"No Work" Baked Chicken

The name of this recipe says it all! In about 10 minutes you can prepare an easy Baked Chicken recipe that is moist, tender, and seasoned with fresh herbs and a delicious maple-Dijon pan sauce! It's a simple and healthy dinner for your busiest evenings.

Halloween candy overload?! Before we roll straight into the decadence of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, let's get back-to-basics with a simple and delicious dinner recipe that is not only nutritious, but your kids (and your husband) will actually EAT it!

Let's be honest: sometimes it can be tricky to come up with new and different meal ideas that are both healthy and kid-friendly.

After all, most children think that the definition of "fine dining" includes mac & cheese, hot dogs, and pizza.

Not that there's anything wrong with those options...(heck, they all make frequent appearances in my kitchen), BUT it's also nice to round out your dinnertime fare with some more grown-up recipes...and that's exactly what I have for you today!

The bold flavors of fresh herbs and a rich maple-Dijon pan sauce make this baked chicken recipe fancy enough to serve to guests; however, the tender and juicy chicken requires only a few minutes of preparation time...so it's also a great option for busy weeknights.

Just pour the sauce onto your chicken,

tuck some fresh herbs alongside, and it's ready for the oven!

How long does it take to bake chicken breast?

It depends on the thickness of your chicken and on the temperature of the oven. I like to bake this dish in a hot oven, so I set it for 425 degrees F.

Since I'm always in a hurry, I prefer to use small, thin chicken breasts here. When baking a 5-ounce piece of meat, the chicken is usually done in about 25-30 minutes.

If you're using larger chicken breasts, they will typically need about 35-40 minutes (or maybe even 45 minutes) to cook through. Feel free to cut your thick chicken breasts in half to speed up the baking time!

If you want to be really exact, there's no better way to test for doneness than by using a meat thermometer. The chicken is finished when your thermometer reads 165 degrees F.

How to Make No Work Baked Chicken in 4 Easy Steps

1. In a bowl, whisk together maple syrup, mustard, and soy sauce.

2. Place chicken in a baking dish. Sprinkle chicken with a little bit of salt and pepper, to taste.

3. Pour sauce over chicken and toss to make sure that each piece of chicken is well coated. Place sprigs of fresh herbs in the dish (tucked alongside the chicken).

4. Bake then remove herbs from dish and discard. Be sure to spoon plenty of the delicious pan sauce over the chicken and garnish with additional herbs, if desired, before serving!

How should I serve the Baked Chicken?

• Try making a simple green salad and serving the chicken with a side of crusty French bread. Dip that bread in the extra pan sauce!
• Love pasta or rice? Slice the chicken and serve it over pasta or rice that has been buttered and tossed with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Spoon the extra sauce over the chicken and pasta.
• Keep it light! You can slice the baked chicken and serve it on top of salad greens, over sautéed spinach, or with cauliflower rice.

You pick -- no matter when or how you serve it, this easy dinner is sure to please a crowd!

More Delicious Chicken Recipes You Might Like:

• Hawaiin Chicken (Slow Cooker + Instant Pot)
• Root Beer Barbecue Chicken
• Dump & Bake Chicken Stuffing Casserole
• Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki

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4.77 from 13 votes

"No Work" Baked Chicken

This "No Work" Baked Chicken is an easy to prep dinner recipe that's full of flavor and perfect for busy weeknights!
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Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword baked chicken, chicken breasts, easy dinner

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 203.6kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts*
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a bowl, whisk together maple syrup, mustard, and soy sauce.
• Place chicken in a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray (I used an 11 x 7-inch baking dish, but any similar size is fine). Sprinkle chicken with a little bit of salt and pepper, to taste.
• Pour sauce over chicken and toss to make sure that each piece of chicken is well coated. Place sprigs of fresh herbs in the dish (tucked alongside the chicken).
• Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F. Remove herbs from dish and discard. Be sure to spoon plenty of the delicious pan sauce over the chicken and garnish with additional herbs, if desired, before serving!

Notes

*I used 5 small chicken breasts that totaled 24 ounces. These small pieces of chicken were cooked through in about 25-30 minutes. If you are using larger pieces of chicken, you will need to increase the baking time to 35-40 minutes (or more).

Nutrition

Serving: 15-ounce chicken breast with 2 tablespoons sauce | Calories: 203.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 31.2g | Fat: 1.7g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 79.2mg | Sodium: 494.2mg | Potassium: 378mg | Sugar: 9.6g

This recipe was originally published in November, 2015. The photos were updated in June, 2018.