Healthy Chicken Breast Recipe

"Poultry," as recipe developer Sher Castellano puts it, "is a healthy part of any omnivore's diet." Unless you're on a vegetarian or plant-based diet, you probably already eat a fair amount of chicken. Not only is it healthy, but it also tends to be more affordable than pricier proteins like beef, lamb, and seafood. Chicken breasts also have the benefit, as Castellano says, of being "accessible and easy to prepare."

The problem with chicken breasts is that they can be a bit bland on their own, and chicken has a tendency to dry out if not cooked correctly. Castellano, however, assures us that this recipe of hers is "foolproof" and will result in "chicken that's moist, delicious, and perfectly cooked." What's more, the medley of spices she uses add plenty of flavor, but each and every one of them is something you probably already have in the pantry since they're pretty much kitchen staples. As long as you've got chicken breasts in the freezer, you won't need to run out to the store for fresh herbs or other specialty ingredients.

Depending on how the chicken is packaged, the breast pieces may be smaller or larger in size, but the cooking directions do take this into account. The amounts of the seasonings — these being salt, dried parsley, paprika, garlic powder (not garlic salt), and black pepper — do not vary, though, no matter the size of the chicken pieces.

In order to get the spices to stick to the chicken, you'll also need some olive oil, a "heart healthy" fat, Castellano explains. This ingredient adds to the nutritional benefits offered by this low-fat, high-protein dish.

Before you get started, take a moment to set the oven to 425 F. Mix all of the seasonings — the salt, parsley, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper — together. The amounts given here make enough for a pound of chicken, but you can feel free to make a much larger amount to keep on hand as a dry rub. Not a math fan? We did the work for you: The proportions are 1 part each of garlic, pepper, and paprika and 2 parts each of salt and parsley.

Put the chicken in a baking pan and drizzle it with the olive oil. Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the oil, then rub it in so each piece of chicken is coated all over with seasonings and oil.

Put the chicken in the oven and start your timer. If the chicken comes 4 pieces to a pound, you'll be cooking the breasts for 20 to 22 minutes. If there are only 2 pieces per pound, they may need to cook them for up to 24 minutes to reach an internal temperature of 165 F. As Castellano reminds us, "You can check for doneness by using a meat thermometer." These are pretty indispensable gadgets when it comes to cooking chicken — medium rare may come with a side of salmonella, while well-done chicken runs the risk of being dry and not too flavorful.

After the chicken is cooked, let it rest for 5 minutes. "Resting the chicken allows [it] to reabsorb all of its juice and this lends [itself] to a juicier piece of meat," Castellano explains.