BAKED JUICY CHICKEN BREASTS

By Phil-2

Ingredients

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, that have been pounded to even thickness and brined in saltwater (*see easy instructions below)
• 1 Tablespoon melted butter or olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (I prefer smoked paprika)

Preparation

Step 1

*To brine your chicken breasts, simply fill a large bowl with enough warm water to cover breasts. Add 1 Tablespoon kosher salt for each breast. Stir to combine until most of the salt is absorbed. Add the chicken breasts and let them sit in the mixture to brine for 1 hour. (Or you can also also cover the bowl and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.) Remove the chicken breasts, rinse and pat dry with a paper towel when ready to use.
Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in a large baking dish. Brush on both sides (turning once) evenly with the melted butter or olive oil.

In a separate small bowl, whisk the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika until combined. Then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the chicken on both sides.

Bake for 20 -25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. If you use a cooking thermometer to measure the temperature thickest part of the breast, it should be between 160-170 degrees F.

(The FDA recommends 170 degrees F.) Once the chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the oven and loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil. Let the chicken rest for at least 5-10 minutes. Then serve immediately.