If you want to cook chicken breasts that are juicy and tender every time, make sure you always follow this important step: Pound them all to the same thickness. Seasoned cooks probably already know this simple tip, but it’s a step even those of us who have heard it before might forget to do.
Photo by Elizabeth/Table4Five.
As Tasting Table explains why this is key to better chicken breasts:
When each piece of chicken is a different size, they will cook at an uneven rate. If you don’t pound them out, some breasts will cook faster than others, leaving the thinner breasts dried out, while the thicker ones can be undercooked. Pounding also tenderises the meat, making the cooked result more tender.
Another bonus is they will cook more quickly, especially if you cut the chicken breasts into cutlets and then pound those. Plus, pounding the chicken flat can feel therapeutic. Use a meat mallet if you have one, a rolling pin or a pan.
Pound it Out [Tasting Table]
Comments
2 responses to “For Tastier, More Tender Chicken Breasts, Pound Them Evenly”
I have always found pounding breasts makes them tender
(Couldn’t resist)
+1
Barbarians. You want tender chicken? Cook from frozen in a wok. You will likely need to sit them on a metal half circle mesh while you spoon hot oil from the wok and pour it over the chicken for the next hour.