Juicy Chicken Breast

By Snejana Andreeva

on Dec 27, 2022, Updated May 30, 2025

4.83 from 17 reviews
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Say Goodbye 👋 to DRY chicken. Today will be your last day eating chicken breast that tastes like the bottom of your 👞shoe. This is my foolproof technique for making Juicy Chicken Breast every time.

Table of Contents

Three pieces of golden-brown, seasoned grilled chicken breast garnished with fresh basil leaves on a white plate.

Why You’ll Love My Juicy Chicken Breast

The marinade I use is extremely simple: just oil, 🧂 salt, and spices, but you can certainly jazz it up depending on time or cravings. The technique I show you here is so easy and can be applied to pork, veal, or steak 🥩 as well. This method is A+, so you can always make sure that your protein is never dry and overcooked.

Tips for Juicy Chicken Breast

I have three key tricks for succulent, Juicy Chicken Breast every time: tenderizing, marinating, and controlling the cooking time.

  1. Since chicken breasts are always thicker on one side and thinner on the other, tenderizing with a mallet to equal thickness is essential. The thinner the 🍗 chicken breast, the quicker it will cook.
  2. Marinating is the process of soaking chicken in seasoning and liquid to break down the proteins and infuse the meat with flavor. Marinating overnight in the fridge will give you the best results, but even if you can only marinate for an hour, you’ll still help tenderize the chicken.
  3. Finally, don’t overcook that chicken breast! Keep a close eye on it while cooking to watch for burning, set a ⏲️timer, and use a meat thermometer to check when the internal temp reaches 165F (74C), for fully cooked.  

How to Prepare

❄️ Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes.

🔨 Place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and then use a meat mallet to pound the meat to an even thickness.

🧂 Remove the wrap and season the chicken on both sides with salt and seasoning of choice. Add a bit of oil and massage it really well into the chicken.

🔥 Heat up a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add a touch of oil. Place the seasoned chicken in the pan and make sure it sizzles.

🌡️ Reduce the heat to medium and cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until a meat thermometer reaches an internal temperature of 165F (74C).

😋 Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 5 minutes. Enjoy.

Nonna’s Tip 🍗

Do not place your chicken directly from the packaging into the hot pan without letting it come to room temperature. Cold chicken can result in uneven cooking, with the outside done while the inside remains undercooked.

Grilled, seasoned chicken breasts on a white plate garnished with fresh basil, next to a gold fork and knife, set on a white cloth background.

Variations and Substitutions for Juicy Chicken Breast

  1. You can use any seasonings you like, so feel free to experiment. I also like to use an Italian seasoning blend sometimes instead of the lemon pepper.
  2. You could also add a bit of 🍋 lemon zest to this recipe to really add some bright fresh flavors.
  3. You can use this same technique for veal, pork or steak.

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5 from 17 reviews

Juicy Chicken Breast

Grilled, seasoned chicken breasts on a white plate garnished with fresh basil, next to a gold fork and knife, set on a white cloth background.
There are three key tricks for Juicy Chicken Breast: tenderizing, marinating, and controlling cooking time. When you use all three of these methods, you will have succulent, moist chicken every time.
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Makes: 3 breasts
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 13 minutes
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VideoEquipmentIngredientsInstructionsNotesNutrition

Video

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
  • 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
  • lemon pepper seasoning, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil

Instructions

  • If using refrigerated chicken, let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes.
    A white plate with two raw chicken breasts is placed on a marble surface. Nearby are small bowls containing olive oil, black pepper, salt, and a yellow seasoning blend.
  • Place the chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Using a meat mallet (aka tenderizer), gently pound the meat, making sure you flatten it to an even thickness throughout.
    A raw chicken breast seasoned with black pepper and spices sits on a white plate against a light marble background.
  • Remove the wrap or paper and season the chicken on both sides with salt and seasoning of choice. Add a bit of oil and massage it really well into the chicken.
    A raw, seasoned chicken breast sits on a white plate. The chicken is sprinkled with black pepper and other spices, and the plate rests on a light-colored marble surface.
  • Heat up a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add a touch of oil. Place the seasoned chicken in the pan and make sure it sizzles. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F (74C).
    A raw, seasoned chicken breast is cooking in oil in a black skillet with a white handle, set on a light marble surface.
  • Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 5 minutes. Enjoy.
    A seasoned, cooked chicken breast sits in a black skillet with oil, viewed from above on a light marble surface.

Nonna’s Notes

  • Seasonings: You can use any seasonings you like, so feel free to experiment. I also like to use an Italian seasoning blend sometimes instead of the lemon pepper. You could also add a bit of lemon zest to this recipe to really add some bright fresh flavors. 
  • Cooking tip: Do not place your chicken directly from the packaging into the hot pan without letting it come to room temperature. Cold chicken can result in uneven cooking, with the outside done while the inside remains undercooked.

My Notes

Add your personal notes here!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Juicy Chicken Breast
Serving Size
 
1 breast
Amount per Serving
Calories
340
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
15
g
23
%
Saturated Fat
 
2
g
13
%
Trans Fat
 
0.03
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
8
g
Cholesterol
 
145
mg
48
%
Sodium
 
1037
mg
45
%
Potassium
 
836
mg
24
%
Protein
 
48
g
96
%
Vitamin A
 
68
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
 
3
mg
4
%
Calcium
 
12
mg
1
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Common Questions

what can I do if I don’t have a meat tenderizer?

If you don’t have a meat tenderizer, use anything heavy such as a rolling pin or the bottom of a cast-iron skillet instead.

how can I make sure I don’t overcook the chicken?

If you get nervous about cooking chicken and you always overcook it, please use an instant-read meat thermometer. The chicken is cooked once the thermometer reads 165F (74C).

How do I properly pound the chicken breast evenly?

Start by wrapping the chicken in parchment paper (or plastic wrap) to prevent any chicken juices from contaminating your kitchen. Then lightly pound the chicken with your tenderizer in an outward motion, until the breast is a consistent thickness throughout.

what other spices can I add to this juicy chicken breast recipe?

I also love adding garlic powder, paprika, cumin, and onion powder as well to the marinade.

4.83 from 17 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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18 Comments

  2. 5 stars
    This is so simple and easy for meal prep days 😋 thank you! Also, I love my grill pan, but is there a trick to not have it get smoky as it cooks? Every time I use my grill pan the kitchen gets so smoky. I use very minimal oil and only spray it directly on the chicken, but nothing helps. The chicken comes out great though!

    Grilled chicken breasts with char marks are neatly arranged in a clear glass baking dish. The chicken appears juicy and seasoned, placed on a gray marbled countertop.

    Reply

    1. The only tips I can give you is to use a high smoke point oil and to cook on lower heat. The pan should retain the heat. You can also wipe the pan with a damp paper towel if you make a lot at a time.

      Reply

    1. Hi Ellen, this is a simple fast marinade: I season the tenderized chicken and massage it with oil. That’s it! Of course you are welcome to let the chicken marinate in the seasoning and oil overnight, or add more to the marinade, such as yogurt or lemon juice.

      Reply

  4. 5 stars
    I have a Cuisinart Griddler and it has knobs for temperature. Do you know what temperature it should be at?

    Reply

    1. Hi! I recommend using whichever setting is the equivalent to medium-high heat. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  6. 5 stars
    I love this recipe. It’s quick and simple. I did cover the pan because it splatters but it sealed in the juices. I did add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter after I turned the chicken breast over to cook the other side. First time using avocado oil I just happened to have left from making cocoa butter body cream. 5 stars. This is my new go to chicken recipe. I used lemon pepper seasoning. So delicious

    Reply