How do I prevent burned chicken breasts when cooking on the stovetop?
Ok I'm going crazy with this. I've tried everything, but no matter what I do, it always results in my chicken breast burning and becoming black. Here is what I usually do:
Grab a chicken breast, wash it with water.
Next, I season it. I usually add salt, pepper, curry, and lemon pepper.
Then I grab a pan and I've tried these things to cook the chicken with:
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable Oil
- Butter
All of them usually result in me burning my chicken. I set the temp at like 5.5/10 on the knob, so that it takes its time and doesn't burn. What am I doing wrong and what should I do instead?
Best Answer
Season chicken. Top side down in quite hot all-metal pan, with vegetable or olive oil. If your oil starts smoking, too hot. Just slightly cooler than that. Cook until seared with a nice crust. The chicken will be largely raw at this point.
Into 350F oven for 14-18 minutes.
Voila.
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How do you keep chicken from burning on the stove?
Cover both halves with plastic wrap (or wax paper) and hit them with the flat side of a meat tenderizer (if you have one) or the bottom of a heavy skillet. The goal isn't to flatten the chicken breast. Simply pound each piece to an even thickness. This will allow each piece to cook evenly throughout on the inside.Why does my chicken burn before cooking?
Too low, and the oil will soak into the crust rather than fry it; too high, and the crust might burn before your chicken is done. Use a thermometer to keep the heat at a consistent temperature, and make sure you've got a good, heavy skillet to evenly distribute the heat.Should you cover chicken when cooking on stove?
If you need more than can comfortably fit in the pan, you'll have to cook the chicken in batches. I've found that it helps to cover the skillet if you have a lid available. Covering the pan help trap the heat inside and keeps the grease for splattering all over the stove.How do I fry chicken without burning it?
The key is to maintain that temperature between 300\u02da to 325\u02da as you fry the chicken. This temperature range will cook the chicken through without burning the crust. When you add the flour-coated chicken to the pan, make sure it is skin-side down. This will help the fat render, so you won't end up with flabby skin.3 Ways To Cook The Juiciest Chicken Breast Ever - Bobby's Kitchen Basics
More answers regarding how do I prevent burned chicken breasts when cooking on the stovetop?
Answer 2
I suspect the blackness comes from the spices you put on the chicken burning.
Try this technique I learnt from Jamie Oliver: Season your chicken as normal. Put the pan on a high heat until it's hot (not stupid-hot, just hot). Add olive oil and the chicken skin-side down. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, take a square of baking parchment or greaseproof paper big enough to cover the pan. Fold it in half until you have a 'folded fan' shape. Hold the point so it's roughly over the middle of the pan, and tear off any excess that goes over the side of the pan. Unfold and you should have a circle of paper. Scrunch it up, then run it under a cold tap and give it a shake.
Turn the chicken over, turn the heat to medium low, then place the wet paper (a 'cartouche') on to the chicken. Finally put a heavy pan lid (the lid from a casserole is ideal) on top. Cook for another 20 minutes.
The moisture in the cartouche helps keep the chicken moist and prevents it from burning. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the breast, so do check it's cooked through before eating (cut it open and check it's not pink).
Answer 3
If you're cooking skinless, boneless chicken breasts, I would recommend pounding the breasts flat. That way, you won't have to cook them as long. Reducing the time means that it's less likely that your spices will burn. Wrap the chicken in plastic wrap or wax paper, and use a rolling pin or meat mallet until they are even. (I usually go for 1/2 inch thick or so.)
According to my favorite recipe, at 1/2 inch thick, over medium heat (5 out of 10), the breasts will cook six minutes on each side.
Plus you can then deglaze the pan with chicken broth to make a sauce. (Add broth and seasonings, cook until it's reduced by half, then remove from heat and add butter and an acid.)
Answer 4
A couple answers above seem to have skirted around the question of whether you were using boneless breasts, or bone-in, skin-on breasts.
The boneless ones are certainly easier to work with, but I've had much better luck working with the full bone-in/skin-on breasts. They take longer to cook, but you've got that extra layer of skin and fat for protection. Which is really what you want, right? Keep the chicken in long enough so that it's done, but not so much that it's turned into a big, chewy burnt wad.
Also, one of the best ways to combat the dry, overdone chicken breast is a quick brine ahead of time. You can also count on the brine to deliver some of the seasonings you were looking for.
Try the brine with the bone in/skin on breast and any of the cooking techniques in the other answers (especially the finishing in the oven after a good stovetop sear as you'll be able to monitor the changes and make a more timely adjustment than if it was on the stove), and you should see good results.
Answer 5
Take your pick:
- Pound it flat before cooking - this will drastically reduce the required cooking time.
- Brown it in oil first, then add sauce to the pan and finish it in the sauce.
- Finish it in the oven.
Answer 6
Well, there are number of things you can do to try and reduce overcooking, but I think the real answer has already been hit upon -- the seasonings. Most seasonings aren't nearly as tolerant of heat as the chicken itself is, and what you are seeing isn't so much burned chicken as burned spices. (Want to see? Try putting a bit of olive oil in the pan, add seasonings, and watch them... The pepper, and the lemon in the lemon pepper, for sure, will have problems. Not sure about curry powder.)
You may have better luck with a brine or some such to impart flavor, or adding the spices at the end, but if you are going to spice it first, you will have to cook it at a very low heat to avoid burning the spices. Salt is safe, but the rest should be used just before taking it out of the pan.
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