Baked Balsamic Chicken Breast Recipe
Baked Balsamic Chicken Breast Recipe – this is seriously the juiciest, delicious and easy to make baked chicken breast. Loaded with simple flavors, this could be served on its own or added to pasta, salads or grain bowls.
Remember my very popular Balsamic Brussel Sprouts and Chicken Quinoa Bowls, that I shared back in 2015? Well, the way I cooked the chicken breast in that recipe, definitely deserves its own post.
This balsamic chicken is so good! Juicy, slightly sweet and garlicky. Ready in no more than 40 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken breast. I know overcooking chicken breast is not an option, but if for some reason it dries out a little, you have some nice sauce to serve it with.
What ingredients do I need to make this Chicken Breast Recipe?
- boneless skinless chicken breast
- olive oil
- soy sauce
- balsamic vinegar
- garlic
- oregano
- black pepper
- salt (optional, since the soy sauce adds saltiness)
How to tenderize and flatten chicken breast?
You’ll need a meat mallet or rolling pin. There are two options, depending on how thick the chicken breast is and how thin the final result should be.
- Cut each chicken breast in half, through the middle lengthwise.
- Cover with plastic wrap and using a meat mallet pound to the desired thickness. Be gentle, so the meat doesn’t get smashed.
- The second option is just to tenderize the whole breast, without cutting it through the middle.
How to make baked chicken breast in the oven?
You can bake the meat on a sheet pan or a Pyrex dish.
- If the chicken breast is too thick, you can pound it with a meat mallet until it is 1/2-inch thick.
- Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, oregano and black pepper in a bowl.
- Place chicken in a baking dish. Pour the marinade over it, making sure it is evenly coated. Let is sit for 10 minutes if you have the extra time.
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Bake chicken at 400 F for 25 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 165 F.
How long to bake chicken breast in the oven for at 400F ?
It really depends on the thickness of the chicken breast. You’ll need to keep an eye on it. If you have a probe oven thermometer this will be even easier. A thermometer inserted into the thickest park if the meat should read 165 F (75 C).
I baked the chicken breasts in the oven at 400 F for 35 minutes. Mine were a little less than an inch thick. If you pound yours to make them thinner or decide to cut them in half through the middle, they will be ready in less time.
The ideal thickness of chicken breast for baking in 1/2 inch and it generally takes around 25-30 minutes to cook at 400 F.
More Chicken Recipes:
Baked Balsamic Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 oz each)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt — or more to taste
Instructions
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If the chicken breast is too thick, you can pound it with a meat mallet until it is 1/2-inch thick.
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Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, oregano and black pepper in a bowl.
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Place chicken in a baking dish. Pour the marinade over it, making sure it is evenly coated. Let is sit for 10 minutes if you have the extra time.
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Preheat oven to 400 F. Bake chicken at 400 F for 25 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 165 F.
I love how easy and flavorful this chicken recipe is!
Made this and tasted delicious. I was scared it will be too dry but it was good.
This is such a great dinner idea! Love it!
Thank you Toni!
This looks like a tasty recipe! i like to switch up my chicken recipes with my meal prep because I get tired of them pretty easily. I can’t wait to give this a try, thank you!
Hope you like it Bryan!
The best best baked chicken. Loved the sweetness from the balsamic.
Do u bake chicken in the marinade Pyrex?
yes
Did you cover or leave uncovered?
I bake uncovered.
Soooooo delicious! I’m seriously going to make this every week…even tastes good cold after being in the fridge!
I made this with a few alterations as meal prep for my lunches for the week:
I added some honey to the sauce (didn’t have much left in the bottle so a few squirts).
I added some cherry tomatoes to the baking dish and I also took them out after 20 or so minutes and reduced the sauce in a saucepan.
finally I put the breasts under the broiler to finish them off so they had a nice crispness to them.
Thyme or oregano?
Description says thyme, recipe is oregano-both sound yummy
It is actually oregano, but either thyme or oregano or a combination of both can be used 🙂
Woooow…..Homemade!! And so easy to do…
I think I will look for these and try your recipe this weekend. Thank you for sharing!
Dang Thai from Embeya!
Can you omit the oil from this recipe?
Yes, you can use some butter instead
Do you bake this in all of the marinade or drain? It seems like an awful lot of marinade to bake in…thanks!
I do bake in the marinade, but you can drain some or all of it. Keep in mind that if you drain it all, you need to add more oil for cooking.
Can this be done in a toaster oven/air fryer?
Yes, in both. I’d say 20-25 minutes at 400 for air fryer
Found this on pinterest. It was so good! I’m usually not a big fan of balsamic, but I needed something quick and easy. The tang mellows to a delicious flavor as it cooks. Served I’ve cauliflower rice for a great low carb dinner! Printing and adding to the rotation!
What kind of balsamic? Glaze, syrup, regular? White or red? Expensive or cheap?
Regular moderately priced red balsamic vinegar, not white, not a glaze, not syrup, just vinegar.
Chicken was very tender and juicy. I cooked it in a baking dish with marinade. Wasn’t sure if I was supposed to but it came out great,
This was VERY good and so easy to do. We love garlic around here so I used more than 2 cloves. I think I used something like 4 or 5 large cloves and I pressed them instead of mincing them which worked out fantastic! The hubs and kids approved and that’s a HUGE win. I served it with some roasted potatoes and a Caesar salad to complete the meal. Wonderful recipe!
Would using thin sliced chicken breast be too thin to use in this recipe? I’m guessing the cook time in the oven would differ, would the other ingredients differ also?
I wouldn’t change the other ingredients, the flavor might be intense. I don’t know about the cooking time, since I have not tried the recipe this way.
This is really delicious! My whole family loves it. I do have one question. You say marinade for 10 minutes “if you have time.“ What if you have that much and more time – would a longer marinading be even better, and if so, what would you say should be the max time to marinade?
Hi Bob,
Yes, you can marinate for up to 6 hours or overnight in the fridge. Longer marinating is not needed, since the chicken meat will become stringy and mushy.
I have a bag of frozen chicken breasts that say “do not thaw, cook from frozen”. Any idea how much time to add?
Hi Sheryl, I’ve seen these, but never used them in a recipe like this. They will work, but not sure how much time it will take. Maybe keep checking the temperature of the meat, until it reaches 165 F?
I made this recipe tonight, but left the chicken in the oven a bit longer to finish my rice. It was tasty, and any dry parts were saved by using the drippings from the pan as gravy. Thanks for your idea!
I prepared this per instructions, marinating for 15 minutes prior to baking. It was incredibly juicy and flavorful and is definitely a keeper. I am going to try grilling it next time and use in a salad. I accompanied it, this time, with Lemon Butter Orzo with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes.
Many thanks for sharing this recipe,
Glad to hear you liked it!
Great recipe! Just added it to my favorites on Pinterest. Chicken was flavorful & juicy! It’s a keeper!