Chicken Breast
How 4 Professional Chefs Cook Chicken Breasts
Senior Editor Eric Kim dug deep into the annals of culinary canon to uncover the age-old question: How does one cook a chicken breast?
My mother never cooked us chicken breasts growing up, but there were always bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in the freezer for bubbling soups and stews, or crispy fried chicken. The only time we ever had breast meat for dinner was in samgyetang, whole rice-stuffed Cornish game hens boiled with garlic, ginseng, and jujubes (Korean dates). But even with that rich golden broth, the breast meat was much stringier and blander than the thigh and leg meat, so you'd have to eat it with a small dish of salt and confetti-gray McCormick black pepper for dipping, then quickly follow up with a swig of water because you were probably choking, it was so dry.
"Chicken skin is fatty and savory and delicious. Cooking meat on the bone yields a juicier bite," says Josh Cohen, our test kitchen director. "If you take away the skin and the bone, you take away some flavor, texture, and moisture. There's higher risk of the meat tasting bland or drying out."
As Julia Moskin wrote in The New York Times a couple months ago, "finding a higher purpose for boneless, skinless chicken breasts is a lifelong mission."
Like Julia, I do recognize the advantage of boneless, skinless chicken breasts: They're easy to cook, and they're a good source of lean protein. Off the bone, the breast is an ideal cut for weeknights (and for beginner cooks) due to its quick cooking time, whether you're pan-searing, deep-frying, or baking in the oven. Breasts can also be more affordable than you'd think, often on sale in "family packs" or by the case. At Costco, for instance, you can get a 40-pound case for $0.94/pound delivered right to your door. Even the average price of a regular pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts is $2.09, according to the USDA, $1.89 if you're getting a value pack.
Eager to live, once and for all, in a new world of not-dry, not-stringy boneless, skinless chicken breasts, I turned to a few chefs to find out the "absolute best" way to cook them. This is obviously a subjective matter based heavily on opinion, but there were some common threads.
Marinate them, then sauce for extra measure
"The main question is how to impart flavor," Josh says. "Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cook quickly, so they won't taste of anything unless you marinate them beforehand or surround them with lots of flavor after they're done cooking. Marinate them overnight and make a very flavorful sauce to put on the chicken after it's cooked (curry, chicken Parm, that kind of thing)."
"Right, I think having a finishing sauce or vinaigrette adds a lot," Test Kitchen Chef Chris Robert adds.
Cut them (against the grain) into cutlets
"It's a tough one because most factory chickens taste so bland," Chris tells me, offering his workaround. "I like to cut them into half-inch cutlets, or 'steaks,' so that the cut is perpendicular to the grain. (This makes them much softer because the fibers have been shortened.) Then I dip one side in Wondra and sear in some butter or oil. And finish the other side. The Goldilocks-zone is really narrow. Pounding and breading them is good, too—crowd-pleaser right?"
I asked a couple of other chefs what they thought of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Contrary to popular belief, not all chefs are opposed to the cut—in fact, they had some helpful tricks to maximize the end result.
"Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are super easy to cook," chef-friend and Buzzfeed Food Writer Jesse Szewczyk says, "but they take a bit of planning to do right."
Brine them (so they retain moisture), then bake
"First, you need to brine them," Jesse walks me through his process. "Chicken breasts are prone to drying out, so brining them helps retain some of their moisture. You can go down the traditional route and use a wet brine—which works well but takes up some serious fridge space—or you can use a dry brine that's a bit cleaner and less fuss." To do the latter:
- Place your chicken breasts on a wire rack over a sheet tray and sprinkle generously with salt and sugar. Leave them uncovered in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, brush off any excess dry brine and pat them off with paper towels. (This will help them brown nicely.) Season with whatever spices you want and sear them in a super hot pan with a bit of oil.
- Once browned, flip them and transfer into a hot oven (about 350°F) to finish cooking. "If you were to cook them completely in the pan," Jesse tells me, "the outside might get overcooked before the inside cooks through. You want them to reach an internal temperature of 165°F, keeping in mind that they will continue cooking once you take them out of the oven. I usually take mine out around 160°F and let them finish cooking on the counter."
