Discover how to make perfectly cooked chicken in this easy chicken breast on the bone recipe that cooks up plump, juicy, and full of flavor each and every time. Master the techniques of air fryer bone-in chicken breast and oven-baked chicken breast on the bone for two different methods of cooking this simple recipe.
We love roasted chicken in our house! It’s on the menu at least a few times a week. To keep us from getting bored with the same thing over and over, I really like to change things up by sometimes serving main dishes with skinless chicken breast, regular bone-in chicken parts, and of course juicy chicken breasts with the bone.
The side dishes help keep things interesting too! Our favorites to serve with bone-in chicken breasts are fried red tomatoes and honey smoked carrots.
I used to always rely on the oven to cook this recipe, but since discovering how easy the air fryer is to use, I find myself using it more often to prepare meals. Both methods for cooking bone-in chicken work great and you may have your preference on which one is your favorite!
For me, I love the air fryer for those days when I don’t feel like heating up the entire house with the oven! Plus it cooks food much more quickly than the oven but when there’s no rush, the old school method works just as well.
If you want to try out cooking more main meals in the air fryer I think you will love these crispy chicken thighs and air fryer ribeye steaks.
For those of you who prefer more traditional methods of cooking, I think you will love this bourbon street chicken recipe or my easy chicken chalupa recipe!
Why You Will Love Cooking Bone In Skin On Chicken
- So many variations! Simply switch the spices around so it never totally comes out exactly the same.
- Bone-in chicken breast with skin is a less expensive option than boneless, skinless breasts.
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts have skin on one side and bone on the other which provides some protection for the meat while it cooks. This means you end up with a juicy, delicious chicken breast with crispy skin, every time.
Ingredients
All you need to make this bone-in chicken breast recipe are simple ingredients you may already have on hand or can pick up on a quick trip to the grocery store.
- Split chicken breasts on the bone with skin about 10-12 ounces each
- Butter
- Garlic
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil
- Tarragon or sage
Check the recipe card for the exact list of quantities and ingredients you need for the version of this recipe you would like to make!
Equipment
Here’s an outline of the basic tools needed to make either method of this bone-in chicken recipe. Depending on the method you are using, you may not need them all.
- Toothpicks
- Air fryer or Oven
- Baking tray
- Pastry brush
How to Cook Bone-In Chicken Breast Air Fryer
I enjoy using this air fryer bone-in chicken recipe method when I don’t feel like turning on the oven and heating up the entire house. It cooks with a few fewer ingredients since the air fryer cooks best with less oil and butter.
Step 1: Get Things Ready
Hold your basket over your kitchen sink and prepare it with cooking spray.
Rinse and pat the breasts dry with paper towels, rub with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Place Meat in Air Fryer
Distribute your chicken breasts as evenly as possible, alternating ends, inside your air fryer basket with the skin side down!
Place the basket in the air fryer and set the temperature to 350 degrees F.
Step 3: Cook the Breasts
Cook until the breast registers 165 degrees, about 20 to 25 minutes, flipping and rotating breasts halfway through cooking.
Step 4: Rest and Serve
Transfer the bone-in chicken breasts to a serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.
How to Make Baked Chicken Breast Bone-In, Skin-On
If you’d rather stick with roasting bone-in chicken breasts, here’s my favorite way to do it!
Step 1: Preheat and Prep
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and a rack lightly coated with cooking spray. Set aside.
Step 2: Mix the Butter
In a small bowl, combine the butter and ½ teaspoon salt. Add garlic and tarragon. If desired, add other herbs or other flavorings to the butter and mix it up.
Step 3: Add the Butter
Using your finger, carefully loosen the skin from the breast meat to create a sort of pocket and slide the butter underneath the skin into it. Then carefully spread the butter evenly under the skin of each breast using your finger or the back of a spoon.
Step 4: Season and Secure
Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and then use toothpicks to secure the skin, where it is not attached, to the breast.
This prevents the skin from shrinking on top of each piece. Securing the skin also helps to create a crispy sheet of skin all over the top of each one and the cooked meat will be totally moist.
Rub the skin of each breast with oil, just enough to coat.
