How to Cook a Chicken Breast

Co-authored by Alex Hong

Last Updated: March 24, 2023 References

There are several ways to cook a chicken breast, including grilling and baking. There are different ways to prepare chicken, however, and some types of chicken breast (such as boneless or bone-in) are better suited to certain cooking methods than others. Despite its simplicity and popularity, chicken is easy to mess up; if you cook it wrong, you'll end up with something that is dry and rubbery, instead of tender and moist. Once you know how to cook chicken properly, you can experiment with your own recipes, marinades, and spices!

Ingredients

Baked Chicken Breasts^{[1]
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4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika

Grilled Chicken Breasts^{[2]
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4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 tablespoons (90 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons lemon zest, from one lemon

Sautéed Chicken Breasts^{[3]
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1 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 to 3 teaspoons olive oil

Poached Chicken Breasts^{[4]
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4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
4 lemon slices
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) soy sauce (optional)
Water

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Making Baked Chicken Breasts

1
Pound the chicken breasts with a meat mallet inside a large, plastic, zippered bag. They need to be about ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) thick. Focus on the thicker areas so that the chicken breasts are all the same thickness by the time you are done.^{[5]
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Research source} Do not rinse the chicken beforehand; you can, however, trim away any excess fat.
- If you don't have a meat mallet, you can use a rolling pin or a jar instead.
- If you don't have a large, plastic, zippered bag, you can use two sheets of plastic wrap. The plastic bags will do a better job at keeping the juices from splattering everywhere, however.
- You can use bone-in chicken breasts for this recipe, but they will take longer to cook. If you are using bone-in chicken breasts, you do not need to pound them.
2
Consider brining boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Fill a large bowl with 1 quart (1 liter) of water. Stir in 1/4 cup (cc grams) of salt, then add 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Leave the chicken in the brine for 15 minutes, then take them out. Rinse the brine off with cold water, and pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels.^{[6]
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- For a more intense brine, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and leave it in the fridge for up to 6 hours.
- Brining chicken breasts is not completely necessary, but it will make the chicken breasts more juicy and flavorful.
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3
Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Make sure that the baking rack is in the middle of the oven.
4
Arrange the chicken breasts in a large baking dish. Leave some space between each breast. If they are too close together, they won't cook evenly. They will also steam, and you won't get that nice, crispy layer on top.
5
Brush both sides of each breast with olive oil, then rub both sides with your seasoning. You can use the seasonings listed in the recipe, of you can use your own. If you are using a mix of seasonings, like the one in the recipe, mix them together in a small bowl first.
6
Bake the chicken for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a cooking thermometer reads 170°F (77°C). Unlike beef, chicken cannot be pink inside or under-cooked. After 15 to 18 minutes, open the oven, and stick a cooking thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. If it reads 170°F (77°C), it is ready.^{[7]
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- Bone-in chicken breasts will take about 15 minutes longer to bake.^{[8]
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  Research source} Be careful not to touch the bone when inserting the thermometer.
- If the temperature does not read 170°F (77°C), even after 18 minutes of baking, then keep cooking the chicken until it does.
- If you want the chicken to be browned and crispy, turn the broiler onto high during the last 3 to 5 minutes of cooking.^{[9]
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7
Take the chicken out of the oven, and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. This will allow all the juices to settle, and make your chicken tender and moist. Keep the pan covered with aluminum foil while the meat is resting so that it doesn't cool or dry off.^{[10]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Making Grilled Chicken Breasts

1
Place the chicken breasts into a plastic, zippered bag and pound it with a meat mallet until it is ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) thick. This helps even out the chicken breasts so that they cook more evenly.^{[11]
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Research source} If you don't own a meat mallet, you can use a rolling pin or heavy jar instead. If you don't have any plastic, zippered bags that are large enough, you can use two sheets of plastic wrap instead.
- Focus on the thickest areas of the chicken breast. You want it to be about the same thickness all around.
- Do not rinse the chicken breasts beforehand. You can trim away any excess fat, however.
- You can use this method to bake bone-in chicken breasts. If you are using bone-in chicken breasts, you do not need to pound them flat.
2
Prepare your marinade. Add the olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, and lemon zest into a large bowl. Briskly stir it together using a whisk or fork.
- If you can't find any dried thyme or oregano, you can use fresh instead. Plan on using three times as much of the fresh herb.^{[12]
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- You can use your own marinade, or even some dressing instead.
- If you plan using some of the marinade during or after grilling, set some aside now. Once the raw chicken touches the marinade, you cannot reuse it.
3
Marinate the chicken for at least 1 to 2 hours.^{[13]
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Research source} Place the chicken into the bowl you mixed the marinade in. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and leave it in the fridge for at least 1 to 2 hours. It would be better if you let it marinate for 4 to 12 hours, however.^{[14]
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4
Clean and grease your grill, and preheat it to high. Scrape the grate clean. Dip a folded paper towel into vegetable oil, then wipe the grate with it. The grate needs to be glossy with oil. Turn the heat up to high.^{[15]
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- Consider having a two-zone fire, with the heat focused on one side. That way, if the chicken cooks too quickly, you can move it to the other side of the grill to finish cooking over a lower temperature.^{[16]
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5
Place the chicken breasts onto the grill once it is done heating. If you are using a two-zone fire, place the chicken on the hotter part of the grill. This way, you can move it to the cooler part if it is cooking too fast. The chicken pieces can be close together, but they should not be touching.
6
Cook the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, turning once. Cook the chicken until the underside turns brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use a pair of tongs to flip the chicken over, then cook it for another 3 to 5 minutes.^{[17]
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Research source} The chicken is ready when the center is no longer pink and the juices are clear.
- If you are cooking bone-in chicken, give it another minute or two on each side.^{[18]
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- Unlike beef, chicken must be completely cooked through. If you want to be extra safe, stick a cooking thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. The temperature should read around 170°F (77°C).
7
Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving it. This allows the juices to settle back into the meat.^{[19]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Making Sautéed Chicken Breasts

