385° Chicken
This is the only method I use when baking chicken in an oven. The ONLY method. This is how it came about: I was at a cooking club event one time and the host very matter-of-factly said something along the lines of, “Well, I was baking chicken so obviously I set the oven to 385°…” The other guests at cooking club all nodded in agreement, like 385° was the obvious and only temperature anyone would dare bake chicken.
Was I the only one who didn’t know? Had I been doing it wrong all along? I was honest with myself in that moment and admitted that baked chicken wasn’t a favorite in our home. It was always too dry. So, I explored some seasoning methods and baked a few chicken breasts at 385° and BAM! It was true! 385° was the perfect temperature to bake chicken.
Regardless of how I choose to season the chicken, I bake it at 385° every single time. The chicken is cooked through, juicy, and so flavorful. You’re welcome.
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
make sure you pound them out prior to baking so the “thick” end is more even with the “thin” end.
4 TBS Olive Oil
4 TBS Uffizzi Herbs (or whatever seasoning you want to use)
pinch of salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 385°.
Pour olive oil into a 9’x13” pyrex baking dish.
Sprinkle herbs and salt over the oil. use a basting brush to mix the oil and seasoning together until everything is distributed evenly over the bottom of the pyrex.
Rub one side of the first chicken breast into the oil/herb mixture until coated and repeat on the other side. Repeat with the rest of the chicken breasts until all breasts are evenly coated with olive oil and seasoning.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165° when inserted into the breast.
Enjoy with a veggie and rice pilaf or use in a pasta salad.
FYI: When it comes to meal prepping for my boys each week, this recipe is my savior! I make a big batch on Sundays and my boys heat it up each morning and take it to school. (My sweet friend Mix and Match Mama shared with us to pour boiling water into a thermos and let it sit 5-10 minutes before putting hot food inside and everything stays hot so much longer.)
