Juicy Stove Top Chicken Breasts Recipe
Tried and true method for preparing the most tender and juicy chicken breasts right on the stove top.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil, divided
- 4 (1 pound total) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- cooking spray
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
Instructions
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Heat 1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet; use a 10-inch or 12-inch skillet.
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Pat dry the chicken breasts with paper towels.
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Drizzle just a bit of oil over each chicken breast, or spray with cooking oil, and rub it all over.
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In a small mixing bowl combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, and paprika.
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Season both sides of each chicken breast with the prepared seasoning; rub it all around.
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Add 2 chicken breasts to the hot skillet.
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Cook chicken breasts for 5 to 7 minutes without moving them around.
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Flip both chicken breasts over, add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet; swirl butter around and continue to cook the chicken for 7 more minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165F. Cooking time will always depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
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Remove chicken breasts from skillet; set aside and keep covered.
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Repeat the same method with the remaining 2 chicken breasts.
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When finished, transfer chicken to a cutting board; let rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.
Recipe Notes
WW FREESTYLE POINTS: 6
RECIPE NOTES
- Chicken breasts should not be thicker than 1-inch, max. If your chicken breasts are thick, use a meat mallet to pound the chicken to a smaller and even thickness BEFORE cooking.
- If there's a chicken seasoning blend that you absolutely adore, go ahead and use that in place of the one I have given here.
- Why are we using vegetable oil and not olive oil? Because, vegetable-based oils have higher smoke points than olive oil. When frying, or pan searing, you need an oil that can withstand the heat.
- Cook the chicken breasts over medium-high heat. DO NOT stir or move the chicken breasts around while cooking. Let cook for 5 minutes or until you can easily flip them over. If there’s any resistance when trying to flip them, give it another minute before trying again.
HOW TO STORE COOKED CHICKEN BREASTS
- Store completely cooled chicken breasts in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.