How to prepare the most delicious, truly tender chicken breast
There are quite a few food-related issues that are constantly debated (a lot or a little salt in your pasta water, is Marmite disgusting or amazing, and we could go on), but I think we can agree on two things: 1. Tough, cardboard-like, dry, even grainy-cooked chicken breast IS NOT DELICIOUS. 2. Soft, velvety-yet-firm, flavorful, tender chicken breast is very delicious. And with these tips, you can manage the latter too…
Because your chicken breast deserves better. Better than its bland, boring image, which is the result of thinking it’s such a dull piece of meat that there’s not much you can do with it. We’re happy to share our chicken tips with you!
Be a little prepared
Chicken breast (just like chicken thighs, which are also delicious) can genuinely be on the table in twenty minutes, and that alone makes it fantastic. But if you think just a tiny bit ahead and give your chicken some lovin’ beforehand, evening-you will be very grateful to preparation-you. This will give your chicken breast a lot more flavor and tenderness. So: marinate it, coat it with a dry rub, or give the chicken a little brine bath. A few basic ways to do that:
Marinate in garlic and herbs
Grate 2 cloves of garlic into a sealable bowl or dish and mix with 60 ml olive oil, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp dried thyme, and 2 heaped tsp salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Add a maximum of 1 kg chicken breast (cut into pieces if desired) and toss well. Add a little more oil if necessary. Seal airtight and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour before continuing to prepare the chicken.
Marinate in buttermilk
Marinating in something acidic is actually the best way to make your chicken tender. Acids weaken tissue and proteins in meat and poultry, making them less tough. In a bowl, mix 400 ml buttermilk with herbs and spices you like (I love smoked paprika), 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp sugar (if you’re using paprika), 3 tsp salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Toss the chicken (max. 1 kg) well in this mixture so everything is coated, cover with a lid or plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Preferably do this in the morning, or the night before if you’re truly the prepared type! You can bake this chicken breast in the oven in a dish covered with aluminum foil at 200 degrees; drizzle some olive oil over it first.
Dry rub for a deliciously spiced flavor
There are countless great spice blends; have a look around at an Asian grocery store, Turkish or Moroccan shop, or spend 2 minutes making your own. For a super-quick dry rub, mix 1/2 tbsp salt with 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika and 1 tsp cayenne pepper. Feel free to taste it and adjust with more salt if necessary. You can keep this in a tightly sealed jar for about two months. Rub the chicken breast (cut into pieces if desired) thoroughly with it, and leave it to infuse in the fridge for at least an hour. Then, for example, fry it in a skillet in a splash of olive oil.
Easy brine bath
Not specifically for chicken breast, but still an essential trick for, for example, tender chicken thighs or drumsticks, or a whole chicken (whose breast meat will suddenly be delicious too). Dissolve 75 g salt in 1 l water in a large bowl or dish (double the amount for a whole chicken). Place a maximum of 1 kg chicken in it; make sure the chicken is just submerged. You don’t need to cover it. Leave in the fridge for 24 hours, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and discard the brine. Delicious when roasted in a roasting pan and finished with olive oil, lemon and capers.
Give it a few whacks, but don’t overdo it
Another thing that helps make your chicken breast tender is giving it a few whacks. This also breaks down the fibers, making it more tender after cooking. You can use a meat mallet, but the bottom of a heavy skillet works too. In any case, make sure you first place the chicken breast between sheets of plastic wrap on a board! And don’t overdo it—a few hits are enough.
Chicken is meat too
So: let it rest after cooking. Just like with a steak, let it rest for a moment before slicing.
Cover-up
And of course, if your chicken breast turns out a little dried out after cooking (it happens, people), you can pour a sauce or gravy over it. If, for example, you fried your chicken breast in a roasting pan or skillet, you’ll probably have some lovely crispy bits and browned scraps left in the pan. Set the heat to medium, add a chopped shallot and a smashed garlic clove, stir in a generous splash of white wine (it doesn’t have to be most expensive wine) and use a wooden spatula to loosen all those tasty bits from the pan. Once it has reduced by half, melt a knob of butter into it over low heat, turn off the heat and season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. No problem—beautifully disguised!
Read also:
- Recipe: easy spicy chicken satay
- The hack for removing those white tendons from your chicken breast
- Recipe for an insanely delicious Mexican chicken nacho casserole
