Tired of boring boneless chicken? Try this recipe for bone-in chicken breasts! It's simple to make and with just a few minutes of preparation, you'll have tender, juicy chicken with plenty of flavor. This is great with some roasted or mashed potatoes, butternut squash, or a side of fresh vegetables. Add a generous drizzle of the pan juices for a succulent, flavorful, easy-to-make meal.
Notes About The Ingredients
This recipe was created for bone-in breasts specifically, and substituting with boneless skinless breasts isn't recommended. The chicken gains lots of flavor and moisture from the bone and the skin, and they're a crucial part of why the chicken comes out so delicious.
I always recommend using good quality spices because they play such an important role in cooking. With such a simple recipe like this, good spices are important and will determine the outcome of the recipe. Always check to be sure that your spices aren't expired, and use a reputable brand from your supermarket.
Don't Overcook The Chicken
You never want to overcook chicken because it will be dry and unpleasant to eat. This chicken comes out juicier and more moist than skinless breasts, but it will still get dry if you overcook it. You'll want to cook your chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F, which is easy to achieve if you have a meat thermometer. I rely heavily on my Thermopro Meat Thermometer, and I can't recommend it enough if you don't already have one.
Frequently Asked Questions
I find that bone-in, skin-on chicken breast is juicier and has much more flavor than boneless chicken breasts. Bone-in breasts are delicious and my preference if they're being used as the main star of the meal.
The bone itself does not make the chicken less healthy, it's the skin that contains fats. Bone-in, skin-on chicken has been vilified for years as being unhealthy, but some studies show that it contains healthy unsaturated fats.
Priced per pound, bone-in chicken is always cheaper. It takes less work to process bone-in chicken, which means it costs less for the consumer.
The Best Easy Bone-in Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts approximate weight. Use 4 bone-in breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Pat the skin of your chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. This helps the skin get nice and crispy. I like to slide a small pad of nondairy butter under the skin of each breast, but it's not required.
- Combine your spices in a small bowl.
- Place your chicken into a large roasting pan and drizzle it with the olive oil. Rub the oil evenly over the skin using a meat brush or your hand.
- Sprinkle each breast evenly with the spices.
- Roast the chicken uncovered for about 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. You can cut the meat off the bone, and drizzle it with the pan juices.
Robin Mayerat says
This chicken was so delicious and easy. Do keep close eye on temperature. I used really high breast and they were perfect at forty minutes. Juicy and flavorful.
Lyndsay Homme says
I'm so glad you liked it! Thank you so much for your feedback.
Robin Mayerat says
Huge not high!
Mama To Superheroes says
Great, easy recipe. Used thighs and quarter chix. Rubbed seasoning on liberally. Lots of flavor. Thank you!
Lyndsay Homme says
I'm so glad you liked it!
Steve Storey says
I made this tonight. It is aggravating to me when the directions say "Place your chicken in a large roasting pan..." but it never says whether to COVER or DO NOT COVER. This makes a tremendous difference in how the chicken cooks, and these instructions should be more specific about the roasting pan. The chicken was fine and tasty, by the way, Cooked with no cover on the pan.
Lyndsay Homme says
This is interesting. It has always been my understanding as a recipe reader (and writer) that if the food was meant to be covered the recipe would say that. But, you've caused me to reconsider this. I've revised the recipe to note that it should be cooked uncovered. I'm glad it came out tasty for you, thank you for the feedback!
Becky says
Hi! Full dairy girl here. Found your site while looking for a bone-in chicken breast recipe. Followed it exactly, doubling the seasoning for our personal tastes. I also took your recommendation and put a small pat of butter under each side of the skin. Four bone-in breasts fit perfectly in my 9x13 pan. Cooked as directed with delicious results. It made a decent amount of broth that I saved for another recipe. I served it alongside Alfredo noodles and puréed pumpkin. Will definitely make again. Thank you for this easy recipe!
Lyndsay Homme says
I'm so glad you like it. I love that you saved the broth for later, it has so much good flavor. Thanks so much for the feedback!
Dot says
I am going to try making this chicken tonight for dinner. Sounds delicious. Also thank you for your discussion on when and when not to cover items in the oven. I learned something new today from reading your article and I thank you for that. Can’t wait to try this chicken recipe tonight. My every day spices I use on chicken, meat, pork, potatoes, turkey is 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper & 3 Tablespoons sweet paprika. I’ve used that combo for years.