For being a household staple that's used in so many dishes and meals, chicken breasts can sometimes be underwhelming. They are so easy to buy and to prepare, but also fairly easy to mess up. And if you've ever eaten a dry, boring chicken breast (who hasn't?), you know how disappointing this is.
Here are 5 tried-and-true methods to cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts for a flavorful, and NOT DRY piece of chicken.
You can eat these on their own, shred or dice to use in casseroles/pastas/salads/tacos/etc., or freeze to use later!
Jump to:
Baked Chicken Breast
Poached Chicken Breast
Slow Cooker Chicken Breast
Pan-Seared Chicken Breast
Instant Pot Chicken Breast
BAKED CHICKEN BREAST
The Ratings:
| Flavor: 4/5 | Texture: 4/5 |
My preferred way to cook chicken! You can do lots of chicken at once, and it is almost completely hands-off - season, put in the oven, and forget about it (until your timer goes off).
Pros:
- More flavorful
- Can be done from frozen
- Seasonings stick (good for lots of different seasoning options!)
- Shreds well when hot, dices well when cool
Cons:
- Can be dry if overcooked
Best Uses:
- Cooking large quantities of chicken
- Hands-off cooking
Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1 (8-10 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425.Place chicken breast on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 25-30 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165 degrees. Remove chicken to a plate and tent with foil. Rest 5 minutes.
Notes
POACHED CHICKEN BREAST
The Ratings:
| Flavor: 3/5 | Texture: 4/5 |
The best way to make shredded chicken! Use for chicken salad, in casseroles, soups, pastas, etc. Make extra to keep in your freezer for future use.
Pros:
- Ideal for shredded chicken
- Can be done from frozen
- Can add herbs, spices, etc. to the broth for extra flavor
Cons:
- Water needs to be monitored to make sure it's gently boiling
- Will take longer with more chicken
Best Uses:
- Shredded chicken
- Making a light broth
Poached Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1 (8-10 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Place chicken in a small pot and season with salt and pepper. Add enough cold water to cover the chicken by 1-inch. Place pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle boil and cook 10-12 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees. Remove chicken to a plate and tent with foil. Rest 5 minutes.
Notes
SLOW COOKER CHICKEN BREAST
The Ratings:
| Flavor: 3.5/5 | Texture: 4/5 |
The trusty slow cooker is the perfect tool for cooking boneless, skinless chicken breasts! It works equally well for shredded or diced chicken.
Pros:
- Hands-off
- Makes a concentrated broth
- Shreds well when hot, dices well when cool
- Low risk of dry chicken
Cons:
- NOT recommended for frozen (too long in the 'danger zone')
- Not good for large quantities
Best Uses:
- Hands-off cooking
Slow Cooker Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 3 (8-10 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup water
Directions
- Place chicken in a single layer in the basin of a slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper and add water. Cover and cook 2-3 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low.Remove to a plate and cover with foil. Rest 5-10 minutes.
Notes
PAN-SEARED CHICKEN BREAST
The Ratings:
| Flavor: 5/5 | Texture: 5/5 |
The gold standard of a well-cooked, flavorful chicken breast! Juicy on the inside, with a crisp buttery crust on the outside. This is a really simple, satisfying chicken to serve on its own, or to slice for salads. It is also the quickest way to cook chicken!
Pros:
- Super flavorful
- Quick
- Seasonings stick (good for lots of different seasoning options!)
- Good for slicing/dicing/serving whole
Cons:
- Won't work from frozen
- Might set off your smoke alarm
- Not ideal for shredding
- Difficult to cook a large quantity at once
Best Uses:
- Cooking thawed chicken quickly
- As an easy chicken dish on its own
Pan Seared Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (8-10 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Directions
- Heat olive oil in a skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high. Meanwhile, pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.Once oil is hot, add chicken to skillet and cook - without moving - for 5 minutes. Flip chicken and add the butter. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking - covered - for 10 minutes. Remove chicken along with any juices from the pan to a plate and cover with foil. Rest for 5-10 minutes.
Notes
INSTANT POT CHICKEN BREAST
The Ratings:
| Flavor: 3/5 | Texture: 3.5/5 |
Despite the love/hate relationship I have with my Instant Pot, I am amazed at how well it cooks chicken! It's easy and hands-off, and perfect if you want slow cooker-esque chicken in a fraction of the time. Good for shredding or dicing.
Pros:
- Makes a lighter chicken broth
- Can be done from frozen
- Shreds and dices equally well
Cons:
- Can't check the temperature as it cooks
Best Uses:
- If you want slow cooker-esque chicken, done faster
Instant Pot Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1 (8-10 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup water
Directions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in pressure cooker. Add water and lock lid. Seal valve and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes. Natural pressure release (this means do not move the valve) for 10 minutes. Quick pressure release (this means move the valve) the rest. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover for with foil. Rest for 5-10 minutes.
Notes
Important Things to Know
Chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees farenheit. Because I am terrified of poisoning people, I always temp any meat I cook. We have this inexpensive meat thermometer and like it!
How much chicken per person? If you're serving meat as a main component of the meal, plan for 8-12 ounces/person.
6 ounces of raw boneless, skinless chicken breast will yield about 1 cup of cooked diced/shredded chicken. If you need 4 cups of cooked chicken, you'll want to cook about 1 1/2 pounds of raw chicken.
How long does cooked chicken last? Cooked chicken will keep 4 days in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer.
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