Pan Seared Chicken Breast

Have you always wondered why cooking chicken can sometimes be a 'hit or miss' - or is it just me?  Well, all those looooong hours of watching Food Network can glean you little bits and pieces of knowledge that can change the way you cook.  And then you wonder WHY? you didn't think of that yourself.  Or at least I do. 

TIP NO. 1 - bring meat to room temperature before you cook it in a pan.  When you throw them in the skillet straight from the fridge you spend most of the cooking time just warming them up, and then the outside is dry and the inside is still raw. 

TIP NO. 2 - pound the chicken breast to make it cook evenly.  Don't you hate when you get that skinny little end that's overcooked and the thick end that's a little undercooked?  I put the chicken breasts between two paper towels or foil ('cause you don't want juices flying everywhere...eeeuuuuwww) and then pound them to an even thickness with my rolling pin.  It doesn't have to be paper thin, just uniformly about the same thickness.

Print the recipe:  Pan Seared Chicken Breast

Pan Seared Chicken Breast

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin
salt and pepper to taste



Take chicken out of fridge and let the chill come off.

Melt butter and heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, and add to the pan. Do not crowd the pan, leave room in between them.

Cook for about 5 minutes without moving the breasts. Then turn them over and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes on the other side.

Set aside, and keep warm. Let the chicken ‘rest’ for about 5 minutes before slicing.