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Pan-Seared Chicken Breast

Chicken breast is the most overcooked protein in America. It doesn't have to be dry. It doesn't have to taste like cardboard. You just have to stop treating it like it personally wronged you. Here's how to cook it properly.

Prep: 5 min Cook: 15 min Serves: 2 Medium

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Take the chicken out of the fridge 15-20 minutes before cooking. Cold chicken in a hot pan = uneven cooking = dry outside, raw inside. Let it come to room temperature. This is not negotiable.
  2. Here's the secret most people miss: those chicken breasts are probably uneven - thick on one end, thin on the other. Either butterfly them (cut horizontally almost through, then open like a book) OR pound them to even thickness with a meat mallet (or a heavy pan wrapped in plastic wrap). Even thickness = even cooking.
  3. Pat the chicken COMPLETELY dry with paper towels. Wet chicken doesn't sear, it steams. You want a golden crust, not a pale, sad, rubbery surface.
  4. Season GENEROUSLY with salt and pepper on both sides. Add garlic powder, paprika, or Italian seasoning if using. Don't be shy - most of it won't stick anyway.
  5. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pan (cast iron is ideal, stainless works too) over medium-high heat until it shimmers and just barely starts to smoke. This is important - the pan needs to be hot.
  6. Place the chicken in the pan, presentation side down. Now - and this is crucial - LEAVE IT ALONE. Don't poke it. Don't move it. Don't lift it up to check every 30 seconds. Leave it for 5-6 minutes. It will release naturally when it's ready.
  7. Flip when the bottom is golden brown and releases easily from the pan. Add the butter, reduce heat to medium. Cook another 5-6 minutes. If you want to be fancy, baste the chicken with the melted butter using a spoon.
  8. Check the internal temperature. You want 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. If you don't have a meat thermometer, get one. Seriously. They're like $10 and eliminate all guesswork. Cut into chicken to check doneness if you must, but know you're letting juices escape.
  9. REST THE CHICKEN. Put it on a cutting board and leave it alone for 5 minutes. This lets the juices redistribute. If you cut into it immediately, all those juices run out onto the board and your chicken is dry. Be patient.
  10. Slice against the grain if you're serving it sliced. Or just eat it whole. You've earned it.

Stuff You Might Need

A heavy pan - Cast iron is best, but stainless steel works. Non-stick won't give you a good sear.

A meat thermometer - Stop guessing. They're cheap. Buy one. Use it.

Something to pound the chicken - A meat mallet, a heavy pan, or just your fist wrapped in plastic wrap if you're feeling primal.