This pan seared hen breast comes out irresistibly seasoned with a golden brown crust and a juicy, tender inside! Listed below are all our ideas and tips to this household favourite recipe—serve it with a number of easy sides, or add to salads, tacos, rice bowls, and extra.
Why we love this recipe
On the subject of hen, what Alex and I flip to most frequently are the easy, fundamental go-to strategies. Sure, we love a very good Tuscan hen or hen piccata. However we now have made this pan seared hen breast extra occasions than we will depend!
It comes out golden seared on the surface and juicy on the within, completely seasoned with our favourite mix of garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and smoked paprika. We use it for all the pieces and our household inhales it! (Actually.) We like including rice or orzo, or slicing it and including it to Caesar salad, hen pasta salad, hen tacos, or energy bowls! It’s so, so versatile and you may make it in quarter-hour.
Elements for pan seared hen breast
You’ll want only a handful of elements for this recipe, and outdoors of the hen, you doubtless have them available in your pantry:
Hen breast: Purchase natural hen if in any respect potential. Search for boneless skinless hen breasts, or cutlets if potential. If you happen to can’t discover cutlets, you possibly can butterfly them by slicing them in half horizontally.
Olive oil: Olive oil is our cooking oil of selection, and it infuses scrumptious taste into the seared hen.
Spices: A customized mix of equal components garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and dried oregano add huge savory taste to the hen breasts.
Steps for pan seared hen breast
The essential steps for pan seared hen breast are easy. Butterflying the hen breast earlier than you cook dinner it’s important for even cooking and getting a juicy, tender texture (or you should buy it in cutlets). If you happen to’re prepared, leap to the recipe beneath for precise portions.
Step 1:Butterfly the hen (if not in cutlets) by slicing in half horizontally, then opening it up and chopping alongside the fold to separate the 2 halves. Pat it dry and season with salt. In a small bowl, combine the seasonings and sprinkle on either side of the hen.
Step 2: Add olive oil to a big skillet and warmth over medium warmth. Add the hen and cook dinner till browned on either side, 3 to five minutes per aspect. When the interior temperature is 165°F, take away to a plate and relaxation for five minutes.
Step 3: Slice into strips if desired, then serve.
Tip
That is our favourite hen recipe as a result of it comes collectively in simply quarter-hour and also you don’t want to fireside up a grill! Substitute it for grilled hen in recipes like a Hen Pesto Sandwich or a Grilled Hen Salad.
Methods to serve it pan seared hen breast
This pan seared hen is so versatile, which is why we’re so excited to share it with you! You possibly can eat it as a essential with a number of easy aspect dishes, or in all types of the way like salads, bowl meals, and so on. One in all my favourite issues to order at a restaurant is a salad and including hen to make it a essential dish: that is your manner to try this at residence!
Leftover cooked hen shops for 3 to 4 days refrigerated. It’s finest eaten instantly after cooking, however it works made forward too. Reheat it in a skillet on the stovetop for a minute or two over medium warmth earlier than serving.
Dietary notes
This pan seared hen breast recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free.
Steadily requested questions
What kind of pan is finest for searing hen?
A heavy-bottomed skillet, reminiscent of forged iron or stainless-steel, is right for pan-searing hen. These pans retain warmth properly, permitting for a constant sear and stopping the hen from sticking.
Do I would like to make use of oil when pan-searing hen?
Sure, utilizing oil is important for pan-searing hen. It helps forestall the hen from sticking to the pan, promotes even browning, and contributes to a crispy, flavorful crust.
Ought to I cowl the hen whereas searing it?
By no means cowl hen whereas pan-searing! Masking the pan will entice steam, stopping the hen from growing a crispy crust.
How do I preserve my hen juicy and stop it from drying out?
A number of issues: ensure that to butterfly it earlier than cooking or purchase cutlets! This ensures even cooking. Use a meat thermometer to make sure it reaches the correct inner temperature of 165°F (74°C), and don’t cook dinner it past that. Let the hen relaxation for five minutes after cooking to permit the juices to redistribute.
½ teaspoonevery garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and smoked paprika
Freshly floor black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
If you happen to purchase the hen as breasts that aren’t already butterflied or in cutlets, butterfly the hen by inserting your hand excessive of every hen breast and utilizing a pointy knife to rigorously slice the breast horizontally, leaving the sting intact so it might probably open up like a e book. Unfold the breast like a e book, then reduce alongside the fold to separate the 2 halves.
Pat the hen dry with a paper towel and sprinkle on either side with the kosher salt (use 1 ¼ teaspoons if the hen is nearer to 1 ½ kilos). In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, smoked paprika, and some grinds of black pepper, then sprinkle over the hen.
Add the olive oil to a big stainless-steel or forged iron skillet and warmth over medium excessive warmth. Add the hen and cook dinner for 3 to five minutes per aspect, till browned on either side. When the interior temperature is 165°F or the middle is not pink, take away to a plate. Relaxation 5 minutes earlier than slicing (if desired) and serving. Leftovers last as long as 3 days refrigerated.