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Crispy Baked Split Chicken Breasts

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Learn the secret to great tasting, moist, and crispy baked split chicken breasts. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions to get it right first time and every time.
pile of crispy chicken breast

Editor’s Note: Originally Published May 25, 2011. Now updated with expanded explanation and updated photos. Please enjoy one of our easiest, most favorable chicken recipes.

Split chicken breasts make a great economical meal for everyday or company. This is a great recipe to get ready ahead and bake just in time for dinner.

My Rating
My rating system. Great 5 out of 5
This is so good that it has become our everyday roasted chicken recipe. It can’t get much better than that.

Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Oven Baked Crispy Garlic Split Chicken Breast

Split Chicken Breasts and “The Secret” to Great Results.

Split chicken breasts are also known as skin-on bone-in chicken breast. Most feel they have more taste and moisture than the more popular skinless version.

But they have become progressively bigger over the last few decades. They are now too big for a reasonable serving size

They are hard for most home cooks to get to a safe internal temperature without overcooking the outside. So most will skip them as an option or settle for poor results.

The “secret” to the success of this recipe is how to prepare a split chicken breast for cooking. You get a better serving size, more even cooking and more surface area for the great spices.

Step one is cutting off the attached rib section. There is no meat, it takes seasoning, and tends to over cook.

image of cutting off ribs from the split chicken breast with a large knife

Step two is to cut the breasts into two or three pieces. Trying to cook the whole thing at once will almost always burn it on the outside before reaching a safe 165 internal temperature.

image of cut up large chicken breasts

What’s with the baking powder?

I used some baking powder to increase the crispness. A trick from Cooks Illustrated although I have modified the technique.

The baking powder will pull water out of things like chicken skin. I find it works fairly quickly.

Some recipes will call for hours or overnight with the baking powder on the chicken but looking at the science, I don’t feel that is needed. Works for me.

I do suggest using aluminum free baking powder. I just never buy baking powder with aluminum which many can taste.

Or skip the whole baking powder thing. You will still have good results. Not quite as crispy.

Notes on Spicing

Like all recipes, season to your taste. Feel free to change it up.

I added some cayenne for the touch of spiciness. The recommended 1/2 teaspoon is about a 5/10 spice level for me. Cut it down or just skip it if you want.

The garlic is a little heavy for some.  But like all spicing, adjust to your taste.

Other Crispy Baked Chicken Recipes

Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs

Oven Baked Chicken Legs – The Art of Drummies

Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings

spices for crispy chicken_

Preheat oven to 400 convection or 425 degrees conventional oven.

image of cutting off ribs from the split chicken breast with a large knife

Pat dry chicken then trim the chicken of any trim-able fat and remove the rib area and discard.

image of cut up large chicken breasts

Cut the chicken into chunks. The normal size ones in half and the super humungous ones into thirds.

prepare a smaller sheet pan with foil and a rack. Spray with PAM

Prepare a baking pan with aluminum foil, a baking rack and spray with PAM.

sprinkle heavy with season and place of prepared tray with thicker parts to outside.

Combine spices and then sprinkle and rub on all surfaces. Place on rack with larger pieces in the corners. And thinner edges to center.

crispy chicken breast still on baking tray

Bake until internal temp of 165. About 35 minutes depending on your oven and thickness of the chicken.

image of crispy baked chicken breast on a white plate

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3.92 from 375 votes

Crispy Baked Split Chicken Breasts

Learn the secret to great tasting, moist, and crispy baked split chicken breasts. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions to get it right first time and every time.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time45 mins
Author: Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Servings/Adjustment: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 bone-in skin-on chicken breast - scale to what you need, AKA split chicken breast
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt - optional if you have it
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
  • 1 teaspoon Dual action baking powder
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 convection or 425 degrees conventional oven.
  • Pat dry chicken breasts. Trim the chicken of any trim-able fat and remove the rib area and discard.
  • Cut the chicken into chunks. The normal size ones in half and the super humungous ones into thirds.
  • Prepare a baking pan with aluminum foil, a baking rack and spray with PAM.
  • Combine spices and then sprinkle and rub on all surfaces.
  • Place on rack with larger pieces in the corners. And thinner edges to center.
  • Bake until internal temp of 165. About 35 minutes depending on your oven and thickness of the chicken.

