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Do you ever feel intimidated by cooking chicken breasts, worried they’ll be dry, rubbery, or undercooked? In this foolproof recipe, we’ll master the art of cooking Juicy Chicken Breasts every single time.
I’ll show you how to cook perfectly cooked, melt-in-your-mouth tender boneless chicken breasts on the stove. These breasts can be used in various recipes, from salads to pastas, wraps, bowls, and everything in between.
I use this method for cooking chicken dishes all the time, for recipes like my Cajun Chicken Pasta, Chicken Rosé Pasta (pink pasta), Chicken Bacon Broccoli Alfredo, or my Blackened Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders.
Juicy Chicken Breasts
In our household, chicken breasts are on a weekly rotation, so if I am not using my Chicken Shawarma in a Loaf Pan method, you can find me pan-frying these perfect, juicy chicken breasts.
The best part about this recipe is that it’s a versatile cooking method that can be adapted to your favorite seasonings or to match your desired cuisine. So get your meal plans ready and make a batch of these at the beginning of the week to save you so much time.
Never worry about rolling the dice on whether your boneless chicken breasts will turn out dry, rubbery, or overcooked. This method is truly foolproof.
Key Ingredients
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: It is important to start with quality chicken. I avoid getting cheap chicken whenever possible. Air-chilled chicken is always going to be better quality, naturally juicier, and not soaked in chlorine. Bell & Evans is my absolute favorite brand of chicken. On the East Coast, you can find them at Whole Foods.
Seasonings – Below is a list of my favorite versatile seasoning blends for making these juicy chicken breasts.
Olive Oil – just enough to coat the bottom of the pan.
Chicken Broth – or stock works too. It allows the chicken to braise in the liquid and stay moist as it finishes cooking off the heat.
How to Cook Juicy Chicken Breasts on the Stove
Carefully pound chicken breasts until they are uniform in thickness, about 1/4 inch thick.
Rub the chicken on both sides with a drizzle of olive oil, then season liberally working the seasonings into the chicken to ensure they are well coated on all sides. Allow them to rest for 15 minutes to remove the chill from the fridge.
Meanwhile, get a skillet heated to medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or enough to coat the bottom).
Once the pan is hot, add in chicken breasts an inch apart and allow to cook undisturbed for 5 minutes.
Flip (just once – resist all urge!). Reduce heat to simmer and carefully add 1/2 cup of chicken broth/stock. Immediately cover the pan and keep over simmer for 5 minutes. Then turn off the heat and leave chicken covered and undisturbed for 10 minutes.
Remove lid and toss the chicken in the pan juices. Remove chicken from pan and transfer onto a plate tented in foil for 5 minutes before slicing.
Store in an air tight container in the fridge with some of the pan juices. Reheat chicken with juices to keep the chicken moist.
Chicken Breast Seasoning
There are endless options for flavoring your chicken breasts. Here are some of my go-to seasonings that pair well with salads, sandwiches, pastas, etc.:
- All-Purpose Seasoning – 1 tsp salt, 1 1/4 tsp paprika, 1 1/4 tsp cracked pepper, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp coriander.
- Blackened Cajun Seasoning – 1 tbsp paprika, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp dried parsley, 3/4 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp brown sugar, 3/4 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp cracked pepper
- Greek Seasoning – 2 tsp dried basil, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp dried minced onion (or dried “chopped” onion), 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp cracked pepper, 1 tsp dill weed, 1 tsp marjoram, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1 tsp dried rosemary.
- Italian Seasoning – After discovering McCormick’s Perfect Pinch Italian Seasoning, I don’t bother making it homemade. It’s really solid.
Ways to Use Juicy Chicken Breast
Once you have your perfect juicy baked chicken breast, there are so many incredible ways to use it!
- Serve Vegetables. This tender, melt-in-your-mouth chicken pairs perfectly with your favorite veggie sides, such as roasted sweet potatoes, broccoli, and green beans.
- Serve with Pasta or Rice. Serve your chicken with any of your favorite pasta or rice dishes (my Blackened Chicken Alfredo or One-Pan Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Rice)
- On Salads or Bowls. All delicious salads are even better topped with protein, and these super soft and juicy chicken breasts are the perfect addition. Try this Street Corn Creamy Cucumber Salad or my viral Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad.
- In a Recipe. Use this chicken in a recipe that calls for cooked chicken. See my full list of Chicken Dishes for more ideas!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe for meal-prep-friendly juicy chicken breasts. Please comment below with any questions or feedback!
If you make these or any other recipes, don’t forget to tag me on IG @BadBatchBaking to be featured on my story. Seeing your recreations makes my day!
Perfect Juicy Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 3-4 chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons seasonings** see notes below for seasoning options
- salt and cracked pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
Instructions
- Carefully pound chicken breasts until they are uniform in thickness, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Rub the chicken on both sides with a drizzle of olive oil, then season liberally working the seasonings into the chicken to ensure they are well coated on all sides. Allow them to rest for 15 minutes to remove the chill from the fridge.
- Meanwhile, get a skillet heated to medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or enough to coat the bottom).
- Once the pan is hot, add in chicken breasts an inch apart and allow to cook undisturbed for 5 minutes.
- Flip (just once – resist all urge!). Reduce heat to simmer and carefully add 1/2 cup of chicken broth/stock. Immediately cover the pan and keep over simmer for 5 minutes. Then turn off the heat and leave chicken covered and undisturbed for 10 minutes.
- Remove lid and toss the chicken in the pan juices. Remove chicken from pan and transfer onto a plate tented in foil for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Store in an air tight container in the fridge with some of the pan juices. Reheat chicken with juices to keep the chicken moist.
Notes
- All-Purpose Seasoning – 1 tsp salt, 1 1/4 tsp paprika, 1 1/4 tsp cracked pepper, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp coriander.
- Blackened Cajun Seasoning – 1 tbsp paprika, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp dried parsley, 3/4 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp brown sugar, 3/4 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp cracked pepper
- Greek Seasoning – 2 tsp dried basil, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp dried minced onion (or dried “chopped” onion), 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp cracked pepper, 1 tsp dill weed, 1 tsp marjoram, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1 tsp dried rosemary.
- Italian Seasoning – After discovering McCormick’s Perfect Pinch Italian Seasoning, I don’t bother making it homemade. It’s really solid.
Here are some photos for your Pinterest boards:
