Think you know the best way to prepare perfectly moist and tender chicken breasts? While we will never knock your family recipe, we also understand how difficult it can be for even seasoned home chefs to produce a chicken breast that isn’t too dry, too chewy, or lacking in flavor. Luckily, we’ve discovered a foolproof method for preparing dinner-ready chicken breasts in your oven – and, much to our delight, it only requires a few special steps. Read on to discover the secrets to success.
Ingredients:
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
• 1 tablespoon melted butter or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
Instructions:
1. Brine. Brining your chicken is the key to a moist end result. To brine your chicken breasts, fill a large bowl with 1 quart of warm water and 1/4 cup kosher salt. Stir to combine until most of the salt is absorbed. Add the chicken breasts and let them sit in the mixture to brine for 15 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours. Remove the chicken breasts from the brine, rinse them with cold water, then pat them dry with some paper towels.
2. Heat. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Season. Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in a large baking dish. Brush on both sides (turning once) evenly with the melted butter or olive oil. In a separate small bowl, whisk the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika until combined. Then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the chicken on both sides.
4. Bake. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts. Use a cooking thermometer to know when the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Rest. Once the chicken is cooked to a minimum of 165 degrees internally, remove the pan from the oven, transfer the chicken to a clean plate, and loosely tent the plate with aluminum foil. Let the chicken rest for at least 5-10 minutes.
6. Serve. Serve warm, refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Cook up something delicious tonight with this special recipe provided to you by Westmount at Three Fountains Apartments in San Antonio, Texas, and put our expansive kitchens to good use!