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips:

  1. Properly cutting up the chicken breasts are important for this recipe to work. Better serving sizes, more even cooking, easier to get properly cooked and more surface area for seasoning.
  2. The celery salt adds some taste but skip if you don't have it.
  3. The cayenne pepper is also optional/to taste. The 1/2 teaspoon is a 5/10 heat level — more than some want.
  4. I like cooking chicken on racks, but it is not that important here.
  5. Keep the thicker parts of the chicken towards the outside of the baking tray.
  6. Be sure to check for a final internal temperature of 165. Do not guess or cook by time alone.
Nutrition Facts
Crispy Baked Split Chicken Breasts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 193 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 81mg 27%
Sodium 827mg 34%
Potassium 244mg 7%
Total Carbohydrates 0.5g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0.1g 0%
Sugars 0.1g
Protein 29g 58%
Vitamin A 6%
Vitamin C 1%
Calcium 1%
Iron 6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
 

Have a question or something not clear? Ask in the comments.

 

Nutrition is for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.

All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.

Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated.

Originally Published May 25, 2011

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Related Posts:

Learn the secret to great tasting, moist, and crispy baked split chicken breasts. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions to get it right first time and every time. #SplitChickenBreast #SkinOnChickenBreast #BoneInChickenBreast #BakedChickenBreast #CrispyChicken
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Comments

  1. So good!
    I prepared this recipe as outlined and it is a winner.
    Nice and crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside and a little heat for the tastebuds.

    It’s so simple and tasty that is going to be added to the regular rotation!

    Reply

  4. This recipe is both tasty and extremely practical for a two person household. Our supermarket frequently offers a 4-pack of bone-in skin-on split chicken breasts at a sale price. Trimming the ribs off and cutting the breasts in half enables me to bake all of them at the same time. Each piece is a nice portion. We can enjoy the crispy skin the day they are baked, refrigerate 2 pieces, and freeze 4 pieces. The skin and remaining bone partially encase the meat to help protect it from drying out. The pre-cooked chicken meat is like money in the bank. So worth the little bit of effort to cut it up!

    Reply

    • Hi Bonnie,
      Welcome to the blog.
      It is the easy solution to the problem of those huge chicken breasts they sale. You can’t reasonable cook them well and one is too much for some of use to eat anyway. So this is my solution.

      The first time I cut them up, I was thinking more surface area for seasoning. True but the portion sizes and ease of cooking are the main benefits.

      I do like the skin on this recipe also.

      Thanks for the note.
      Dan

  5. Great recipe. Thank you very much. Cook for a gang (gaggle?) of people. As a single dad this is a major hit! Only problem, they often invite their friends, without notice…(good problem to have.) Thanks again. You Rock!

    Reply

    • Hi Richard,

      Welcome to the blog.

      This is one of favorite recipes and as you see, it scales great. Glad it works well for you.

      Thanks for the note

      Dan

  6. Making this for the third time this month. This recipe blew me away, soooo easy but oh so tasty :) my whole family loves it.

    Thank you and greetings from Sweden :)

    Reply

  7. Hi Dan,

    Thanks for the recipe – it turned out great! It was very good – juicy and flavorful:) Earlier tonight my husband said “eh” to chicken, after dinner said “very good, really good, etc.”

    Used spices as listed, but a few changes since I was using an air fryer – didn’t cut in half, sprayed both sides of chicken with canola spray, cooked in air fryer at 390F for 25 minutes. Let rest w/foil tent for 5 mins.

    The only thing I’ll try different is to put some of the spices (no baking soda) under the skin and let it sit longer to get more flavor in the meat.

    Thanks again,
    Christina

    Reply

  9. Love the tip about cutting breasts into smaller pieces, BUT — discard what’s cut off? Save any bones and scraps and freeze to make stock later on.

