Baked Smoky Chicken Breast! Tender, juicy chicken breasts made with a homemade smoky, savory, and sweet spice rub. It’s the ultimate weeknight dinner recipe.
In case you’re new here, hi, my name is Jamie and I love smoky, salty, sweet stuff. Do you? If yes, you’re in the right place!
I made these deliciously juicy, tender smoky chicken breasts using a thrown together spice rub which was honestly SO GOOD.
If you’ve gotten bored with your meal prep or with chicken in general, this recipe is for you!
Coming from a Cuban household, chicken breasts were always a no-go (unless it was fried or pan-seared with lots of oil) because it’s so dry and boring.
I, however, was always a fan.
Some people I know would tell me “HOW do you like chicken? It doesn’t taste like anything!” And to that I say – it’s because you don’t know how to season your chicken. Plain and simple.
How To Make Smoky Spice Rub for Chicken Breast
This simple-to-make spice rub for chicken consists of:
- smoked paprika
- cumin
- sea salt
- brown sugar
- garlic powder
- chili powder
- cocoa powder
I know right!? YUM!
What does it taste like? It’s smoky, savory with a touch of sweet. Add a squeeze of lime of top and hello, it’s the perfect way to elevate a boring, bland chicken breast. It’s the ultimate weeknight dinner! Pair it with avocado cucumber salad or tostones and rice.
In the recipe below, I share two ways to make chicken breasts. Choose your own adventure!
How To Cook Chicken Breast In The Oven
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake chicken breasts for 15-20 minutes or until fully cooked. You can use a thermometer to read the internal temperature; it has to be at least 165 degrees.
How to Cook Chicken Breast On the Stove
This method of cooking chicken is on the stove. It results in tender, juicy chicken breasts. It’s my fave method!
- In a skillet with a lid, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 1 minute on each side.
- Turn the heat down to low, cover the skillet and cook chicken breasts for another 10 minutes, undisturbed.
- After 10 minutes, remove from heat. KEEP THE LID ON for another 10 minutes. Allow the chicken breasts to continue to cook with the residual heat.
- After the full 20 minutes, remove the lid and transfer the cooked chicken breasts to a plate.
Can’t wait for you guys to make it!
20-Minute Smoky Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk smoked paprika, cumin, sea salt, brown sugar, garlic powder, chili powder, and cocoa powder together. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish and evenly rub them with olive oil and the spice rub.
To make chicken in the oven
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake chicken breasts for 15-20 minutes or until fully cooked.* Serve and enjoy!
To make chicken on the stove
- In a skillet with a lid, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 1 minute on each side.
- Turn the heat down to low, cover the skillet and cook chicken breasts for another 10 minutes, undisturbed.
- After 10 minutes, remove from heat. KEEP THE LID ON for another 10 minutes. Allow the chicken breasts to continue to cook with the residual heat. This is how they get tender and juicy.
- After the full 20 minutes, remove the lid and transfer the cooked chicken breasts* to a plate. Serve and enjoy!
The cocoa made me think mole, but then you threw in that sweetness and it got me all excited! The meal-prep-mania is real in our household and chicken is our go-to. So glad you shared this recipe!
OMG This recipe is definitely going to become a staple in my household! I doubled the rub, added 2 tsp of cinnamon and used coconut sugar instead of brown. I peeled a large sweet potato and added the chunks on top of the chicken (coated the potatoes with the rub as well). Then drizzled some local raw honey over everything. Just WOW…it’s incredible! Thank you!