Boneless skinless chicken breasts - is there anything more boring? They are difficult to cook and often served dry, chewy and tasteless. After many attempts to make exciting dishes with BSCBs, we now avoid them in favor of the more tasty (and forgiving) thighs.
We do have one method, however, that makes unfailingly juicy and succulent boneless skinless chicken breasts. We have given up on all our fancy experimentation and, when confronted with a pair of the little buggers, return to this with very consistent and satisfying results. Even so, each time still feels like magic.
This method takes trust; you can't check them or really watch them cooking. But I promise that if you follow this method exactly you won't be disappointed. I learned it from the old Joy of Cooking, which gives this method its special label: Cockaigne, reserved for only their personal favorite and best recipes.
Moist and Tender Chicken Breasts
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, of even thickness
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
Handful of herbs (optional)
Olive oil and butter
If you have a little time before cooking dinner, lightly salt and pepper the chicken breasts. It's great if you can do this the night before, but it's not necessary.
Mix about a half teaspoon of salt in with the flour along with a little pepper. Chop the herbs finely, if using, and mix in as well.
Dredge both sides of the chicken lightly in the flour.
Heat a large heavy skillet (with a lid) over medium high heat, with a little olive oil and about half a tablespoon of butter. Quickly sear both sides of the chicken breast until just faintly golden; you don't want the insides to cook much at all.
Cover tightly and turn the heat down very low. Cook for 10 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from the heat and let sit for another 10 minutes, still tightly covered.
Remove lid and serve. There is usually just enough chicken fat, along with pan juices, to make a simple sauce, too.
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I always get great, moist boneless skinless chicken breasts with a grill pan and a yogurt-mustard-herb marinade.
But for my day-to-day cooking, I, too, have defected to thighs. Can't beat 'em.
view prolix's profile
prolix - that marinade sounds great!
view faith's profile
I can't relate to the "foodie" aversion to chicken. I realize that it's not the most elegant or versatile protein, however.
I usually get the best results with chicken by grilling/bbqing or baking. Pan-frying is more difficult, for me, at least.
I've always loved breaded and baked chicken, I usually mix mustard with egg to coat, and mix bread crumbs with lots of herbs and chopped almonds.
view kari-anne's profile
I do something similar with chicken breasts - quickly searing and covering the dish seems to work perfectly!
I would love to hear your tips on cooking chicken thighs. I grew up on BSCBs, so I'm not used to working with the thighs, and I find them so frustrating to cut up! Any time I've done a stir-fry or other dish where they need to be in bite-size pieces, I've ended up standing there for 45 minutes cutting out the nasty bits, and swearing never to buy them again. Any ideas?
view SisterRae's profile
Someone once told me never to put salt on any kind of meat prior to cooking -- because it leaches out the juices from the meat. Not sure if this is true or not, but I salt after cooking. Also, for cooking multiple boneless chicken breasts, I pound them so they are all even thicknesses -- this way, there aren't thinner ones overcooking in the pan while the thicker ones get done.
view robyn's profile
I don't know why, but I get the best results on my panini grill. The chicken is never dry and has plenty of flavor. I just throw a couple frozen (yep) boneless, skinless slabs from the bag on the pre-heated grill and turn once. I also let them set for about 4-5 minutes. I do add a bit of cayenne, a squeeze of lime and some red Hawaiian sea salt just before the turn, but that's about it.
view JasonD's profile
Usually the method of cooking that I use doesnt matter but I do like to grill my breast and to advoid it from getting dried out I rub the chicken and cover it with kosher salt and let it set and absorb, which generally takes and hour or two depending on thickness, rinse and season and throw it on the grill. Always comes out juicy and tasty.
view yeknomlana's profile
a simple and foolproof way to make BSCBs that come out supremely juicy every time: bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
I always defrost and marinate or season with herbs before baking. But I assure you the chicken comes out perfect.
view kkbutler's profile
I did a gluten free casein free version of Faith's "Moist and Tender" recipe above with rice flour, garbanzo bean flour, cumin, cayenne pepper, s&p and grapeseed oil. It was really good and had a light crispiness... and yes, the chicken was juicy.
view JasonD's profile
Tried this methid last night to prepare some chicken breasts for Chicken Marsala, delicious and not a bit dry!!!
view PracticingMuse's profile
I made this last night, and it was wonderful. Where have you been all my life? Thank-you.
view MaryMcK's profile