    Reply

    • Hi Laurie,
      First, sorry to everybody for the lack of replies. I will try to do better.
      Yep that works, but I lack freezer space anymore
      Thanks for the note.
      Dan

  10. Evenly cooked. Crunchy. Moist. Nicely spiced.
    All you promised it would be.
    I usually don’t like breast meat, but this is a new favorite.

    Reply

    • Hi Kelly,t ma
      This is one that I do repeat. I love cutting down the size of those huge breasts. It makes everything cook evenly and make the portion size I personally like.
      Thanks for the note.
      Dan

  11. This was really good! I only used an 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne and I didn’t have celery salt, but I added a little Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, and chives. I was really happy with how it turned out. For now on I plan to make split breasts this way more often.

    Reply

  12. Made this tonight using 10 thighs (bone-in). The only thing I added was to brush the thighs with a bit of EVOO 35 mins in. Total time 45 mins @ 450. Very tasty!

    Reply

  13. The recipe was very good, but with a couple of changes it is great.First I seasoned the chicken with the rub and put in fridge for 3 hrs.While oven was heating, some paprika was added to the chicken and let chicken sit while waiting for oven to reach temp.Mine was done in about 32mins.So check internal temp before 35mins so it doesn’t get over done.

    Reply

    • Hi Eun,
      Glad you enjoyed it. Now about the full breasts, be sure to get to 165 internal temperature. The issue with trying to get the internal temperature high enough without burning the skin was what prompted the cutting up of the breasts. So watch that issue.
      Thanks for the note.
      Dan

  18. Hi Fan
    This recipe is frikken awesome !!
    Thank you so much for sharing
    Oh btw, I wanted to add one of your readers put it
    Too much cutting , going back to B.Contessa no offence Ina we love you
    But lady Jan just cut your chicken when it’s still half frozen much easier to cut
    ..xo thank you again Dan
    Winner winner chicken 🐔 dinner

    Reply

  20. my other half has been cooking for me all month because im unwell on acount of my luekimia but i was out today and happened to pick up some chicken. i used this to make him dinner tonight for a change :D was good thank you!

    Reply

  21. WOW and WOW!! I don’t usually write reviews on recipes, but I had to on this one. Did two breasts, not 3, so I had a bit of the seasoning left which I just pitched. Didn’t have celery salt, but I don’t think it was missed at all. The skin was so crispy and all the meat was flavorful and so juicy my husband even commented on it. We used a conventional oven at 450 degrees for 35 mins. As you mentioned; these days the breasts we get are HUGE! How big are those chickens anyway, 20lbs? LOL Anyway, next time I’ll cook only one because just one was enough, and my husband is a really BIG eater. Thank you, Dan, for this wonderful recipe. The seasoning was just right and the baking powder was magical. A keeper for sure that I’ll share with many friends and family. I may try something similar on fish.

    Reply

  23. I found your recipe a few years ago and it is an all time favorite with my husband. I have also shared it with several friends who love it as well. I have used it with both chicken breasts on the bone and thighs and legs and it comes out great each time. I do double sometimes triple the recipe depending on how many pieces of chicken I’m making. Excellent recipe!!!!

    Reply

  25. Wow! I just had my socks knocked off by a chicken recipe! This is going straight into my recipe bookmarks and I’m sure it will become a regular in our household. The amount of seasoning is perfect. It’s bold, but not overpowering and the baking powder really does quite the awesome job of creating crispiness.
    Don’t skip this recipe!!!

    Reply

  27. THIS RECIPE IS BOMB! AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU CAN PUT ANY BLEND OF SPICES YOU WANT…IT’S REALLY THE COOK TEMP THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF THIS RECIPE.

    Reply

  29. I’m cooking this tonight. Have everything prepped. Do you let this rest after it is done baking? Tent with foil? Thanks.

    Reply

    • Generally with something like this, I let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving. If it is going to be over ten then lightly tent.

