken
Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken, using your hands to rub it evenly across the skin. Sprinkle your desired seasoning over the chicken, pressing it gently so it adheres well.
Roast at 400°F
Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for around one hour or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken breast.
How Long to Bake Split Chicken Breasts at 400°F?
At 400°F, a large 1.25-pound bone-in split chicken breast will take about 1 hour to bake. If you are cooking smaller breasts, begin checking the internal temperature at the 45-minute mark. The chicken is fully cooked when an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reaches 165°F.
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 or classic house salad.
For easy storage of leftover chicken, remove from the bone and store in an 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.
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!