If you’ve been looking for perfectly cooked, juicy as all get-out pan-seared chicken… look no further!
Pan-seared chicken is a staple in our house- and when you do it well, it’s FAST, you only need a few ingredients and it’s super juicy and flavorful (no more dry chicken, over here!).
A few tips for juicy pan-seared chicken:
Slice your chicken in half width-wise for more even cooking
Let rest 5-20 minutes prior to cooking
Season WELL with kosher salt and pepper, garlic powder and herbs of choice
Make sure you have enough oil to coat the pan before searing (and the pan is hot but not smoking– you want a drop of water to evaporate quickly!)
Sear for 2-3 minutes WITHOUT TOUCHING!
Then, flip.
Reduce heat to medium. If chicken is thick, COVER (lid or foil) and continue to cook in the pan 4-6 minutes OR transfer to a 400 oven to finish cooking, 8-10 minutes.
Chicken is done when it just reaches 165F (no need to go higher!). Make sure to REST your chicken 5-10 minutes before serving.
Perfect Pan-Seared Chicken Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, butterflied OR pounded thin (1/2″ thickness)
kosher salt, garlic powder and herb de provence or Italian seasoning
1 tbsp avocado or olive oil
Instructions:
Remove chicken from fridge at least 5 minutes prior to cooking (15-20 minutes preferred). If using oven method (see step 6), preheat oven to 400F.
Heat oil in a large cast-iron (preferred) or saute pan to medium high.
Pat chicken dry and season WELL with kosher salt, garlic powder and herbs.
Make sure pan is HOT before adding chicken. Place chicken in pan (careful to avoid splattering).
Sear for 2-3 minutes, until golden. DO NOT touch until two minutes is up (if chicken isn’t golden after two minutes, your heat wasn’t high enough!)
Flip chicken, reduce heat to medium-low. If chicken is thick, cover with a lid (no lid? foil works here, too). OR (my preference for larger batches), place in a 400F oven for 8-10 minutes until just cooked (165F)- do not over cook!
Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until chicken reaches internal temperature of just 165F.
Remove from heat and let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.
2 chicken breasts, butterflied OR pounded thin (1/2″ thickness)
kosher salt, garlic powder and herb de provence or Italian seasoning
1 tbsp avocado or olive oil
Instructions
Remove chicken from fridge at least 5 minutes prior to cooking (15-20 minutes preferred).
Heat oil in a large cast-iron (preferred) or saute pan to medium high.
Pat chicken dry and season WELL with kosher salt, garlic powder and herbs.
Make sure pan is HOT before adding chicken. Place chicken in pan (careful to avoid splattering).
Sear for 2-3 minutes, until golden. DO NOT touch until two minutes is up (if chicken isn’t golden after two minutes, your heat wasn’t high enough!)
Flip chicken, reduce heat to medium-low. If chicken is thick, cover with a lid (no lid? foil works here, too). OR (my preference for larger batches), place in a 400F oven for 8-10 minutes until just cooked (165F)- do not over cook!
Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until chicken reaches internal temperature of just 165F.
Remove from heat and let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.