Step 5: Cook the Breasts
Cook at 450 degrees for5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and cook for 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your chicken breasts.
It is ready when the skin is golden brown and the meat is cooked through to 165 degrees. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Hint: If you prefer a lower temperature method or one that doesn’t use butter, you can use the alternate method for baked chicken breast on the bone detailed in the recipe card.
Substitutions
Here are couple of tried and true substitutions just in case you don’t have everything on hand!
- Chicken breasts: You can also make this bone-in chicken breast recipe with drumsticks, thighs, or even assorted chicken pieces.
- Butter: If you avoid dairy or prefer an unsaturated fat to season the meat, swap it out for olive oil or another healthy oil.
- Herbs: If you aren’t a fan of tarragon or sage, any type of fresh herbs will work in this recipe.
Variations
Want to change it up? Here are some of my favorite ways.
- Add some chicken or steak seasoning to the breasts for extra flavor!
- Include a sauce, such as a barbecue sauce or buffalo sauce, brushed on top of the breasts. Just cook the chicken first with some seasonings and then when just about ready, add the sauce and continue cooking.
Expert Tips
Choose bone-in chicken breasts that are similar in size.
Leave the skin on the chicken breasts while cooking to keep the meat super moist and juicy. If you prefer not to eat it, you can remove it before serving.
Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of your baked chicken with skin to determine doneness.
When roasting or cooking air fryer bone-in chicken, leave space between the pieces so the air can circulate around and cook the meat more quickly. This also aids the browning of the skin.
FAQs
If you would like to add barbecue, or another sauce, cook chicken FIRST, with only seasoning, for 10 minutes.
Then flip and rotate breasts and brush skin side with barbecue sauce.
Return the basket to the air fryer and cook for 5 more minutes.
Baste again with barbecue sauce until well browned and the meat registers 165 degrees, 5 to 10 more minutes.
The actual time may vary depending on the size of the breasts you are cooking and I highly recommend that you use a thermometer to register the temperature of the meat for the best results.
When cooking the breasts in a conventional oven at a moderate temperature such as 350° F it will take 30-35 minutes. In my slow-roasted baked chicken breast with the bone recipe, the chicken cooks at a lower temperature (325° F) for around 35-40 minutes.
Air fryer bone-in chicken breasts cook up a little more quickly and are ready in about 20-25 minutes at 350° F.
You can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Not only can you reheat the chicken breast on the bone for another meal, you can also shred it from the bone and store it to use in other recipes such as chicken salad, quesadillas, soups, or even as a topper for salad.
More Bone-in Chicken Breast Recipes
If you enjoy cooking baked split chicken breasts, then I think you will love these other meal ideas!
Bone-In Chicken Breast In Oven Video
We love this recipe for the best chicken breast so much that we made a video and I would love for you to have a look at it below!
Chicken lovers will be glad you did watch to see exactly how it’s done!
Baked Chicken Breast on Bone Recipe
Equipment
- rimmed baking sheet
- rack
Ingredients
Oven Baked Bone In Chicken Breasts
- 4 split chicken breasts with bone in, skin on
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tablespoons garlic minced
- salt
- pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil or another vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon tarragon, ground or sage, ground (optional)
- toothpicks
Alternate Oven Method (Low Temperature)
- 4 8-12 oz chicken breasts, bone in skin on
- 2 teaspoons rock or kosher salt
- ¼ cup vegetable or another oil
Air Fryer Chicken Breasts Bone-In
- 4 10-12 oz bone-in split chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or other vegetable oil
- salt
- pepper
- cooking spray
Instructions
Original Oven Method
- Gather up your ingredients.
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and a rack lightly coated with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter and ½ teaspoon salt. Add garlic and tarragon. If desired, add other herbs or other flavorings to the butter and mix it up.
- Using your finger, carefully loosen the skin from the breast meat to create a sort of pocket.
- Slide the butter underneath the skin, into it. Using your finger or the back of a spoon, carefully spread the butter evenly under the skin of each breast.
