Juicy Chicken Breast

Say Goodbye to DRY chicken. Today will be your last day eating chicken breast that tastes like the bottom of your shoe. This is our foolproof technique for making Juicy Chicken Breast every time.

What stands out

The marinade We use is extremely simple: just oil, salt, and spices, but you can certainly jazz it up depending on time or cravings. The technique we show you here is so straightforward and can be applied to pork, veal, or steak as well. This method is A+, so you can always make sure that your protein is never dry and overcooked.

Tips for Juicy Chicken Breast

We have three key tricks for succulent, Juicy Chicken Breast every time: tenderizing, marinating, and controlling the cooking time.

1. Since chicken breasts are always thicker on one side and thinner on the other tenderizing with a mallet to equal thickness is essential. The thinner the chicken breast, the quicker it will cook.
2. Marinating is the process of soaking chicken in seasoning and liquid to break down the proteins and infuse the meat with flavor. Marinating overnight in the fridge will give you the best results, but even if you can only marinate for an hour, you’ll still help tenderize the chicken.
3. Finally, don’t overcook that chicken breast! Keep a close eye on it while cooking to watch for burning, set a timer, and use a meat thermometer to check when the internal temp reaches 165F (74C), for fully cooked.

How to Prepare

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes.

Place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and then use a meat mallet to pound the meat to an even thickness.

Remove the wrap and season the chicken on both sides with salt and seasoning of choice. Add a bit of oil and massage it well into the chicken.

Heat up a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add a touch of oil. Place the seasoned chicken in the pan and make sure it sizzles.

Reduce the heat to medium and cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until a meat thermometer reaches an internal temperature of 165F (74C).

Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 5 minutes. Enjoy.

Kitchen tip

Do not place your chicken directly from the packaging into the hot pan without letting it come to room temperature. Cold chicken can result in uneven cooking, with the outside done while the inside remains undercooked.

Swaps

1. You can use any seasonings you like, so feel free to experiment. We also like to use an Italian seasoning blend sometimes instead of the lemon pepper.
2. You could also add a bit of lemon zest to this recipe to add some bright fresh flavors.
3. You can use this same technique for veal, pork or steak.

Serve it with

• We love slicing up the Juicy Chicken Breast and adding it to a big salad for lunch or dinner, such as Simple Green SaladLemon Parmesan Salad or Caesar Salad.
• Serve these juicy chicken breasts with a side of vegetables like these: Grilled Zucchini RecipeAsian Style Green Beans or Creamy Baked Broccoli.
• Serve alongside steamed rice or couscous.
• Cube or slice leftover chicken breast and serve on a pizza, in a wrap, or on top of pasta.

Ingredients

Makes 3 breasts

• 3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• lemon pepper seasoning, to taste
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil

Equipment

• Parchment Paper
• Redmond Real Salt
• Ceramic Pans
• Meat Thermometer

Method

1. If using refrigerated chicken, let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Place the chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Using a meat mallet (aka tenderizer), gently pound the meat, making sure you flatten it to an even thickness throughout.
3. Remove the wrap or paper and season the chicken on both sides with salt and seasoning of choice. Add a bit of oil and massage it really well into the chicken.
4. Heat up a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add a touch of oil. Place the seasoned chicken in the pan and make sure it sizzles. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F (74C).
5. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 5 minutes. Enjoy.

Kitchen notes

• Seasonings: You can use any seasonings you like, so feel free to experiment. We also like to use an Italian seasoning blend sometimes instead of the lemon pepper. You could also add a bit of lemon zest to this recipe to really add some bright fresh flavors.
• Cooking tip: Do not place your chicken directly from the packaging into the hot pan without letting it come to room temperature. Cold chicken can result in uneven cooking, with the outside done while the inside remains undercooked.

Questions

what can we do if we don’t have a meat tenderizer?

If you don’t have a meat tenderizer, use anything heavy such as a rolling pin or the bottom of a cast-iron skillet instead.

how can we make sure we don’t overcook the chicken?

If you get nervous about cooking chicken and you always overcook it, please use an instant-read mark meat thermometer. The chicken is cooked once the thermometer reads 165F (74C).

How do we properly pound the chicken breast evenly?

Start by wrapping the chicken in parchment paper (or plastic wrap) to prevent any chicken juices from contaminating your kitchen. Then lightly pound the chicken with your tenderizer in an outward motion, until the breast is a consistent thickness throughout.

what other spices can we add to this juicy chicken breast recipe?

We also love adding garlic powder, paprika, cumin, and onion powder as well to the marinade.