This pan-fried chicken breast recipe is the most used recipe in our family. It’s simple, easy and crazy quick to make. And it’s delicious! Really, all you need is 4 minutes of prep time and 6 minutes of cooking time. The recipe is so easy that even a child can successfully make it. In fact, this was the first ‘meat’ recipe that my daughter mastered when she was just starting to learn to cook. Getting a pan-fried chicken breast come out tender and succulent has always been a problem for me. If you can do it, please, let me know your secret. In my case, chicken breasts would dry out quite a bit before they cook all the way through. That is because the heat goes in one direction on a frying pan. One side gets super hot while the other is cooling down. Then there is thickness and uneven surface to deal with. All these factors contribute to inefficient heating, uneven cooking and, as a result, drying out.
The secret to a quick and succulent pan-fried chicken breast
After some experimenting and a few tiny light bulbs going on, I found a way. The solution I eventually came up with is ridiculously simple and consists of three parts:
Just like when frying lean pork chops, you want to fry chicken breasts quickly, which means doing it over a fairly high heat. Thick chicken breast won’t cook through over high heat before the exterior noticeably dries out. Instead, a chicken breast needs to be sliced in half, even in three pieces, if it’s particularly large and thick.
To fix the issue with one-directional heating, I pan-fry my chicken breasts covered. This way steam heats the breast from the top while it’s frying, resulting in quick and efficient cooking. Besides, all that moisture from the steam keeps the breast nicely moist and prevents it from drying out. Though, fully covering the pan results in poor browning, so I leave a small crack open just to let some steam out. Using this method, I don’t even use a thermometer. Three minutes per side over medium-high heat and the breast is fully cooked, moist and juicy inside. Looking for more great pan-fried chicken breast or similar recipes? Check these out:
Chicken Francese with Crispy Crust Chicken Piccata Pasta
