Best Chicken Breast Recipes (2024)

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By Pillsbury Kitchens

Updated April 14, 2020

Chicken breasts for dinner doesn’t have to equal “sad and boring.” From cozy casseroles and stuffed chicken breasts to quick skillet meals and crunchy fried chicken, these chicken breast recipes are all simple, easy to prepare and (most importantly) totally delicious. Keep this list on hand for busy weeknights, weekend family dinners or any other time you need a flavorful meal that’s guaranteed to please.

Chicken breastis a popular cut of meat for a number of reasons: it’s usually pretty cheap, incredibly versatile and it’s the leanest cut of the chicken, so you can feel good about serving it to your family and eating it yourself. If you don’t have much experience cooking with chicken breasts, keep these expert kitchen tips handy while you cook.

Tip 1: When you are shopping for chicken breasts at the grocery store, you’ll notice they are sold in varying amounts of weight and thickness. When you take them out of the package, each cut may be thicker on one end and thinner on the other. To ensure even cooking, give your chicken breasts a quick pound with a meat mallet for uniform thickness. The easiest way to do this is to put the chicken breast into a gallon-sized plastic bag and pound until the thickness looks even.

Tip 2: To safely eat cooked chicken, the internal temperature must be at 165°F. Make sure you have an instant-read thermometer handy and stick it in the thickest part of the chicken to check the temperature before serving.

Tip 3: Leftover cooked chicken can be stored in the refrigerator sealed for 3 to 4 days. If you bought raw chicken from the store and don’t intend to cook it right away, throw it in your freezer until you are ready to cook with it.

Still not sure what to make with chicken breast? Whether you are using a skillet, the oven or a slow cooker, read our guide to how to cook chicken breastfor all the best ideas for things to make with chicken breast and more expert kitchen tips and tricks.

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Best Chicken Breast Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to cook chicken breast without drying it out? ›

Make sure your chicken breast is well-seasoned before adding it to the pan. Cook each side evenly until brown. Once done, bake the chicken breast in a pre-heated oven until juices run clear. The crispy skin from the sear will help keep juices intact while baking cooks the insides through without drying them out.

What is the best way to cook chicken breasts to keep them moist? ›

  1. Flatten the chicken breasts. ...
  2. Heat the pan. ...
  3. Cook the chicken breasts over medium heat for 1 minute without moving. ...
  4. Flip the chicken breasts. ...
  5. Turn the heat down to low. ...
  6. Cover the pan and cook on low for 10 minutes. ...
  7. Turn off the heat and let sit for an additional 10 minutes. ...
  8. Remove lid and take temperature.

What is the secret to tender chicken breast? ›

The best tenderizer though, is a salted yogurt marinade. The salt has the same effect as in a regular brine, but the lactic acid in the yogurt further tenderizes the meat. A 15-minute marinade with one cup of yogurt and one teaspoon of salt makes for the most tender chicken breasts imaginable.

What cooking method is best for chicken breast? ›

What Is The Best Way To Cook A Chicken Breast? Cooking a boneless and skinless chicken breast in a hot cast iron pan is by far the easiest and most tasty way to cook the breast. You are far less likely to overcook the chicken breast compared to baking it in the oven or poaching it in water.

What can I add to chicken to make it less dry? ›

Let's talk tips when it comes to juicy chicken breast, listen she's lean so she needs fat and acid to break it down and introduce some moisture and my go tos are always lemon juice and good olive oil, i then add flavor with grated garlic, some seasoning, salt and pepper and I like a little Dijon or coarse mustard ...

Is it better to bake chicken at 350 or 400? ›

Given the fact that drumsticks and thighs are dark meat and won't dry out as easily as breasts, the range from 350 to 450 degrees is okay for baking them. 350 to 375 is generally best for breasts. The best answer to these questions? Simply check the chicken for doneness using an instant read thermometer.

How to make chicken soft and tender? ›

Here are four simple steps you can follow to make your chicken dishes as juicy, flavorful, and tender as possible:
  1. Debone the pieces of meat. To tenderize pieces of chicken, you'll need to remove any bones left in the meat. ...
  2. Pound the poultry. ...
  3. Marinate your chicken. ...
  4. Cook at an adequate temperature.
Oct 8, 2021

Should I cover chicken breast with foil when baking? ›

When chicken is covered while baking, it traps steam and moisture within the dish, resulting in juicier results. The covering helps prevent excessive evaporation and keeps the chicken moist throughout the cooking process. Preventing dryness. Chicken tends to dry out more quickly when exposed to direct heat.

What is the best tenderizer for chicken breast? ›

Using a marinade is a good way to achieve soft and tender chicken, with plain yogurt or buttermilk being the most commonly used marinades. The two contain acids and enzymes that combine to break the proteins and fiber in the chicken.

What can I soak my chicken in to make it tender? ›

Some of our favorites are yogurt, buttermilk, citrus juices, wine or even store bought salad dressings. We love this recipe for Marinated Chicken Breast (pictured above) that calls for any vinegar you have in the pantry.

What cooking method makes chicken most tender? ›

Fortunately I have one method that makes unfailingly juicy and tender boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Simply heat the chicken breasts quickly on the stovetop then let them poach from the inside out in their juices in a covered pan.

How do top chefs cook chicken breast? ›

Chef's choice is to pan-sear. Pat the brined or marinated chicken breasts dry and cook them over high heat in a skillet. This may sound risky, but a fast blast of heat followed by—and this is the crucial part—letting the chicken rest can help you avoid overcooking it.

How to make chicken breast more juicy? ›

Tips for Juicy Chicken Breast

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.

Should I cook chicken breast with butter or oil? ›

Can you cook chicken with butter instead of oil? You have to cook chicken at a lower temperature if you bake or pan-fry chicken using butter instead of oil. This is because butter has a lower scorching temperature. Your chicken will cook more slowly, but it's also likely to be juicier and full of more flavor.

How do you keep chicken breast from drying out when cooking? ›

Consider brining the chicken before grilling to enhance its moisture retention. A simple brine solution of water, salt, and sugar helps the chicken absorb and retain more water, resulting in juicier meat. Brine the chicken for at least 30 minutes, or up to a few hours, for optimal results.

How do I make sure my chicken breast doesn't dry out in the oven? ›

If you're baking it, keep it covered with a baking sheet or with the pan-top for about 80% of the total baking time, uncover it only when the breast is cooked and tender but there's juices in the pan. Once uncovered, the juices will evaporate quickly in the oven, and you'll have a juicy chicken breast to eat.

How do you make chicken tender and not dry? ›

How to Cook Juicy Chicken Breasts and Tenders Every Time
  1. Marinating chicken (which ingredients tenderize and which have the opposite effect)
  2. Using a brine.
  3. Cooking chicken breasts and tenders to right internal temperature.
  4. Adding fat and basting chicken.
  5. Introducing moisture with a quick pan sauce.
Jan 20, 2021

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