Everyday dinners

Gluten-free chicken breast

Name: Gluten-free chicken breast
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 2 × 180 g plain skinless, boneless chicken breasts; 15 ml olive oil; 1 tsp smoked paprika; ½ tsp garlic granules; ½ tsp dried thyme; ¼ tsp fine salt; ¼ tsp ground black pepper

Oven-baked chicken breasts with smoked paprika, garlic and thyme, made with a simple gluten-free seasoning.

From Nora’s kitchen · Recipe development

Free guide: thirty gluten-free dinners, with the shopping lists

AI-generated food illustration.

A straightforward chicken breast recipe with smoked paprika, garlic and thyme. Gently flattening the thicker end helps each breast cook evenly, while a little oil carries the seasoning over the surface.

This recipe is in development and has not been kitchen-tested. Use the doneness checks alongside the suggested cooking time.

The recipe

Gluten-free chicken breast

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Total*: 30 min
Makes: 2 servings

*Estimated development timings. Allow 5 minutes resting after cooking, giving approximately 35 minutes including the rest. Cooking may take longer depending on thickness and your oven.

Ingredients

Tick things off as you go.

For the chicken

2 × 180 g plain skinless, boneless chicken breasts
15 ml olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic granules
½ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp fine salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

Equipment

Use a shallow roasting tray large enough to leave space between the chicken breasts.
Use a chopping board, baking paper and a rolling pin to flatten the chicken.
Use a small bowl, measuring spoons and kitchen tongs.
Use a clean food thermometer to check the centre of each breast.
Have a clean serving plate and foil ready for resting.

Let’s make it.

01
Prepare the chicken
Heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / gas 7. Place the chicken between two sheets of baking paper on a board and gently flatten the thicker ends with a rolling pin. Check that both breasts are roughly 1.5–2 cm thick throughout. Wash your hands and clean equipment and surfaces after contact with raw chicken.
02
Add the seasoning
Mix the olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic granules, thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl until evenly combined. Put the chicken in the roasting tray and spread the mixture over both sides. Leave a gap between the breasts; each should have a thin, even coating.
03
Bake and check
Bake on the middle shelf for approximately 18–20 minutes. Insert a clean food thermometer into the thickest part of each breast: the centre must reach 75°C and stay there for at least 30 seconds. If either breast is below this temperature, continue baking and check again. Clean the probe between checks. Without a thermometer, cut into the thickest part of each breast and check that the meat is steaming throughout, with no pink flesh and clear juices; continue cooking if any check fails. Surface colour alone does not show that chicken is safely cooked.
04
Rest and serve
Once both breasts pass the cooking checks, transfer them to a clean plate and cover loosely with foil. Rest for 5 minutes, measured with a timer, then slice and spoon over the cooked juices from the tray.

Ingredient checks

Choose plain chicken without added coatings or marinades. Check paprika, garlic granules, herbs and pepper for gluten-free suitability, including any added ingredients and cross-contact warnings. For someone with coeliac disease, use clean equipment, a clean tray and uncontaminated seasonings, and keep preparation away from flour and breadcrumbs.

Allergens: None of the 14 UK regulated allergens is intentionally included in the listed ingredients.; Check packaged seasonings for allergen ingredients and cross-contact warnings; blends may differ from plain spices..

Make it work for you

Replace the smoked paprika with the same quantity of sweet paprika for a milder flavour.

Replace the dried thyme with the same quantity of dried oregano.

Replace the olive oil with the same quantity of rapeseed oil.

For another day

Divide leftovers into small portions, cool promptly and refrigerate within 1–2 hours in covered containers at 0–5°C.

Eat refrigerated leftovers within 48 hours, or freeze promptly after cooling in labelled airtight containers.

Defrost frozen portions fully in the fridge and use within 24 hours of complete thawing.

Reheat only once, until steaming hot throughout, checking the centre of the thickest pieces.

Exploding food

What goes in.

The ingredients, seen a little differently. This image is an illustration of the main ingredients; use the written recipe for the full list and quantities.

See the collection

Illustration of chicken breasts, olive oil, paprika, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper.

The miniature kitchen

Tiny chefs.
Big ideas.

A playful look at the same familiar favourite. Meet the little team behind our food illustrations.

Explore the tiny kitchen

Miniature chefs seasoning chicken breasts beside a roasting tray.

Gluten-free chicken breast