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Juicy Chicken Breasts · Pan-Seared

Juicy Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts

4

Hands-free cooking

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Reading aloud

Before you start

Gather your ingredients

  • Swaps for boneless skinless chicken breasts

    Instead of chicken breasts or thighs

    • Chicken thighs: The same weight. Juicier and richer; cook a few minutes longer.
    • Extra-firm tofu or chickpeas: About the same weight of pressed tofu, or 1½ cups chickpeas per ½ lb chicken. A different dish, but it takes the same seasoning well.

    More for chicken breasts or thighs

    Cook all chicken to 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, checked with a thermometer.

  • Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • Swaps for garlic powder

    Instead of garlic

    • Fresh garlic: 1 clove for each ⅛ tsp powder, minced fine. Sharper and stronger.
    • Granulated garlic: About twice as much as the powder. The same flavor in coarser grains, which blend better into rubs.

    More for garlic

  • Swaps for paprika

    Instead of paprika

    • Smoked paprika: The same amount. Adds a smoky flavor; lovely in most savory dishes.
    • Chili powder: The same amount. Adds cumin, garlic and a little heat.

    More for paprika

  • Swaps for dried thyme

    Instead of thyme

    • Fresh thyme: 1 tbsp chopped fresh for each 1 tsp dried (three times as much). Brighter and more lemony.
    • Italian seasoning or dried marjoram: The same amount. Close; Italian seasoning adds oregano and basil.

    More for thyme

  • Swaps for olive oil

    Instead of olive oil

    • Avocado oil or another neutral oil: The same amount. No olive flavor; avocado oil handles higher heat.
    • Butter: The same amount. Richer and nutty when browned.
    • A neutral oil + more seasoning: The same amount. Dressings lose the fruity, peppery note; a little extra lemon, garlic or mustard makes up for it.

    More for olive oil

Step 1 of 7

Put one chicken breast at a time inside a zip-top bag or between two sheets of plastic wrap.

Step 2 of 7

Pound (how to pound thin) Pound thin Flatten meat to an even thickness so it cooks quickly and evenly. 1. Put the meat between two sheets of plastic wrap or in a zip-top bag with the air pressed out.2. Start in the thickest part and hit it with the flat side of a meat mallet, a rolling pin or a small heavy pan.3. Work outward, pushing as much as hitting, so it spreads instead of tearing.4. Stop when it is the thickness the recipe asks for all over. Done when: The piece is the same thickness edge to edge, usually ¼ to ½ inch, with no holes. Safety: Raw meat, poultry and fish juices carry germs: use a separate board, wash your hands and tools after, and cook to a safe temperature checked with a thermometer.How to pound chicken and cutlets thin: mistakes to avoid
the thick end with the flat side of a meat mallet until the whole breast is an even 3/4 inch thick.

Step 3 of 7

Pat the chicken dry. Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and thyme and sprinkle it over both sides.

Step 4 of 7

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.

Step 5 of 7

Lay the chicken in the pan, smooth side down, and cook without moving it until golden underneath.

Step 6 of 7

Flip the chicken, lower the heat to medium and cook until the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C).

165°F

Step 7 of 7

Move the chicken to a cutting board and let it
rest (how to rest) Rest Leave cooked meat, baked goods or dough alone for a while before you cut, slice or shape it. 1. Move meat to a board or plate as soon as it is done (a few degrees shy of target for big roasts; it keeps rising).2. Tent it loosely with foil if the kitchen is cool.3. Rest steaks and chops 5 minutes, roasts 15 to 20, a turkey 30.4. For dough, cover it so it doesn't dry out while it relaxes. Done when: Meat juices stay in when you slice; dough rolls out without springing back. Safety: Rest at room temperature for under an hour, then refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.How to rest meat and dough: mistakes to avoid
before slicing.

All done

Enjoy!

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Ingredients

  • Swaps for boneless skinless chicken breasts

    Instead of chicken breasts or thighs

    • Chicken thighs: The same weight. Juicier and richer; cook a few minutes longer.
    • Extra-firm tofu or chickpeas: About the same weight of pressed tofu, or 1½ cups chickpeas per ½ lb chicken. A different dish, but it takes the same seasoning well.

    More for chicken breasts or thighs

    Cook all chicken to 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, checked with a thermometer.

  • Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • Swaps for garlic powder

    Instead of garlic

    • Fresh garlic: 1 clove for each ⅛ tsp powder, minced fine. Sharper and stronger.
    • Granulated garlic: About twice as much as the powder. The same flavor in coarser grains, which blend better into rubs.

    More for garlic

  • Swaps for paprika

    Instead of paprika

    • Smoked paprika: The same amount. Adds a smoky flavor; lovely in most savory dishes.
    • Chili powder: The same amount. Adds cumin, garlic and a little heat.

    More for paprika

  • Swaps for dried thyme

    Instead of thyme

    • Fresh thyme: 1 tbsp chopped fresh for each 1 tsp dried (three times as much). Brighter and more lemony.
    • Italian seasoning or dried marjoram: The same amount. Close; Italian seasoning adds oregano and basil.

    More for thyme

  • Swaps for olive oil

    Instead of olive oil

    • Avocado oil or another neutral oil: The same amount. No olive flavor; avocado oil handles higher heat.
    • Butter: The same amount. Richer and nutty when browned.
    • A neutral oil + more seasoning: The same amount. Dressings lose the fruity, peppery note; a little extra lemon, garlic or mustard makes up for it.

    More for olive oil