Easy baked paprika chicken uses on-hand ingredients and is ready in just 30 minutes! It's perfect for a weeknight dinner with big flavor and a scrumptious sauce.

My 15-minute paprika chicken is one of my regular go-tos for a quick and easy dinner. I’ve always got the ingredients on hand!
And we all love the flavor so much!
So I wanted to try it in a different form.
And voila, today we have this baked paprika chicken that has seriously juicy chicken breasts that are well seasoned, seared and then baked to perfection in a simple and scrumptious sauce.
That sauce has little bit of richness from the butter, some savory garlic flavors and a hit of freshness from the lemon juice.
Plus, this baked paprika chicken recipe is just a few basic, on-hand ingredients. Simple things you probably already have in your kitchen.
That makes it a great option when you haven’t been to the store in a while or it’s the end of the week and you’re out of options. (Been there many a time myself!)
And it’s super easy to throw together, so it works well on a busy night.
It's also gluten-free, low-carb and keto-friendly as is.
You might also like this easy baked lemon chicken for a different variation.
OK, let’s get cooking.
Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make oven baked paprika chicken. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes:
- Chicken: You’ll want to make sure your chicken breasts are evenly sized so they cook in the same amount of time. We’re searing them first in a skillet then baking them in a casserole dish in the oven along with the sauce. Searing the chicken really helps lock in the flavor, so don’t skip this step.
- Paprika: I use regular paprika but you could also try this with half regular and half smoked paprika if you love that flavor.
- Poultry seasoning: This is a mix of herbs you can buy in the spice aisle of the grocery store that adds great depth of flavor to the chicken.
- Garlic: Feel free to add another clove of garlic to the recipe if you’re a big garlic fan.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice is squeezed into the sauce and adds a bunch of brightness and flavor. I don't recommend skipping it.
- Herbs: Feel free to sprinkle some fresh chopped herbs, such as parsley, over the cooked chicken if desired.
I highly recommend using a digital thermometer to check the temperature of your chicken.
This eliminates the guessing game of whether or not it’s cooked through to a safe temperature. (Reminder: it should be 165 degrees F.)
One tip if you want a little shortcut: You could technically bake this chicken in the skillet you sear it in if your skillet is oven-proof.
Just add the sauce ingredients right to it and get everything mixed. Then pop it in the oven to finish cooking.
OK, let’s get ready to eat.
Serving Ideas:
- This chicken goes great with steamed rice, mashed potatoes or creamy polenta, all of which would benefit from a drizzle of some of the extra sauce.
- You could also serve it with microwave baked potatoes or roasted potatoes if you prefer.
- Don’t forget the veggies! Steamed broccoli or asparagus, green beans or a roasted veggie mix would all be good choices.
And again, feel free to drizzle the sauce over the vegetables as well. It’s so good!
Last thing, let’s talk about what to do with any leftovers.
Cause this chicken is so flavorful and so versatile, you’ll be hoping for extras to use again later in the week!
Tips for Leftovers:
- Leftovers will store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 4-5 months. Store the chicken with leftover sauce too!
- You can reheat the chicken in a skillet over medium low heat. Slice it first so it warms through more evenly and quickly, without drying out. Be sure to add some leftover sauce as well to help keep the chicken moist.
- Or you can reheat the chicken quickly in the microwave. This helps prevent it from drying out.
- Use the leftovers for a main dish another night, or use as part of a grain bowl or on top of a salad. You could even mix the chicken into some pasta and add some vegetables for a whole new meal.
- It also works great sliced for sandwiches or wraps for lunch.
It makes a really good meal prep dish to make ahead or make extra of and then be able to use for days.
I hope you give this baked paprika chicken a try soon and love it as much as we do.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Baked Paprika Chicken
Easy baked paprika chicken uses on-hand ingredients and is ready in just 30 minutes! It's perfect for a weeknight dinner with big flavor and a scrumptious sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Combine paprika, poultry seasoning, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Season chicken breasts evenly on both sides with the seasoning mixture.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until browned. (They do not need to be cooked through, they will finish cooking in the oven.)
- Place the chicken breasts in the baking dish.
- Add the butter to the pan and swirl until melted. Add the garlic, chicken broth and lemon juice. Stir well to combine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the liquid mixture over the chicken breasts in the baking dish.
- Bake the chicken at 400 for 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve the chicken with sauce spooned over top.
Notes
Chicken: You’ll want to make sure your chicken breasts are evenly sized so they cook in the same amount of time. We’re searing them first in a skillet then baking them in a casserole dish in the oven along with the sauce. Searing the chicken really helps lock in the flavor, so don’t skip this step.
Paprika: I use regular paprika but you could also try this with half regular and half smoked paprika if you love that flavor.
Poultry seasoning: This is a mix of herbs you can buy in the spice aisle of the grocery store that adds great depth of flavor to the chicken.
Garlic: Feel free to add another clove of garlic to the recipe if you’re a big garlic fan.
Lemon: Fresh lemon juice is squeezed into the sauce and adds a bunch of brightness and flavor. I don't recommend skipping it.
Herbs: Feel free to sprinkle some fresh chopped herbs, such as parsley, over the cooked chicken if desired.
Chicken temp: I highly recommend using a digital thermometer to check the temperature of your chicken. This eliminates the guessing game of whether or not it’s cooked through to a safe temperature. (Reminder: it should be 165 degrees F.)
Leftovers: Leftovers will store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 4-5 months. Store the chicken with extra sauce too!
Reheating: You can reheat the chicken in a skillet over medium low heat. Slice it first so it warms through more evenly and quickly, without drying out. Be sure to add some leftover sauce as well to help keep the chicken moist. Or you can reheat the chicken quickly in the microwave. This helps prevent it from drying out.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 399Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 167mgSodium: 448mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 54g
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