By Haley Scarpino
I am a food editor and spend most of my day reading recipes. But somehow, even I often feel overwhelmed by the idea that I must come up with something to eat for dinner every night for the rest of my life. It’s a lot, even for someone who adores cooking.
I turn to chicken a few nights a week because it’s good and good for you, although sometimes it can seem a little uninspired. I’ve perfected a few methods that can spin into endless variations, so I don’t have to think too much about dinner.
Chicken breasts get a bad rap for being bland and dry. I disagree. Like most things, they can be delicious if prepared correctly. I make an absolute ton of chicken and have perfected how to make them moist, tender and delicious.
I buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts in bulk at Costco. They are excellent quality and a great value. I spend a little time wrapping them individually before freezing them. I set them out a day in advance in the refrigerator to defrost. Once they’re defrosted, I turn them into cutlets by cutting them in half horizontally. It requires a very sharp knife and practice. (Here’s a handy guide.) Chicken cutlets cook much faster, which helps retain moisture that keeps them tender and juicy. My favorite way to prepare boneless, skinless chicken cutlets is to grill or pan-sear them.
Brining
Before I grill or pan-sear chicken cutlets, I marinate or brine them, which really makes a big difference. To brine them, I dissolve one tablespoon of kosher salt and one tablespoon of sugar in one and a half cups of water, which is enough for two to four cutlets. Depending on how many you’re cooking, you can easily double or triple the brine. I let them brine for 30 minutes and then dry them thoroughly so they get nice and brown when cooking.
Marinating
For a marinade, I use a 2:1 ratio of olive oil to acid (either citrus juice or vinegar). For every 1/4 cup of olive oil, I often toss in 1 finely minced clove of fresh garlic, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
Once you understand the oil-to-acid ratio, the possibilities are endless. I love making it with lemon juice and zest for a delicious grilled lemon chicken. Or I use lime juice, zest, cumin, and Mexican oregano for a Tex-Mex spin. You can use red wine or balsamic vinegar with dried oregano for an Italian or Mediterranean version.
I like to marinate chicken cutlets for 8 hours, but they will get a lot of flavor even after 30 minutes. Before grilling or pan-searing, season the chicken generously with more salt and pepper.
Grilling
I recently bought a gas grill, and I love it. I was a diehard charcoal grill user for many years, but I found myself grilling less because it was a bit of a hassle to set it up. I still have my charcoal grill and love the flavor of charcoal-grilled foods, but it’s better for weekend cooking when I have more time. I use my gas grill for weeknight cooking in the spring, summer and fall.
If I marinate the chicken, I don’t use any additional oil, just the oil from the marinade and a lot of salt and pepper. If I brine the chicken, I pat it dry and coat the chicken in vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Then it’s ready for the grill.
Once the grill is nice and hot, I turn the heat to medium-high and grill the marinated or brined chicken cutlets. Once the first side is brown, I flip them and do the same on the other side. If needed, I turn the heat to low and close the lid until they reach 160 degrees. Keep in mind: The only way to cook chicken breasts that are tender, moist and delicious is not to overcook them. The only way to avoid overcooking them is to use an instant-read thermometer (like this one).
I find boneless, skinless chicken cutlets cook for about 10 minutes, but temperature matters more than time. I pull the cutlets off the grill at 160 degrees, place them on a dinner plate or quarter sheet pan, cover them tightly with foil, and let them rest for 10 minutes. Letting your chicken rest is critical. The proteins relax, and the juices redistribute.
Pan-Searing
My method for pan-searing is similar to grilling. I like to cook the cutlets in an enameled cast iron skillet, but this method also works with a traditional cast-iron skillet or stainless steel pan. I get my pan very hot, then add olive oil and butter in equal parts. Don’t skimp here. You want to coat the bottom of the pan so it shimmers before you add the chicken. Cook them on the first side until they’re brown, for about 5 minutes. Then flip them over and let the second side brown, usually about 5 more minutes. I pull them off once they reach 160 degrees and let them rest for 10 minutes. Like grilling, the temperature is more important than the time.
For grilling and pan-searing, leaving the meat alone is essential once you start cooking it. The more you fuss with it, the less brown it will get and the longer it will take to cook, resulting in less moisture and flavor.
There are certainly more ways to cook chicken so it’s tender, juicy and delicious. But these techniques I use time and time again, and it almost always turns out well.
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