Baked Split Chicken Breasts

Gone are the days of eating dry chicken breasts. This recipe for baked split chicken breasts will leave you wondering, where has this been my whole life?

Baked Split Chicken Breast

Split chicken breasts take longer to bake than boneless chicken breasts, but not as long as roasting a whole chicken. It's the best of both worlds: juicy chicken and the leanest cuts.

What I also love about baked chicken is that I can roast vegetables at the same time and make one meal by simply adjusting the oven temperature and cooking time. More on this below. Now, let’s cook!

How to Bake Split Chicken Breasts

Here are the steps of this easy recipe for split chicken breasts:

1. Combine the olive oil, garlic, herbs, lemon zest, and salt. Once zested, slice the lemon in half and juice it.
2. Season the chicken breasts with the lemon juice and the garlic-herb mixture.
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F. After 45 minutes, check the chicken’s internal temperature and continue baking until it reaches 165F. Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the chicken breast.
4. Broil for crispy skin by switching your oven from Bake to Broil, and broil the tops for 2 minutes before removing them from the oven.
5. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, drizzle juices over the top, and serve with your favorite vegetable.

How Long to Bake Split Chicken Breasts

I like to bake split breasts at 350F for 50-55 minutes because the lower and slower temperature allows for the moisture to retain better so that the chicken breasts don't dry out. If you have other things to bake at the same time, check the following chart:

How to Tell When Bone-In Chicken Breasts are Done

Visually, the skin is golden brown, and the meat is cooked through and white, with no translucent or pinkish color. If you have a meat thermometer, check the internal temperature by poking the thickest part of the meat, but away from the bone. As long as the reading shows 165F, the chicken breasts are safe to eat.

What to Serve with Split Chicken Breasts

Since chicken is such a versatile meal idea, there are so many side dishes that you can serve with it! Some of my favorites are Spanish cauliflower rice, roasted summer vegetables, veggie mac and cheese, roasted curried cauliflower, and roasted butternut squash cubes.

Easy-to-Make Juicy Split Chicken Breasts

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 55 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Flavorful garlic-herb, baked split chicken breasts recipe for beginners that yields juicy chicken every time!

5 from 11 votes

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Ingredients

• 3 split chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 1 ½ tablespoon chopped fresh thyme and rosemary*
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 medium lemon, zested and divided

Instructions

Prep:

• Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, herbs, lemon zest, and salt. Once zested, slice the lemon in half. Juice the lemon, and set it aside.

Season:

• Place the split chicken breasts on the lined baking sheet. Pour the lemon juice over the chicken and spread the garlic-herb mixture over the top of the chicken breasts.

Bake:

• Bake for 45 minutes, check the chicken's internal temperature; and with a spoon, drizzle some of the juices over the top. Continue baking until the chicken's internal temperature reaches 165F. Total cooking time will vary based on the size of the chicken breast, on average, you'll need 55 minutes to 1 hour. I highly recommend cooking chicken by temperature.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, drizzle juices over the top served with your favorite vegetable.

Notes

• Don't have fresh herbs? Use 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning instead.

Equipment

Free Meal Planner Printable

Meat Thermometer

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 162IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg