Chicken is the most frequently consumed animal protein in America. It’s versatile, comparatively affordable, and easy to make. Well, most cuts of chicken are easy to cook. Chicken breasts are the exception. Although they are the most popular part of the bird, chicken breasts often turn out dry.
I’ve tried a plethora of methods of avoiding dryness—brining, marinating, pounding thin—with limited success. In hopes of churning out some tender, juicy chicken, I reached out to Meathead Goldwyn to get some insider tips.
One of only 40 living Barbecue Hall of Famers, the publisher of the largest and most popular barbecue and grilling website in the world, and the author of a New York Times Bestselling cookbook, I trust Meathead implicitly to give me the very best advice.
Why Does Chicken Breast Often Turn Out Dry?
Put simply, it’s pretty tricky to avoid dryness because of the physical structure of the breast muscle. “Chicken breasts tend to be dry because there is little fat in these muscles,” explains Meathead. “Fat is important because it melts during cooking, creating moisture and flavor.”
Higher in protein and lower in fat than other parts of the chicken, the breast can tighten when it’s cooked, squeezing out excess moisture and resulting in dryness.
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How To Avoid Dry Chicken Breast
It’s pretty straightforward, says Meathead, “Just use a good digital thermometer.” Preparation methods can certainly help—Meathead likes dry brining, scoring, and pounding (“Chicken breasts are thick on one end and thin on the other, so pounding is a good strategy because it allows the meat to cook evenly on all sides”). That said, if you overcook the chicken, it will all be wasted effort. Cooking the breast to the correct temperature and avoiding overcooking is the ticket to a perfect result.
USDA guidelines recommend cooking chicken to a 165°F internal temperature for safety. “Cook it between 155°F and 160°F; it will continue to cook from residual heat even after you take it from the pan or oven,” says Meathead. “You can get a good digital [thermometer] for $30. It will become the most valuable tool in your kitchen.” We recently consulted some of our most trusted food editors about the best thermometer, and they all came back with the same recommendation.
“Also,” recommends Meathead, “dial back the temperature. Heat shrinks proteins, and that squeezes out moisture. Lower the cooking heat, and you will lose less moisture. I cook at 225°F.” This is why, if you want to get fancy with it, he says “sous vide is a great cooking strategy” because “it cooks at a very low temperature, and the results are moist and tender.”
No matter if you go on a culinary adventure and test out a sous vide method or stick with a tried-and-true roast, as long as you’re probing it with a thermometer and not overcooking, your chicken breasts will turn out nice and juicy!
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