I really like having pre-cooked chicken in the fridge that I can use to quickly whip up a sandwich or wrap, or add protein to a bowl of pasta, salad, or one of my “leftovers” bowls. While I often use a rotisserie chicken for this purpose, they are sometimes just too salty, and we have a hard time going through a whole chicken between the two of us. So, this roasted chicken breast recipe solves that problem. The low and slow roasting method makes these herb roasted chicken breasts turn out incredibly tender and juicy, with flavorful pan juices that make the leftovers just as good as the first night!
“This has been my favorite chicken recipe since I found it on Pinterest many months ago. Even the pickiest eaters have picked all the meat off the bones! It takes time, but very little effort and the leftovers are lovely. It’s the kind of recipe that you love to share, but also want to keep top secret!!”
Mary
I first used the “low and slow” technique with my oven roasted chicken legs and was really pleased with not only the texture of the meat, but the delicious juices that were left in the dish after roasting.
This time I combined the butter with a trio of herbs and slathered it over two bone-in, skin-on split chicken breasts. The breasts were quite large, so I lowered the heat a bit and let them roast even longer before removing the cover to let them brown. The results were even more incredible. I pulled the meat from the breasts after cooking, drizzled the juices over top, and have been snacking on the meat all week.
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Gather all of your ingredients: Begin preheating the oven to 275ºF. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator so it has a few minutes to come up to temperature. You only need two bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts for this recipe, so I froze the other two for future use.
Make the herb butter: In a small bowl, combine 3 Tbsp room temperature butter, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried rosemary, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Rosemary pieces can be large, so I just crush them up in my hand before adding them. Stir this mixture up until it forms a paste.
Dry the chicken: Place two split chicken breasts (bone-in, skin-on, about 2 lbs. total) on a cutting board and pat them dry with a paper towel. They need to be fairly dry for the butter to stick. Also, if the chicken is too cold, they will form condensation and become wet again, which is why you’ll want them to warm a bit as you mix the butter.
Add the butter: Place the seasoned chicken breasts in a casserole dish that is deep enough to fully contain the chicken. Spread the butter herb mixture over both sides of the chicken, coating it in a thick layer.
Roast: Cover the dish tightly with foil (this is important to hold in the moisture), or if the dish has an oven-safe lid, that’s even better.
Roast the breasts in the 275ºF oven for 90 minutes, basting once half way through (replace the foil as tightly as possible after basting). Cooking more than two breasts? No need to adjust the cook time or oven temperature. Just use a baking dish large enough to hold everything with a little space between each breast so the heat can circulate properly. Crowding the pan can cause uneven cooking.
After the full 90 minutes, remove the foil, baste one more time, and adjust the oven’s heat to 425ºF.
Return the chicken to the oven and roast for 20 minutes without the foil, or until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy. The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165°F once fully cooked.
Give it one last baste with those delicious juices for good measure and let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes. Letting the meat rest a few minutes helps keep the juices inside and the meat nice and moist!
Remove the chicken from the bones: You can either do this by running a knife against the bone or…
…once cooled enough to handle, use your hands to separate the chicken from the bones. And don’t forget to pull any bits and pieces of meat left on the bones, like you would with a rotisserie chicken. It’s just too good to let any go to waste!
After I removed all the meat from the bones, I gave it another good dose of those delicious juices. SO GOOD. Slice or shred your chicken, and enjoy!
It makes an impressive main dish, but I’m just adding a few pieces to everything I eat this week! Depending on how you serve it and how big your chicken pieces are, you’ll get 4-6 servings. Make sure to save those juices and pour them over top before stashing it in the fridge!
Meat and potatoes are always going to be a match made in heaven, so I love these roasted chicken breasts with a side of mashed potatoes (you’ve GOT to drizzle some of the pan juices over your mash). Then I’d add another veggie to my plate. Green beans or roasted broccoli are nice, but if you want something a little extra, Tennessee onions make a great special-occasion side.
For leftovers, this chicken is a meal prep dream. I’ll chop or shred it and add it to a pot of soup, like our marry me chicken soup, where it warms through and stays tender. It’s also great for bowl meals. I love using it to make our loaded cauliflower bowls even more loaded. A little herby roast chicken breast goes a long way, which makes this recipe just as useful after dinner as it is the first night.
This roasted chicken breast recipe is especially great for storing, freezing, and meal prepping. Once the chicken has cooled, I like to pull the meat from the bones and store it in an airtight container with a spoonful or two of the pan juices to keep everything moist. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days and reheats gently without drying out. For longer storage, portion the chicken into freezer-safe containers or bags, again with a little of that liquid gold, and freeze for up to 4 months.
To reheat, I usually warm the chicken in a covered skillet or saucepan over low heat with a splash of broth, water, or a spoonful of the reserved pan juices to keep it from drying out. The microwave works too, just reheat in short bursts and cover it so the steam stays trapped. You can also add it straight into sauces, soups, or casseroles and warm it through that way.
Our Oven Roasted Chicken Breast recipe was originally published 1/1/17. We have updated it to be the best it can be and republished 1/18/26.
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