The boneless skinless chicken breast is synonymous with fast dinner, and with good reason! You can turn it into so many meals relatively quickly, but there is one slight problem. Boneless skinless chicken breasts don’t have a ton of flavor, and because they are so lean they can dry out quickly if you overcook them.
Never fear! There is a tried and true method you can quickly use to turn your plain chicken breasts into juicy, tender stars of dinner. And it’s lurking in our otherwise unassuming recipe for grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Why A Brine Makes For Juicy Chicken
The secret is to quick brine your chicken breasts! When you quick brine chicken breasts, a little meat osmosis happens and some of the salt moves into the chicken. Not only does this flavor the chicken, but it also helps the chicken retain juices while cooking, giving you a juicier final product.
There is a word of caution with this trick. If you over-brine the chicken, you’ll end up with some kind of cured chicken with an odd texture, which isn’t great. So don’t let the chicken breasts sit in the brine for more than 30 minutes, which is probably time you could use to prepare other parts of your meal.
A brine is simply a mixture of water and salt to get a solution with a certain percent of salt. Of course, you could add other spices or flavors to the brine (personally I sometimes like to add lemon slices to mine), but at its most basic a brine is just salt and water.
The amounts of salt and water are very important here so don’t stray from them. For 4 cups of cold water, you’ll want to add 33 grams of salt. This works out to different volumes depending on the type of salt you are using. For Diamond brand kosher salt, it’ll be 1/4 cup of salt, for Morton Kosher salt it will work out to 2 tablespoons of salt, or you could use 1 1/2 tablespoons of fine sea salt.
Stir the salt into the water until it’s completely dissolved. Feel free to double this brine recipe if you need more liquid to cover your chicken completely.
Once you have your brined chicken, the best way to cook them is to dry them off, oil them lightly, and grill them (a grill pan works, too). Be sure to check out our grilled boneless skinless chicken breasts recipe for more instructions on how to finish these off.
Try this method and you’ll never worry about dried out or bland chicken breasts again!
“Such a simple 'no-brainer' made my grilled chicken a huge success.” - Jon
“It was my first time brining the chicken. It came out so juicy and delicious that my fiancé said she’ll definitely marry me now! Thank you! It was totally worth it!” - Ryan
“I always wondered what I was doing wrong with chicken breasts...not brining! This recipe is perfect. We grill many at a time because it's SO good! Especially a great base to add any seasonings you choose...teriyaki, spicy, lemon pepper, etc. Endless! Thank you!” - Alexandra
“Pickle juice is a great alternative to use as a brine option as well. Use it all the time and makes for deliriously moist chicken.” - Chris P.
A marinade adds both moisture and intense flavor to chicken breast. The longer you marinate, the better. Seal the chicken in your marinade for two to three hours minimum. However, overnight is ideal.
Her suggestion: Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a pan in a single layer, cover with a few inches of liquid (water, broth, etc.), add flavorings (spices, salt, herbs, soy sauce, etc.), then bring the liquid just barely to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the liquid simmers.
There are three key tricks: tenderize, marinate, and controlled cooking time. When you use all three of these methods, you will have succulent, moist chicken every time, and you can apply these strategies to other cuts of meat as well.
After your chicken breasts are done cooking, let them rest for at least half the time that you cooked them for before slicing into them. This will ensure that the breasts stay super juicy and flavorful, and that they're fully cooked. Trust me, waiting the few extra minutes pays off big time — every time.
Because chicken isn't a very fatty cut of meat, you'll want to add some fat to keep the meat hydrated. Most recipes use butter or oil for cooking chicken, but mayo is the better fat option when it comes to producing juicy chicken.
The best way to cook a chicken breast so it's moist and tender and not dry is to cook it in a water bath in a vacuum sealed bag. The temperature of the water bath should be between 150–160F. The chicken should be seared in a hot pan for no more than 2 minutes per side for color and texture.
A generous amount of salt—after you've dried the chicken well with paper towels—will help the interior of the bird stay moist while crisping the skin and enhancing the flavor.
Using a marinade is a good way to achieve soft and tender chicken, with plain yogurt or buttermilk being the most commonly used marinades. The two contain acids and enzymes that combine to break the proteins and fiber in the chicken.
For every 250g/8oz chicken breast strips or pieces, toss with 3/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carb) Marinate for 20 minutes. Rinse well under running water, pat with paper towel to remove excess water. Cook per chosen recipe and marvel at the most tender chicken breast you've ever had, just like at Chinese restaurants!!!
Why is my chicken breast rubbery? Overcooking chicken and buying woody chicken breast are two of the main causes behind rubbery chicken. You can stop this from happening by: buying “slow-growing” chicken.
Brines and marinades help tenderize the meat by bringing more moisture in the protein. With that extra moisture, you lose less when you cook. The simplest way to do this is with a dry brine — unwrap the chicken breasts, salt them on both sides and let them sit in the fridge for at least an hour.
You can do this by marinating the cooked chicken in a sauce or broth for a while. This can help rehydrate the meat and add some flavor. Just be careful not to over-marinate, as the chicken could become mushy. Steam: Reheating the chicken with steam can help add moisture back into t.
Cooking lean meats at a high temperature means they cook more quickly, and this can help capture the moisture and flavor. Adler recommends cooking bone-in chicken breast at 450 degrees, which can take up to 20 minutes for a bone-in breast.
When chicken is covered while baking, it traps steam and moisture within the dish, resulting in juicier results. The covering helps prevent excessive evaporation and keeps the chicken moist throughout the cooking process. Preventing dryness. Chicken tends to dry out more quickly when exposed to direct heat.
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Introduction: My name is Duncan Muller, I am a enchanting, good, gentle, modern, tasty, nice, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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