Question: My cooked chicken breasts are always dry. How do I cook them so they stay moist?
Toughness and dryness is usually caused by overcooking, which happens if the temperature of the pan or oven is too hot – the outside cooks quickly to a thick, crust-like edge, while the inside takes longer to cook. Cooking chicken breast at a lower temperature can help avoid this problem.
Chicken breasts are quick thick, but they also have a thin part, so you need to cook the breast for a long time to ensure the middle is cooked. By then, the thin part of the breast is overcooked and tough. Avoid this by cutting the breast lengthways, or hitting it with a meat mallet so it is of a more even thickness throughout and is thinner, so it can be cooked for less overall time.
Testing the breast for doneness by cutting into it releases any juices trapped in the flesh that would keep it moist. Check small pieces by pressing with a pair of tongs, or your finger, they should feel springy.
Finally, chicken breast is naturally tough because it doesn’t have much fat and is also not on the bone – poultry cuts on the bone will always be more tender and juicer than those without.
