Baked Split Chicken Breasts

This Split Chicken Breast recipe delivers flavorful, juicy, baked chicken breast with minimal prep and ingredients.

Whether serving as an entree or using for meal prep, split chicken breast is an affordable protein that when baked, results in tender, flavorful, juicy chicken. It is perfect in any recipe that calls for leftover rotisserie chicken.

When it comes to purchasing chicken breasts, the majority of people opt for buying boneless, skinless chicken breasts, as they cook up fast and the options for use are endless.

And while I love using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for recipes like Honey Lemon Chicken Skillet and Chicken Marsala, when it comes to baked chicken breasts, split chicken breasts are the better option.

What is Split Chicken Breast?

Split chicken breast is simply bone-in and skin-on chicken breasts. They are called split because the breast bone is split into two parts.

Split chicken breasts tend to be a much more affordable cut of chicken, as the butcher needs to do less work to prepare them for sale, compared to boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs.

But the lower cost is not the only reason I prefer split chicken breasts when preparing baked chicken breasts.

Split chicken breasts are also much more flavorful when baked!

As the chicken breasts bake, the skin renders its fat slowly into the meat, giving the chicken incredible flavor. That skin also works to prevent moisture loss, ensuring the chicken breasts stay juicy as they roast. If you are worried about extra fat and calories, simply remove the skin before eating.

And don't overlook the benefit of the bone. Roasting any kind of meat with the bone will result in a more flavorful cut of meat.

Bottom Line: Split Chicken Breasts are less expensive AND more flavorful!

Notes on Ingredients

• Split Chicken Breasts: Most often you will find bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts labeled as split chicken breasts at your local grocery shop or butcher.
• Oil: I prefer olive oil for roasting the chicken breast, but you can opt to use canola or vegetable oil if that is what you have on hand.
• Seasonings: While you can season up your chicken breasts with a variety of different spice blends, I tend to keep it simple and use a mixture of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

How to Roast Chicken Breast Perfectly

• Place the chicken breast onto a broiler pan or a sheet pan fitted with a baking rack.
• Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and discard the towel immediately.
• Drizzle the chicken breasts with olive oil and liberally sprinkle salt and pepper on each side of the chicken breast. Use your hands to really rub the oil and seasonings evenly over the chicken breasts.

• Bake in preheated oven until chicken meat is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear for 45 to 60 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast meat should read 165 degrees F.

Chef's Tip: If you have an oven-safe thermometer, now is the time to use one! Set the temperature to 165 degrees F. It will alert you when the chicken is cooked through, so you don't have to continually check on it.

• Remove the chicken breasts from the oven and loosely tent them with foil.
• Allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This will allow the juices to redistribute and the chicken to stay nice and juicy.

How to Serve Baked Chicken Breast

Once your chicken has rested, you can serve it immediately as an entree, paired with Twice Baked Potatoes and Roasted Broccoli.

Alternatively, you can use the chicken in any recipe that calls for pre-cooked chicken, such as Homemade Chicken Pot Pie, Creamy Chicken and Rice, or Waldorf Chicken Salad.

Storing Cooked Chicken Breasts

When preparing split chicken breasts, it is smart to bake more than you immediately need, as having cooked chicken on hand makes meals that much easier, and cooked chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for several days or frozen for up to 3 months.

To store the cooked chicken, allow it to cool fully. If desired, remove the chicken from the bone and shred or dice it into bite-size pieces. This will make it easier to use for casseroles, chicken salad, to add to quesadillas, etc.

Place the chicken into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days OR place the chicken into airtight freezer-safe bags and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To use the frozen chicken, you can allow it to defrost overnight in the refrigerator or add the frozen chicken directly to casseroles before baking or to simmering soups.

Variations for Seasoning

• Spice-Rubbed Chicken Breast: Add a sweet and slightly spicy rub to the chicken for a flavor reminiscent of barbecue. Combine ½ tablespoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper together. Drizzle the chicken with oil and rub and bake as directed. Serve with homemade barbecue sauce.
• Italian-Seasoned Chicken Breast: Along with the olive oil, season the chicken with 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt, oregano, and garlic powder. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
• Lemon Garlic Chicken Breast: Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the zest of 1 lemon. 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Use to rub all over the chicken bake as directed.

More Staple Chicken Recipes

• Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
• Homemade Rotisserie Chicken
• Slow Cooker Drumsticks
• Instant Pot Whole Chicken
• Air Fryer Chicken Breast
• Air Fryer Chicken Wings

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If you enjoyed this recipe for roasted split chicken breasts, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

This post was originally published in 2014 but updated with new photos and a video in 2022.