Perfectly seasoned with oil, butter, salt, and pepper, our baked thin chicken breast recipe is just the thing for soups, salads, meal prep, or any dish that calls for pre-cooked chicken. We are oven roasting our chicken cutlets in just 12-minutes leaving these roasted thin sliced chicken pieces flavorful and juicy, and, of course, a WHOLE LOTTA YUM!
This Thin Chicken Breast Recipe is so easy!
We do a lot of meal-prep in our home and utilize quite a few recipes that call for pre-cooked chicken. And while we have a fabulous method for boiled chicken breast, and a seriously amazing 20-second shredded chicken secret, the reality is we don't always want boiled, shredded chicken for our soups, salads, and other meals that need pre-cooked chicken.
Thankfully, chicken cutlets can be roasted in the oven in no time! These thin chicken breast pieces are just the thing when we are looking to have some lean protein options.
Whether you are topping a salad, including our keto cobb salad or our Greek salad, adding them to a pot of soup, like this crack chicken soup, using them in a casserole for a quick, hearty dinner, or serving them right in the pan juices, our baked thin chicken recipe is one you are going to want to save and hang on to for years to come.
- Our baked thin chicken recipe is the ultimate canvas for your chicken cutlets! Simply change out the seasoning to fit your recipes and use our steps and method to create perfect thin chicken breast in the oven every time.
- Roasting up in just 12-minutes, baked thin chicken is the best way to evenly cook chicken breast meat for your soups, salads, and dinners!
- As a low-fat protein option baked thin sliced chicken breast is ideal for any healthy lifestyle including gluten-free, low-carb, keto, Whole30, paleo, sugar-free, and dairy-free (paleo and Whole30 both require a slight modification but those are listed below).
Chicken cutlets are a seriously versatile cut of white meat chicken and we love being as creative as we can with it. If you love serving up chicken cutlets in your home as much as we do, be sure to try our baked breaded chicken cutlets as well as our breaded air fryer chicken cutlets.
What you'll need
Our thin chicken breast in the oven recipe is one that requires just a few kitchen staples, items that you are sure to always have on hand, making this a super easy recipe to keep handy!
- chicken breasts - cut the beasts in half lengthwise to make cutlets. You can either opt to purchase boneless chicken breasts and create your own cutlets by cutting them, or purchase chicken cutlets or thing sliced chicken breast from the store already cut.
- olive oil - avocado works great too
- butter - We love to oil and butter to still get that buttery taste. Butter on its own has a low smoking point.
- fine sea salt
- ground black pepper
- Other seasonings - paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning
** Our original recipe from July 2021 just used salt and pepper for seasonings. You can leave out the garlic and paprika if desired and only use salt and pepper if you prefer!
Variations
Seasoning - Change the seasoning of your baked thin chicken breast to coordinate with the dishes you're serving the recipe with. For Italian add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning, for a Greek flavor add a sprinkle of oregano. Cajun, BBQ chicken rub, or store-bought seasonings like McCormicks all work great as well.
Diet Adaptions
- Whole30- Omit the butter and either use extra oil or a whole30 approved butter substitute.
- Paleo - Replace the butter with ghee.
How to Bake Thin Chicken Breast
Making our baked thin chicken breast recipe is super simple, even your kids can work on it. We are simply going to prep and season the chicken before letting it roast in the oven.
And because chicken cutlets are so thin, they will be done in just 12 minutes!
1. Prep Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare the chicken by cutting two large chicken breasts in half lengthwise and cutting off the fat.
Using paper towels, blot the chicken breast dry. Removing some of the moisture helps make the breasts crispy.
Place the prepared chicken cutlets on a baking sheet.
2. Assemble
In a small bowl mix the olive oil and melted butter. Brush the oil and butter mixture onto both sides of the chicken.
Add in the fine sea salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Brush the mixture onto both sides of the chicken. You can sprinkle more seasoning on top of the chicken if desired.
3. Baking
Bake the thin chicken breasts for a 6-minutes, then flip.
Continue baking for an additional 6-7 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 160 F.
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with the pan juices or inside your favorite soups, salads, or casseroles.
Enjoy!
Recipe tips
- For even cooking, be sure to preheat your oven before you begin cooking your oven-baked chicken cutlets.
- Purchasing precut chicken cutlets will save you few minutes of prep time meaning your thin baked chicken cutlets will be ready even faster!
- However, you can make your own chicken cutlets easily at home by slicing your chicken breast lengthwise into two pieces.
- Chicken cutlets can be pounded thin with a meat mallet to get perfectly even breasts between two sheets of wax paper but it's not essential to do this.
How to serve
Serve your chicken cutlets with oven-roasted radishes and bacon curry coleslaw for a super simple dinner that is low-carb and high flavor.
Storing and freezing
Storage: After baking your thinly sliced chicken breasts, allow them to cool to room temperature. Then, transfer them into an airtight container or wrap them tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Store the chicken in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freeze: If you want to store it for longer, you can freezer the chicken. Place the cooled chicken in an airtight container or a freezer bag(remove as much air as possible). Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
FAQs
Yes they are used interchangeably by stores. If you unsure that you are purchasing the right thing, check with the butcher or meat department.
1. Don't Overcook it: Use a meat thermometer to ensure your chicken is cooked to 165°F (74°C). Remove it from the oven as soon as it reaches this temperature so they don’t dry out.
2. Use a Marinade or Sauce
3. You Can Brine It: Before cooking, soak the chicken in a simple brine made of salt and water (1 tablespoon of salt per 1 cup of water) for 2-24 hours. This helps the chicken retain moisture as it cooks.
4. Let it Rest: After cooking, let the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting into it. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making it more tender and juicy.
More Chicken Cutlet Recipes
- Baked Breaded Chicken Cutlets
- Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets
- Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Chicken Parmesan Bake No Breading
- Keto Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake
If you loved our recipe, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and leave us a comment too! Connect with us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube!
Baked Thin Sliced Chicken Breast
Healthy and thin chicken breast baked in the oven with a simple seasoning. You'll love this easy chicken recipe for meal prep and to use in other recipes.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chicken (2 large. chicken breasts), cut the breasts in half to make 4 thin chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare the chicken by cutting two large chicken breasts in half to make thin chicken breasts, cutting off the fat. Blot the chicken breast dry, removing some of the moisture helps make the breasts crispy.
- Lay the chicken cutlets on a baking sheet.
- In a small bowl mix the olive oil and melted butter. Add in the fine sea salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Brush the mixture onto both sides of the chicken. You can sprinkle more seasoning on top of the chicken if desired.
- Bake the thin chicken breasts for a total of 12-13+ minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 F when tested with a digital meat thermometer. Flip the chicken halfway through the cooking time.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with the pan juices. Eat them as is or slice them to use in recipes. Enjoy!
Notes
Many grocery stores carry prepackaged thin chicken breasts, some brands call these chicken cutlets. You can purchase them precut (for a slightly higher price) or you can cut these yourself at home.
Change the seasoning to coordinate with the dishes you're serving the recipe with. For Italian add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning, for a Greek flavor add a sprinkle of oregano. Cajun, chicken rub, or store-bought seasonings like McCormicks all work great as well.
Chicken cutlets can be pounded thin with a meat mallet to get perfectly even breasts between two sheets of wax paper but it's not essential to do this.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 332Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gCholesterol 170mgSodium 524mgCarbohydrates 1gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 36g
The nutrional information is just an estimate and was calculated by an automated calculator. If you're on a restricted health program please manually calculate this information using the brands of ingredients you have since brands can vary.
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