Italian Herb Chicken is a simple dish that pairs your favorite Italian herbs, like oregano, basil, rosemary, and thyme, with a light brush of olive oil to create a succulent rub that browns beautifully in a pan. The result is delightfully juicy chicken breast with lightly golden herby crust.
This recipe was originally written in July 2021. We revised the rub ingredients, cooking technique, recipe card instructions, and blog post structure and content in January 2024 to better serve you! We hope you enjoy the refreshed recipe! ♥️ New pictures coming soon!
Ingredients
- Chicken breast – boneless, skinless chicken breast (or thighs) are perfect for this Italian rub. Use a meat tenderizer to flatten chicken to an even thickness to ensure even cooking.
- Olive oil – for coating the chicken to help the rub stick and to use for browning the chicken.
- Seasonings – this simple Italian herb rub is a mixture of garlic powder, oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.
How to Make Italian Herb Chicken
Trim the chicken. Use a meat tenderizer to flatten the chicken breasts to even thickness. Pat dry with a paper towel. Use a basting brush to brush 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the chicken.
In a small dish, mix together garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt, thyme, rosemary, poultry seasoning, and cracked black pepper together. Sprinkle the spice mixture onto the chicken breasts, coating all sides.
Heat the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and sear on one side for 4-5 minutes. Use tongs to flip the chicken to the other side. Reduce heat to medium heat and cook another 3-5 minutes.
Note: cook time will vary by the thickness of your chicken. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is 160℉ before removing from heat. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent for 5-10 minutes to allow it to rest and reach an internal temperature of 165℉.
How to Store
- Refrigerate – store Italian herb chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. We do not recommend freezing this chicken
- Reheat – warm chicken, covered, in a frying pan over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until warmed throughout. Add a spritz of cooking spray and a few tablespoons of chicken broth to the pan as you warm the chicken to prevent it from drying out.
What to Serve With Italian Herb Chicken
- Potatoes – we highly recommend pairing with garlic potatoes, brown sugar sweet potatoes, and sweet potato fries.
- Risotto – garlic orzo risotto, mushroom risotto, or steak and blue cheese risotto (sub for the steak).
- Cooked grains – layer on top of fresh quinoa, barley, Israeli couscous, farro, white or brown rice, like our miso or cilantro lime brown rice.
- Pasta salad – try classic, peach, Greek or avocado pasta salad.
- Veggies – any variation of veggie, from grilled and sauteed, to oven roasted, air fried, or steamed, will complement this chicken. Try baked zucchini fries, roasted broccoli, sauteed green beans, breaded squash, or Parmesan zucchini tots.
- Side salad – garden, Greek, Caesar, etc.
- Bread – a slice of homemade bread, dinner rolls, breadsticks, or garlic bread are perfect for soaking up extra sauce.
Recipe Modifications
- Chicken kabobs – cube the chicken and slide onto wooden skewers with veggies and grill.
- Chicken wrap – cut the chicken into strips or cubes wrap it in a tortilla with cheese, greens, tomato, onion, and your favorite spread.
- Chicken sandwich – layer between two buns and slather with your favorite toppings and condiments.
- Chicken salad – top your favorite salad with this chicken to up the protein level.
- Chicken bowl – make it a bowl by tossing with a grain or starch, veggies, and a drizzle of dressing or sauce. We use this chicken in our herb chicken and peach bowls.
- Chicken thighs – you can use chicken thighs in place of chicken breast, if desired. But be sure to adjust the cooking time, if necessary.
- Spices – Sub in your favorite green spices. Use another spice rub. Make things spicier with red chili flakes, chipotle powder, or Cajun seasoning. Or turn it into a marinade by adding vinegar, lime juice, or citrus juice, honey or maple syrup, and/or soy sauce.
- Cooking method – this recipe has you pan sear the chicken, but you can also grill or bake this chicken too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken is cooked at an internal temperature of 165F. We recommend removing from heat and tenting with foil once it reaches an internal temperature of 160F. The temperature will continue to rise to 165F while the chicken rests.
We recommend using an oil with a higher smoke point, like avocado, grapeseed, or safflower oil. Good quality extra virgin olive oil will also work well, but cheaper olive oils tend to have lower smoke points so be careful when selecting your olive oil for this recipe.
Check out our other chicken recipes
- Creamy chipotle chicken
- Healthy chicken piccata
- Shredded chicken burritos
- Instant pot shredded chicken
- Creamy pesto chicken scallopini
- Juicy chicken burgers
Let us know what you think about our recipe for Italian herb chicken by dropping a comment, star rating, and/or sharing on Pinterest/social media! We really appreciate your help in sharing and rating our recipes, as it allows us to continue to bring delicious and healthy recipes to our community!
Italian Herb Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.25 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed (about 2 large breasts)
- 1½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp sea salt (more to taste)
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried crushed rosemary
- ½ tsp poultry seasoning
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper (more to taste)
Instructions
- Trim the chicken. Use a meat tenderizer to flatten the chicken breasts to even thickness. Pat dry with a paper towel. Use a basting brush to brush 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the chicken.
- In a small dish, mix together garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt, thyme, rosemary poultry seasoning, and cracked black pepper together. Sprinkle the spice mixture onto the chicken breasts, coating all sides.
- Heat the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and sear on one side for 4-5 minutes. Use tongs to flip the chicken to the other side. Reduce heat to medium heat and cook another 3-5 minutes. Note: cook time will vary by the thickness of your chicken. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is 160℉ before removing from heat. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent for 5-10 minutes to allow it to rest and reach an internal temperature of 165℉.
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