Learn the secret to tasty, moist, and crispy baked split chicken breasts. A great bone-in chicken recipe for an easy and economical family dinner the whole family will love.
Introduction
Many believe that bone-in and skin-on chicken has superior flavor and is extra moist and juicy. Who am I to disagree?
The trouble that most people have with bone-in chicken breasts is their huge size. They are hard to cook to a safe temperature, and the serving size is just too big. We can easily fix both those issues by just learning to prep them right with a few minutes of trimming.
Let's get it right the first time and every time with these easy step by step photo instructions. It is much easier than you think.
My Rating
This is so good that it has become our everyday roasted chicken recipe. It can't get much better than that.
🐓Split Chicken Breasts
Split chicken breasts are also known as skin-on bone-in chicken breasts. Most feel they have more taste and moisture than the more popular skinless version.
They are called split chicken breasts because, during processing, the entire breast is removed with some ribs. It is then "split" down the middle of the breast bone to produce two pieces.
But they have become progressively bigger over the last few decades. They are now too big for a reasonable serving size for most people.
They are also 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. We can fix that.
👨🍳The Secret
The “secret” to the success of this recipe is how to prepare a split chicken breast before 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 overcook.
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.
⏰🌡️Time and Temperature
The best oven temperature is 400° convection or 425° for about 35 minutes. The time will vary by the size and thickness of the chicken pieces.
The reason for a bit higher temperature is two. First, we are aiming for crispy skin. And second, we cut those large breasts into pieces so the center will cook faster.
You can lower the recommendations by 25°, and the cooking time will increase by about 5 minutes.
The specific safe endpoint of cooking is a final internal temperature of 165° and not any less. Like most meat, never cook by time, always cook by temperature.
✔️Tips
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 ½ 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.
Do I need a rack?
No, but it is better with a rack. If you don't have one, use a good coat of oil on the tray to prevent sticking.
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.
Food safety
We no longer recommend rinsing chicken due to contamination of the surrounding area. Just a good pat dry with a paper towel is good. See Chicken... To Rinse or Not To Rinse? for details.
Also, the final internal temperature of the chicken in the thickest part needs to reach 165°.
📖Crispy Chicken Recipes
Oven Baked Chicken Legs – The Art of Drummies
Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings
Crispy Garlic Grilled Split Chicken Breast
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional oven.
Pat dry chicken, then 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 a rack with larger pieces in the corners. And thinner edges to the center.
Bake until internal temp of 165°. About 35 minutes depending on your oven and thickness of the chicken.
📖Recipe
Crispy Baked Split Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 3 split chicken breast - scale to what you need, AKA bone-in skin-on chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon celery salt - optional if you have it
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
- 1 teaspoon Dual-action baking powder - Alunimum-free
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° 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 huge 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. You may not need all the spices, just to your taste.
- Place on rack (if you have one) with larger pieces in the corners. And thinner edges to center of the tray.
- Bake until internal temp of 165°. About 35 minutes depending on your oven and thickness of the chicken.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Scale to the amount you want. I was cooking for leftovers and the packages usually have 3 breasts at our store.
- Properly cutting up and trimmed 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. Good in every way.
- The celery salt adds some taste but skip if you don't have it.
- The cayenne pepper is also optional/to taste. The ½ teaspoon is a 5/10 heat level — more than some want. Don't use if feeding kids.
- I like cooking chicken on racks, but it is not that important here.
- Keep the thicker parts of the chicken towards the outside of the baking tray.
- Be sure to check for a final internal temperature of 165°. Do not guess or cook by time alone.
- Great leftover in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and can be frozen for 3-4 months.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.
Editor's Note: Originally Published May 25, 2011. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation. Please enjoy one of our easiest, most flavorful chicken recipes.
Kelly
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.
DrDan
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
Jason Cummins
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.
Dawn
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!
Gail
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.
Danna
Delicious and easy! Loved it, will be a regular for my husband and I - thanks!
DrDan
Hi Danna,
It is one I do frequently. Thanks for the note.
Dan
Jenn
Just made this recipe- turned out great, it's delish! Thank you for sharing it!
DrDan
Hi Jenn,
Glad it worked well for you.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Eun
Thank you so much for the reply, I quickly changed my mind and cut the chicken in half!!!
Eun
It’s my third time making this awesome recipe, except tonight I’m not cutting the chicken into pieces!
DrDan
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
DrDan
:)
Elizabeth
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
Natalie
Just found this recipe - it is delish! Didn't change a thing. LOVE it. Thank you.
Kota W.
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!
halfadime7
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.
Robyn
Can flour or corn starch be used in place of the baking powder?
DrDan
Just skip it...
Dan
Jill
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!!!!
DrDan
Hi Jill, Thanks for the note. This is one of those everyday recipes I still use.
Dan
Lynda
I was hoping to use chicken legs and thighs. How long would i cook it then
DrDan
Hi Lynda
The technique is about the same but end point shifts to 185 range. Here are two links.
https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/oven-baked-chicken-thighs/
https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/the-art-of-drummies-oven-baked-chicken/
DrDan
Erin Kelley
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!!!
John
what would be some good sides to serve with this??? Thanks
DrDan
Hi John
Here are a couple of my favorites.
First https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/parmesan-garlic-baked-potatoes/ which would cook about the same time as the chicken if both were at 425.
Second https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/how-to-cook-corn-on-cob-three-easy/ I tend to do the microwave method for an easy side dish.
Dan
kennelle clark
THIS RECIPE IS GREAT! 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.
DrDan
All recipes are just guidelines as you noted.
Thanks for the comment.
DrDan