Juicy Pan-Fried Chicken Breasts

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you fry up juicy chicken breasts in a skillet? I usually go with boneless breast fillet, but bone-in breast works too. Fresh is better than frozen. You can also cut the breasts from a whole chicken. All my spices and seasonings here are dried, but you can use fresh dill and garlic if you prefer. Any vegetable oil works — from olive to corn — but it must be refined so it doesn't burn.

2. Step 2:

   

   I cut the breast from a whole chicken. If you do the same, it's best to remove the bones and skin. Don't toss those parts, though. The bones are great for making broth, and you can turn the skin into crispy cracklings.

3. Step 3:

   

   Cut each piece lengthwise into 2 or 3 slices. Whether it's 2 or 3 depends on the size of the breast, but don't slice them too thin, or they'll dry out instead of staying juicy.

4. Step 4:

   

   Rinse and pat the chicken pieces dry. Pound them lightly on one side with a meat mallet — just lightly, don't overdo it!

5. Step 5:

   

   Don't salt the chicken before frying. Salt pulls moisture out of meat and fish, so salting early leaves the finished dish dry. We'll add salt at the very end. Sprinkle with paprika. Be generous with it — it has a mild flavor but gives the finished dish a lovely color.

6. Step 6:

   

   Add black pepper, then sprinkle with garlic powder and dried dill. Let it sit for about 5 minutes so the meat can take on the spices.

7. Step 7:

   

   Heat the vegetable oil well in a skillet, add the breasts, and fry for 5 to 7 minutes per side over low heat. If you have a grill pan or a nonstick skillet, you can fry the breasts without any oil at all, which is of course healthier.

8. Step 8:

   

   You may need to flip the breasts a couple of times. Right at the end, salt them, turn the heat down to low, and cover with a lid. Leave for about 7 minutes, then take off the heat.

9. Step 9:

   

   Fried breasts made this way come out remarkably juicy and tender — which, honestly, is rare for this cut. In a lot of kitchens it tends to come out on the dry side. Serve the breasts right away, while they're hot. Enjoy!