      DrDan

  30. I tried this for the first time about two weeks ago. I’ve made plenty of chicken on the grill, but for whatever reason, I’ve never cooked a bone-in, skin-on chicken breast before, so I needed a guide; and with the weather the cooking needed to happen inside. Thought this looked good and not too difficult — and it turned out so amazingly good! My husband absolutely loved it, too, and maybe thinks I’m an elite chef in disguise. We’re already having it again tonight. Thanks so much for sharing this.

    Reply

  31. I made this tonight using thighs and leaving out celery salt. I must say this dish rivals my mother’s southern fried chicken. Wow ~ it was crispy, delicious and my teen son ate 3 pieces. Never would have thought to use baking powder but this ingredient was essential. Next time I’m doubling the recipe. Don’t have a convection oven so increased temp to 450f turning chicken 3 times over 45min to insure even cooking. Will definitely make again. Thanks!

    Reply

  32. I am going to make this tonight but my chicken breasts are boneless with skin on. Will it come out the same if I adjust the cooking time?

    Reply

    • Since you’re cooking to an endpoint for internal temp and not by time you should be ok. Although I think the time might be a bit shorter if they are thinner. But bone conducts heat some… so maybe a wash… The thermometer is a must here.
      DrDan

  33. I am getting ready to make his for today. Wondering if I cook before church and then turn the oven on low. Would it dry out too much? I like to have dinner ready to To put on the table when we get home!

    Reply

  35. Just stumbled across this and wondered if just a baking sheet with no rack would work? Starting over again and no baking rack in the house.

    Reply

  37. Hubby & I really liked this! Amazingly moist chicken! I have to say it was pretty spicy for me, but yet I still give it a strong thumbs-up! Thank you! I will definitely make again and again.

    Reply

    • I’m probably too late to be helpful, but coincidently, I’m making this tonight as well. The baking powder is mixed with the spice mix, then rubbed in to all surfaces.

      Glad I read the comments, as I don’t have a convection oven, and hadn’t noticed that. I’ll cook for a bit, then flip, to better brown all sides.

    • There are two types of baking powder… single and dual action. Single will produce carbon dioxide bubbles as soon as contact with liquid. The dual action produces some immediately and then more later when heated. Both produce the the same amount but different timing. I always use dual action.

      DrDan

  43. Fantastic!! My family of five ate every piece. I cut the cayenne in half, and did everything else exactly to the recipe. I will use this recipe from now on. Thank you for posting it. Dave H.

    Reply

    • Highly variable due to size and oven variations. That is why I cut into manageable piece. They cook more evenly. If you must cook them whole please remember you are cooking to a final temp of 165 not by time. I would guess a medium size would take about 45 minutes give or take some.
      DrDan

  45. I’m planning to make this tonight. I noticed that I had a mix of drumsticks and thighs. Can I use this exact recipie for it? Might be a silly question but I didn’t know if anything needed to be altered.

    Reply

    • Cook about the same. It seems like the thighs cook a little faster for me. Go to about 185 on both and start checking at 30 minutes.
      DrDan

  46. This is easily the best baked chicken recipe I’ve ever come across. It rivals my all-time favorite (grilled outside w/bbq sauce) for both ready-to-eat succulence and outstanding flavor. 5/5 A+

    Reply

    • Little t is teaspoon and big T is Tablespoon. It is in FAQ’s. These have been used for many years but still seem to cause confusion. For the last year or so I have started to spell them out.
      DrDan

  48. Thanks for the spice mixture. I made it in a conventional oven took about 45 minutes at 450 degrees baking because I turned the meat over when I saw the top had browned and browned the bottom side as well. Used leftover meat next day to make a chicken salad, couldv’e shredded some and made chicken tacos or enchiladas it was delicious.

    Reply

  49. This was really good and easy. I thought it was a little bit too spicy for me even after cutting down on the cayenne. Still would make it again for sure. My hubby gave it a 4.5 out of 5. Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply

  50. I am always looking for good chicken recipes. So thrilled to have found this one. My husband, who is always complimentary blew me away with his “I’ve never had better tasting chicken in my life” comment. This is already in recipe book and will be on the menu repeatedly. THANKS!