- Using your toothpicks secure the skin, where it is not attached, to the breast. This prevents the skin from shrinking on top of each piece. Securing the skin also helps to create a crispy sheet of skin all over the top of each one and the meat underneath will be totally moist.
- Brush the top of each piece with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place the breasts in the oven and bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes. Then reduce the temperature, while chicken is in the oven, to 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the meat is cooked through. Use your meat thermometer to make sure it's is cooked to 165 degrees.
- Remove from oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Alternate Oven Method (Low Temperature)
- Adjust your oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil and a rack lightly coated in cooking spray.
- Holding onto one piece at a time use your finger to gently separate the skin from the breast meat, leaving the edges of the skin attached to the chicken breast. Lift the skin like it's an open door.
- Using your salt shaker or a pinch of salt that is about ½ teaspoon in size, sprinkle salt, as evenly as possible, all over the surface of the breast, not the skin. Once salted, place your skin back on top of the breast.
- Using the tip of a sharp knife or something sharp, poke at least 6 small holes through the skin. Depending on the size of your chicken breasts, up to 10 holes.
- Place all of the breasts on your prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until the meat has an internal temperature that registers 165 degrees, between 35 and 45 minutes.
- Grab your largest skillet. Turn your oven on low and heat your skillet for five minutes on medium heat.
- Add oil and make sure there is oil everywhere in your skillet. Add breasts, skin side down.
- Increase your heat to medium high.
- Do not move the pieces for the first three minutes. Keep watching for the skin to darken and crisp. No more than 5 minutes.
- Lean each chicken breast to the side of the skillet so the fattest side of the breast is facing downwards on your skillet.
- Cook until skin looks brown and crispy, another couple minutes, maximum.
- Allow to rest on a plate or cutting board for 5 minutes before serving.
Air Fryer Bone in Chicken Breasts
- Gather up your ingredients.
- Hold your basket over your kitchen sink and prepare it with cooking spray.
- Rinse and pat chicken dry with paper towels.
- Rub with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Distribute the pieces as evenly as possible, alternating ends, inside your basket, SKIN SIDE DOWN.
- Place basket in air fryer and set temperature to 350 degrees.
- Cook until the meat registers 160 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping and rotating breasts halfway through cooking.
- Transfer it to serving platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy every bite.
Noreen
Thank you very much for the recipe we loved it. This chicken breast is perfect and everything you said. We loved it and will definitely be making this recipe again. Thanks
Karin and Ken
I’m glad you enjoy this chicken breast recipe as much as we do! Thank you for taking the time to let me know. You made my day! I’m always happy to get some good news! All the best. Karin
Mandy
This chicken turned out AMAZING. Even my 5 year old (who preemptively hates everything) gobbled it up.
However, I need a kitchen tip – the oil and butter that dripped onto the pan created a huge amount of smoke. Like, filled up the whole house and I was super dizzy and felt faint. We had to eat outside (but it was a lovely evening, so that was nice). Anyway, how can I keep the smoke from occurring again? I loved the way it turned out, but not the insane amount of smoke 🙁
Karin and Ken
I have been thinking about your comment and I am so sorry you had to eat outside because of the smoke! My only suggestion is to toothpick the butter under the skin better to hold it under. Also use just enough oil to cover your chicken breasts. Depending on their size you can use less or more. The only other thing I can think of is to add a small amount of crumbs to the butter mixture and that will help keep the butter under the skin where it belongs! Hope this helps! Otherwise I am so glad to hear you enjoyed the chicken despite having to eat it outside! Please let me know how it turns out if you try the recipe again! I would love to hear! All the best. Karin
C-ann
I took a deeper pan and put some water in the bottom and then the rack so the oil would drop into the water and not burn. It worked.
Karin and Ken
Absolutely brilliant! I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to let us know what you did! Together we will all be better in the kitchen! Take care of you and thank you again! Karin
Robin
My kids loved this….
Karin and Ken
First I have to apologize for the delay in my response. We had a health scare with my husband, luckily he is ok, but I kind of forgot I had a website. Again I am truly sorry. That being said. I am so happy your kids loved this dish! I love how easy and tasty they turn out myself! Can’t thank you enough for taking the time to let me know! All the best. Karin