The primary barrier to juicy white meat is dry radiant heat. Standard sheet pan baking evaporates surface moisture long before the core cooks through. The solution is high heat roasting paired with a parchment paper tent, an old-school French technique called baking en papillote, simplified for a standard baking sheet.
Preheat your oven to 425°F. High ambient heat shortens total cooking duration, limiting the window during which moisture can escape. Coat the meat evenly with an olive oil rub to seal microscopic surface crevices and assist in heat transfer. Apply a dry rub seasoning containing kosher salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cracked black pepper. Salt acts as an osmotic agent, drawing protein strands apart so they hold water tighter during cooking.
Cut a sheet of parchment paper to match your pan, lightly coat one side with oil, and lay it loosely over the seasoned poultry. This makeshift parchment canopy traps escaping steam against the meat surface, simulating gentle poaching while the intense 425°F oven heat cooks the breast in just 15 to 18 minutes. Surface browning still occurs thanks to the ambient oven temperature, but surface dehydration stops cold.