It's important not to go by time, but by internal temperature when deciding how long to bake boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
When in doubt, batter and fry them
"Chicken breasts are underrated—even boneless and skinless," cookbook author and Top Chef winner Kristen Kish says. "I grew up on chicken fingers from fast-food spots, and my dad would make homemade ones with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They really are the perfect vehicle. Give them a brine, batter them, and deep-fry them. My dad would mix mayo and Dijon for dipping, but a solid bottled ranch would do the trick, too."
In short, there may not be one, absolute best way to cook chicken breasts, but there are a few useful ways to ensure that they stay moist and delicious. I'm intrigued by the notion of brining them first before cooking, then pairing with a flavorful sauce to account for any lack of flavor due to them being, well, white meat.
But that's the benefit and beauty of the boneless, skinless chicken breast, isn't it? It's the ultimate blank canvas, tasting like whatever you add to it, whatever you want it to taste like. Perfect for when you're feeling creative in the kitchen.
In case you're still hungry:
1. Chicken Breasts With Fresh Sage
These lemony skillet chicken breasts get marinated in sage, oil, and (surprise) lemon juice to not only add flavor, but also tenderize the chicken.
2. Finger-Lickin' Finger Lakes Chicken
Just as the name promises, these chicken breasts are finger-lickin' good. The trick: an eight-hour bath in herby, garlicky aioli and vinegar before tossing them on the grill.
3. Lemon Chicken
Weeknight dinner doesn't get much easier than this simple lemon chicken that welcomes twists and riffs, like adding a splash of white wine to the sauce or sprinkling capers over top.
4. Green Chile, Chicken, Posole Soup
Each ingredient in this hearty, spicy soup—including tender shredded chicken breast—shines. Just make sure to follow the recipe author's advice: Take the time to make freshly cooked posole and freshly roasted peppers; it's well worth the effort.
5. Chicken Caesar Salad with Anchovy-Caesar Vinaigrette & Garlic-Parmesan Croutons
Keep this chicken Caesar recipe in your back pocket for summer (and beyond) and ensure you never have to suffer through a sad, boring salad again.
6. Honey-Mustard Chicken Breast
This never-dry chicken breast gets its punchy flavor from a sweet-salty marinade with honey (naturally) and a double whammy of mustards (Dijon and dry).
7. Sesame Noodles with Swiss Chard & Chicken
Adapted from a recipe in Chrissy Teigen's cookbook, Cravings, this sesame noodle salad is just what we want to eat when we're in the mood for something light, yet flavorful and satisfying.
8. Chicken Marsala
We'll let one community member's review do the talking on this one: "I make Chicken Marsala all the time—it's one of my favorite dishes—and this recipe is incredible! So creamy and delicious."
9. Hot Chicken & Jalapeño Bacon Cheddar Waffle
Further proof that boneless, skinless chicken breasts need not be boring: this crispy, spicy riff on Nashville's famous hot chicken served over a cheesy jalapeño and bacon-studded waffle.
10. Chicken Orzo Soup
You don't need much to pull together this soul-warming soup: a bit of broth, a few vegetables, chicken breast, and some orzo.
The Dynamite Chicken cookbook is here! Get ready for 60 brand-new ways to love your favorite bird. Inside this clever collection by Food52 and chef Tyler Kord, you'll find everything from lightning-quick weeknight dinners to the coziest of comfort foods.
Order Now
Written by: Eric Kim
Popular on Food52
36 Comments
As for the comments on factory vs. pasture-raised chicken, I have also noted the price hike when sourcing outside the grocery store. But I consider food and the repercussions of its production to be an investment, and if pasture-raised or grass-fed meat is more expensive than I will simply buy less and prepare it more thoughtfully. Many animal-welfare-minded farms (e.g., Nieman Ranch, Springer Mountain) are also making inroads at the grocery chains, and I've found the price points to be a reasonable compromise between mass-produced livestock and those raised just down the road.
Now about chicken. I don't know if I'm channeling my mom, or we just have a good oven, but my got-to seasoning is kosher salt, ground black pepper, onion powder and tons of sweet paprika. It forms this lovely crust almost as if it was skin on.
I don't like to bake chicken breast since im too scared it'll dry out.... I recently made chicken francese with my leftover breasts after brining them in Thomas Keller's recipe for fried chicken brine (I had made fried chicken with the dark meat) and it was actually surprisingly juicy
Join The Conversation