    Reply

  51. What if the chicken is not completely defrosted? Will this still work? Would you just adjust the cooking time? Thanks in advance! This sounds great & I’d love to try it tonight if I get an answer quickly enough….

    Reply

    • The more frozen it is, the harder to get the meat to 165 without burning the skin. If you must then cut in smaller pieces so the centers can cook faster.
      DrDan

  52. You have another similar recipe that calls for baking powder but after you season the chicken, you refrigerate it for a time. Would that be prudent here to dry out the skin more?

    Reply

    • Hi Ben,
      You are right. I took the idea from Cooks Illustrated (or Test Kitchen) and was copying their technique. I repeated it a number of times and came to the conclusion that it works also as good ( I can’t tell the difference) without the 1 hour uncovered. So I now skip that. I think the baking soda pulls out the moisture out fairly quickly and then the heat of cooking evaporates it.
      DrDan

  53. I have never been moved to post a comment on a recipe but this one really is a winner! For once in my life I didn’t tinker at all as I was pressed for time…had a bunch of chicken breasts and unexpected company coming. I searched and found this one. It was perfection….just the right amount of spice, the baking powder creates a nice crispy skin (I learned this trick for fried chicken but never thought to use for baked!), and the instructions were easy to follow. Will definitely check other recipes on this site. Thanks….everyone commented on the juicy inside and super spice rub.
    Alisa

    Reply

  55. Forgive my ignorance.. maybe I’m way more clueless than I thought. Or maybe more tired..
    Could you please explain to me what you mean by “remove the rib area?” For some reason, I’m not wrapping my head around that :-/

    Reply

    • There is a thin area to the side of the meaty part that is bones (some ribs really) with minimal meat covered by skin. There is no reason to cook it since you probably will not eat it and it will over cook. Just cut it off. I tried to show it in the picture but maybe could have gotten a better shot. Or you can leave it on if you want.
      Hope that helps
      DrDan

  56. I have been looking for a new chicken recipe especially for on the bone! I was a little hesitant of this one because of the cayenne pepper (don’t like too spicy),BUT this was absolutely delicious and I have to say the cayenne was the hero! My husband is the real food critic and I wasn’t sure what he would think BUT he loved it as well! It was my first meal in our new oven which has convection and boy did that make a difference – It cooked quicker and more even – crispy skin – juicy meat on the inside and full of flavor! Definitely a WINNER!!!!!!!!! Thanks so much – I wouldn’t change a thing!

    Reply

  57. Looks good, will make today but I think you mean a baking rack not a rake unless rake is another name for that item which I am not familiar with.

    Reply

    • Ohhhhh shucks. 4 spots fixed. I have got to stop depending on spell check and proof better.
      Thanks for the note.
      DrDan

  58. Really excellent. I made full breasts with this rub and they had lovely brown skin with just a hint of kick from the cayenne. Still juicy as well. I cut out the celery salt and lessened the kosher for a great, healthy, simple chicken recipe.

    Reply

  61. I made this last evening and it was amazingly delicious! I love the spice combination. The leftover white meat made really good sandwiches today.

    Reply

    • This is one of my favorite “older” recipes. I do it without even thinking that it is on the web site…
      Thanks for the comment
      DrDan

  63. My husband came home from his deployment yesterday! When he left my chef skills ended with a grilled cheese. With practice and this recipe I want to impress him (and our daughter) tonight .However, I do not have a convection oven :( can I make this in my conventional oven? if so, what cooking time&temp would you suggest?

    thank you!
    Jolee

    Reply

    • Either a little longer (like 5+ minutes longer) or 450 regular oven. Be sure to check internal temp for the end point.

      Good luck
      Dan

    • Either a little longer (like 5+ minutes longer) or 450 regular oven. Be sure to check internal temp for the end point.
      DrDan

    • Made this recipe tonight but I brined it first thinking I would have more tender flavorful meat but then it ended up being too salty so don’t brine it and FYI the cayenne was a little much and I’m pretty good with the heat but I do love this recipe and will try again without the brine that probably messed it up. But just want to let others know.

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