How Long To Cook Chicken Breasts (And Why)?

Exact answer: 10 to 15 minutes

Chicken is a versatile and most adaptable protein served all across the world. Chicken can be made in different ways like grilling, baking, frying, boiling, and barbequing. Chicken is healthier than red meat, with a low level of cholesterol and saturated fat. Chicken breasts can be the hardest to cook, as time and temperature are the main factors that can alter how moist or dry chicken turns out.

It is a great source for contribution to the growth and development of the muscles. There are different recipes to make chicken breasts even tastier. One can even use their creativity to make their recipes. Chicken breast is easy to make and the most basic method to cook chicken breasts is the one that uses a hot pan to sears them. If done properly, the chicken turns out flavorful and juicy.

How Long To Cook Chicken Breasts?

All chicken breasts are not equal. Every cook has a preferred way to cook chicken breasts and some methods will produce more moist and juicy results than others do. How long to cook chicken depends on its weight and whether the chicken is boneless or bone-in. Boneless chicken breasts cook faster than bone-in chicken, they are more expensive and they don’t give your chicken the same flavor. A boneless chicken has no skin to retain moisture and no bone to conduct heat, so it cooks faster but can dry out. While in bone-in chicken, the skin locks the moisture and the bone absorbs the heat.

Preheat the skillet for 2 minutes on medium heat. Rub the boneless chicken breasts with olive oil, then season with salt, fresh ground pepper, onion powder, paprika, and dried basil. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook for 7-8minutes. Resist moving the chicken around the pan cause the breasts to stick to the pan and rip. Flip the chicken and cook for an additional 7-8 minutes. cooking time will always depend on the thickness of the chicken.

To know if the chicken breast is done take the temperature through an instant-read thermometer. Insert the thermometer halfway into each chicken breast until the temperature is displayed.

Look for the temperature of 165°F. But if your chicken has not turned into the golden-brown crust from outside, you can turn the heat up for a few seconds more to add some browning. Once it becomes golden brown, remove the chicken breasts from the pan and allow them to rest for 5 minutes. This helps the chicken breasts juices to redistribute.

Why Cook Chicken Breasts for So Long?

To get the chicken breasts to be cooked from inside and outside without making them dry, one has to cook them for at least 10-15 minutes. If one cooks it for more than 20-25 minutes on both sides the juice will dry out and it won’t taste good at all and if cooked for lesser than 10 minutes on both sides then it might not turn out as a per choice.

A whole chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 180°F. While chicken thighs, breasts, wings should be cooked to 165°F. Boneless and skinless chicken breasts should take 8- 10minutes in a frying pan over medium-high heat whereas bone-in skin-on chicken breasts should take 10-15 minutes.

The ultimate tip to make the pan-seamed chicken breasts is to pound it to even thickness. Dredge some all-purpose flour over the chicken to get a golden-brown crust on your chicken. Flour is the best coatings for frying or searing chicken.

Conclusion

While cooking makes sure the chicken breasts are all same thickness. Once the cooking is done allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving so that you can taste the juicy goodness of the chicken breasts. After that, it should be cooled absolutely and keep it in the container inside the fridge for 3-4 days. But, if you’re on the fifth day, then you need to toss it.

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003257911945551X
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003257911945551X