How To Cook Chicken Breast In a Pan
So, you want to know how to cook chicken breast in a pan. Today, I am going to write a short post on this. Yes, this post is all about how to cook chicken breasts that invariably turn into mouth-watering dishes.
To begin with, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are a staple in the kitchen, which I offer four times a week for dinner anyway. They can be thrown on the grill for a simple dinner or thrown on the slow cooker on a hectic day. However, like cooking chicken, sautéing it in a pan has never been my forte. I usually end up with an intensely dry chicken breast that no amount of sauce or smooth and creamy side dishes can help.
To change my style and have a quick way to cook when it gets too hot to even think about turning on the grill, I went to the Taste of Home test kitchen for their infallible technique of cooking chicken on the stovetop. Let us see what they recommend.
Instructions for pan-frying chicken breasts
How to cook chicken breasts
INGREDIENTS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast parts (about 6 ounces each)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of margarine
To prevent the light part of a chicken breast from drying out or the thick part from being half-cooked, you must ensure that the chicken breast has a uniform thickness. To do this, place your chicken on a cutting board between two pieces of cling film. Whisk the chicken to 1/2 inch thick with the flat surface of a meat hammer.
Tip for trial cooking: If you don’t have a meat hammer at your disposal, a solid frying pan or skillet will work after you’ve exhausted all other options. Be careful not to beat the chicken too thin.
Season the chicken breast on both sides with salt, pepper and other dry flavours you like. Looking for motivation? Here are our 13 most popular native flavour blends.
Learn to cook
How to cook chicken breast in a pan
At first, heat olive oil and margarine in a skillet large enough to hold the whole chicken uncovered over medium heat. After that, put the chicken breasts in the pan and cook them for 5-6 minutes. Any movement of the chicken can cause the breasts to stick to the pan and tear, so avoid touching the meat while cooking. Turn the chicken over and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes.
Test this cooking tip: although it can be tempting to turn up the heat, especially if you’re really impatient and famishing for food, leave the burner at medium heat and no higher. If you increase the heat, the outside of the chicken may brown excessively quickly or even burn it, while the inside remains half-cooked.
Measure the temperature
Your chicken breasts are-well prepared and are safe to eat when their internal temperature has reached 165ºF. To verify this, measure the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. Basically, you insert the thermometer into each chicken breast for most of the way until the temperature is displayed.
Test this cooking tip: If your chicken has reached a temperature of 165ºF, but is not brightly brown outside, you can turn up the heat for a few moments to add some browning.
How to cook chicken breast in a pan
Step 4: Allow the cooked chicken to rest
After boiling, remove the chicken breasts from the container and leave them on a plate for 5 minutes. This allows the juices in the chicken breasts to rearrange, making it easier to set the chicken breasts after cutting.
That’s it for now! Your fully cooked chicken breasts are ready to be eaten.
SOME POINTS TO REMEMBER ABOUT THE RECIPE FOR THE CHICKEN BREAST
In any case, chicken breasts should be no more than an inch thick. If your chicken breasts are thick, use a meat hammer or a rolling pin to give the chicken a more modest and even thickness before cooking.
Why would we say we use vegetable oil and not our favorite olive oil, you may ask? Since vegetable oils have higher smoke concentrations than olive oil. When you sing a fricassee or frying pan, you need some oil that can withstand the heat.
Cook the chicken breasts over medium heat.
Try not to stir or move the chicken breasts during cooking. Let them cook for 5 minutes or until you can turn them over without any doubt. If you encounter an obstacle when turning them, leave the chicken breasts for a while before trying again.
Chicken breasts are cooked through when the inside temperature reaches 165 F.
Step-by-step instructions for STORAGE of boiled chicken breasts
Keep chicken breasts fully refrigerated in a water and airtight compartment and store in the cooler for up to 4 days.
The most effective way to freeze cooked chicken breasts is to freeze them in the refrigerator.
Wrap the cooled chicken breasts in an aluminum foil for more protection.
You should now put the wrapped chicken breasts in a freezer bag; close the package and keep them in the freezer. It will remain good for up to 3 months.
Wrapping up
Hope this post will answer the question: how to cook chicken breast in a pan. If you follow the instructions carefully, you should have no problem in cooking a sumptuous dish with chicken breasts which your family members will love. Goo cooking!