1
Place the chicken breasts into a plastic, zippered bag, then pound them flat with meat mallet. The chicken breasts need to be about ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) thick. Focus on the thicker parts of the chicken breast first; you want the breasts to be the same thickness all around. This will help them cook faster and more evenly.^{[21]
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- No meat mallet? No problem! Use a rolling pin or heavy jar instead.
- Can't find any plastic, zippered bags that are big enough? Use two sheets of plastic wrap instead.
- Don't wash the chicken breasts before hand. You can cut away any excess fat if you'd like, however.
- This method is not recommended for bone-in chicken.
2
Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. You can also use your own spices, seasonings, and rubs.
3
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat until it starts to smoke a little.^{[22]
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Research source} If you aren't using a nonstick skillet, lightly coat the skillet with about 2 to 3 teaspoons of cooking oil. Tilt the pan from side-to-side to help the oil spread across the entire surface. If you are using a nonstick skillet, then you don't need to coat it.
4
Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the skillet. The skillet needs to be big enough to big enough to fit all of the chicken breasts in one layer with some space in between each breast. If the skillet is too small, the chicken will steam instead.^{[23]
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5
Lower the heat to medium, then cook the chicken for 8 to 12 minutes, turning it occasionally using a spatula. It is ready when the inside is no longer pink, and the juices are clear. The temperature should read 170°F (77°C).
- Stick a cooking thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. It needs to read 170°F (77°C).
- If the chicken is browning too quickly, lower the heat to medium-low.
6
Serve the chicken, or use it in your recipe. Sautéed chicken is tasty on its own, especially if served alongside some rice. You can also slice it up, and serve it on top of a salad, or use it in a sandwich.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Making Poached Chicken Breasts

1
Arrange the chicken breasts in the bottom of a large saucepan. It's okay if the chicken breasts overlap, but they will cook more evenly if they don't.^{[24]
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- Skinless, boneless chicken is the best for this method, but you can use bone-in chicken as well.
- Do not wash the chicken breasts beforehand, as this will only spread bacteria. Any bacteria will be killed during the cooking process.
2
Sprinkle some salt and pepper on top of the chicken, then add the lemon slices, fresh thyme, and rosemary. At this point, you can also add in some soy sauce for extra flavor.
3
Cover the chicken with water. The water should be 1 to 1½ inches (2.54 to 3.81 centimeters) above the chicken. How much water you use will depend on the size of your saucepan.
4
Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then let it simmer, covered, over low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes. The thicker the chicken breasts are, the longer they will cook. They are ready when the meat is no longer pink inside.^{[25]
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- If you are using bone-in chicken, it will need to cook for about 20 minutes.^{[27]
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5
Take the poached chicken out of the saucepan and serve it. Use a pair of tongs so you don't burn yourself. You can serve the chicken as is, or you cut or shred the meat, and use it in your recipe. You can also discard the water, or strain it, and use it as a base for soups or sauces.

Expert Q&A

Question

What's the best way to cook chicken breasts?

Alex Hong
Executive Chef & Restaurant Owner
Alex Hong is the Executive Chef and Co-Owner of Sorrel, a New American restaurant in San Francisco. He has been working in restaurants for over ten years. Alex is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and has worked in the kitchens of Jean-Georges and Quince, both Michelin-starred restaurants.

Alex Hong

Executive Chef & Restaurant Owner

Expert Answer

I love roasting a whole bird, but I'm also a big fan of grilling. I like to take the meat off the cage and throw it on the grill to get all the smoky flavors.
Question

What is the best way to make fried chicken, and should I boil it?

Community Answer

There is no need to boil chicken before cooking it any other way. Season your chicken with salt and anything else you like. Dredge the chicken pieces in seasoned flour and maybe an egg wash. Then, submerge and cook in 365 degree oil until the chicken floats and is golden-brown.

Warnings

Never under-cook chicken. Unlike steak, it must be completely cooked inside, with absolutely no pink.

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Cook your chicken thoroughly to avoid illness or salmonella poisoning. The inside of your chicken breast should be 170°F (77°C).

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To avoid cross contamination and risk of food poisoning, always wash your hands and kitchen utensils using soap and warm water after handling the chicken.

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Never reuse marinade. If you want to brush cooked chicken with extra marinade, set some aside at the very beginning.^{[29]
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There is a lot of debate about whether or not you should rinse chicken beforehand. The USDA and FDA both claim that rinsing meat (especially poultry) actually spreads bacteria, which can lead to food-borne illnesses, such as salmonella. Any bacteria on the meat would be killed during the cooking process.^{[30]
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US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health
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