Perfect Chicken Breast Recipe
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Learn how easy it is to cook boneless chicken breasts that are juicy, tender, and flavorful and come out perfect every single time. This will be your new go-to recipe for delicious-tasting, easy-to-prepare chicken.
Chicken is such a versatile protein with subtle flavors, making it perfect for serving to the family. While my wife and daughter like chicken breasts, I prefer the thighs and drums, and everyone wins. If you’re the same, then you must try my Chicken Parmigiana or Chicken Biryani.
Chicken Breasts
Chicken Breasts are a predominantly white protein that comes from the breast area of the chicken between the sternum of the chicken. Pan-roasting it allows you to get that perfect delicious golden-brown malliard crust while being juicy and tender throughout. In addition, takes less than 16 minutes from start to finish to cook.
It’s the process of heating a pan with oil until it begins to smoke lightly. Then add in the chicken and sear it until well browned. You can finish it on the stovetop while adjusting the heat or in the oven. I like to use either cast iron or stainless-steel pans since they don’t give off any funky chemicals.
This chicken will be juicy, flavorful, and extremely tender if you follow these foolproof procedures. Be sure to watch the video below to see how it’s done.
Ingredients
- Chicken – You need boneless skinless chicken breasts between 8 and 12 ounces each.
- Fat – You can use avocado or olive oil oil, or clarified butter will also work.
- Seasoning – I believe salt and pepper are best, but you can use any special chicken seasoning.
How to Make Perfectly Cooked Chicken Breasts
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper on both sides.
- Add olive oil to a sauté pan over high heat. Olive oil has a smoking point of 400°
- Heat the oil until it begins to smoke lightly. If the oil is so hot that it is rolling smoke, it’s burning and needs to be discarded.
- Add the chicken breasts, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook them for 3 ½ to 4 minutes.
- Flip them over.
- Add the pan to the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes at 375° or until it reaches an internal temperature of 155° to 160° using a meat thermometer.
- Remove them from the pan and rest on a plate or cutting board for 2-4 minutes.
- Slice and serve.
How to Make a Pan Sauce for Chicken Breasts
Return the pan to the burner over medium heat, add the shallots and garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes using the remaining fat in the pan from cooking the chicken.
Deglaze with white wine and cook it until it’s almost gone, which is called au sec. There should be about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the wine left.
Add the chicken stock to the pan and cook on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes to slightly reduce. Feel free to cut the amount of chicken stock down to 1 cup instead of 2.
Finish with butter, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it is done cooking.
How to Reheat: To reheat it, place it back in a pan with some of the pan sauce, cover it, and cook in the oven for 10 minutes at 350°.
How to Store: It will hold in the refrigerator with it covered up for up to 4 days. It will also freeze well covered for up to 3 months. Pull it out as you need it and let it thaw in the refrigerator before using it.
chef notes + tips
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- It’s important to buy chicken breasts that are between 7 and 9 ounces in weight. Large 1-pound chicken breasts are not normal, and you should use caution when using them.
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- It’s always recommended to account for carryover cooking, which means it will continue to cook even though it is removed from the heat.
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- When pan roasting, it should take between 12 and 15 minutes for a 7 to 9-ounce chicken breast to cook completely through.
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- I like using cast iron or stainless-steel pans since they are environmentally friendly and don’t give off any funky chemicals.
More Chicken Recipes
Video
Perfectly Cooked Chicken Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 8-12 ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ peeled small diced shallot
- 2 finely minced cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup chardonnay wine
- 1 to 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh thyme
- coarse salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Next, add a large frying pan to a burner over high heat and let sit for 20 to 30 seconds before adding in the olive oil.
- Once the oil begins to lightly smoke, add in the chicken breasts and immediately turn the heat down to medium-high. Note: If it is a hot burner, turn it down to medium.
- Cook the chicken breasts between 3 ½ to 4 minutes. Flip it over and add it to the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes at 375°.
- Remove from the oven and rest on a cutting board for 2 to 4 minutes. It’s OK if it’s a few minutes longer.
- Next, add the pan back to the cooktop over medium heat. Add in the shallots and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Deglaze with optional white wine and cook until it is almost completely absorbed.
- Pour the chicken stock and cook on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Feel free to cut the amount of chicken stock down to 1 cup instead of 2.
- Finish with butter, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Serve the chicken with the pan sauce.
I’d like to make this recipe. We are an alcohol-free household. Is there a substitute which would give more flavor than using all chicken stock?
chicken stock and a bit of lemon juice
This is a wonderful technique that produces juicy breasts. Each breast shredded easily even with my arthritic hands. I like shreds for my white chicken chili and my husband prefers shreds for his chicken pasta salad. I will use this technique next for stuffed chicken breasts. I learn a lot from you. Thank you for sharing your expertise.
And I thought my mother did a splendid job of teaching me all I needed to know about cooking. I am gobsmacked at how quick and easy this was and how delicious, moist and tender that chicken turned out! And with just salt and pepper! Thank you so much!!
So glad it was a hit! Thanks for trying it!
Well you are sauteing the shallots and heating the chicken stock it is taking about 5 minutes. During that time the chicken breast is sitting out and getting cold. Do you put it back in the stock to rewarm it before serving?
You actually want the chicken to rest while you make the sauce. That resting time helps keep the chicken juicy. The sauce should only take a few minutes, and the chicken will still be warm when serving.
One of my go to recipes- we love it
Thank you!!
I used bone in, skin on breast and brined a few hours in water/salt/brown sugar mix. Seared and then in oven for about 20 minutes. Ohhhh so juicy and tasty. I thought the pan sauce would have been thicker, but it was tasty. Thank for the recipe.
My pleasure!
It was the best chicken breast. Nice and moist. Its a keeper! Love your videos! It is fun to cook when you know, it’s going to turn out delicious! You make the whole experience of cooking a wonderful time, not a chore. Thankyou!
My pleasure!
Thanks for your teaching us!
My pleasure.
I only use titanium pots and pans should I be cooking my protein the same way that you do. I LOVE my pans.
yes