Perfect Pan Seared Chicken Breasts (VIDEO)
These are perfectly pan seared chicken breasts that are gauranteed to be juicy and delicious! Follow my key tips to ensure they come out juicy with a great crust - perfect for pastas, salads, or on their own!
Servings: 4
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and carefully slice the chicken breasts into 2 filets about ½ inch thick (or use a meat mallet). Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
- In a small bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and dried thyme.
- Season both sides of the chicken breast with the seasoning mix and let sit for 15 minutes. Pat dry excess moisture with a paper towel.
- In a large nonstick pan over high heat, add the neutral oil. Lay the chicken down in a single layer and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Flip and sear the other side and continue cooking until the internal temperature reads 165F. Remove and let rest 4-5 minutes before slicing.
Notes
My secret to perfect Chicken Breasts cooked on a pan is slicing the chicken breasts into 1/2" thick filets! Chicken breasts from the grocery store are too thick, especially in the center. When cooking it on a pan, the center oftentimes is still raw or undercooked, while the outside overcooks or even burns. Slicing it into 1/2" thick pieces allows the chicken breasts to cook quickly on the pan while avoiding being raw in the center.
Season both sides of the chicken breast with the seasoning mix and let sit for 15 minutes. Don't skip this step! This time will help the seasoning and salt penetrate the chicken, which will help the chicken stay juicy and promote browning when cooked. There will be residual moisture that comes up through the chicken, so pat it dry just before adding to the pan to build a great crust on the chicken breast.
Optional: after the first flip in step 4, add 4 tbsp of butter and reduce the heat to medium. Baste the chicken breasts with the foaming butter until the internal temperature reads 155F. The butter adds an extra richness to the chicken breasts.
Once the chicken reaches 155F (I highly suggest investing in a good instant read thermometer - the one I use is linked above), let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing into it to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat and they don't end up on your cutting board.
Store any leftover cooked Chicken Breast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can eat it cold (like on top of salads) or warm it up quickly in the microwave.
This is a great recipe for meal prepping - you can make it ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator for easy access during the week!
Nutrition
Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 423mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg