Baked Chicken Will Get You To Homemade Dinner In As Little As 20 Minutes

Chicken is one of those infinitely adaptable staples in an omnivore's diet. You can season it with just about any spice and toss it in with pastas, grains, or salads to add protein to dishes or make a side the main course. But, unlike other kinds of meats, chicken has to be cooked all the way through. After all, when was the last time you ordered a chicken medium rare? (Sorry for that mental image.)

But, when we aim for well-done chicken, it's easy to go too far and just get dry chicken instead. Which is why baking is one of our favorite ways to prep it — not only is it less messy than grilling or pan-frying, it also lets the chicken cook at a consistent temperature that's less likely to overcook part of the bird while another part remains raw. It's a dish even an amateur chef can pull off with the right recipe.

Ahead, eight baked chicken recipes that you can perfect tonight, in as little as 20 minutes.