How to Cook Chicken Breast (The White Meat)

How to cook a chicken breast? How do I cook white meat? Those are the questions of the day. In this part of “The Chicken Atlas,” we’ll go over the most popular part of the bird, the breastisisis. There’s a lot more information to go over than what was covered in this video alone. I’m going to post a few articles below that could prove useful.

While some people claim white meat to be “dry,” and “tasteless,” others hail it as the best part of the bird - I’m probably somewhere in the middle of that spectrum. While I usually gravitate towards dark meat, there’s also no replacement in a classic Chicken Parmesan or on a Caesar Salad. For this video, I wanted to focus not on recipes, but on fundamental ways to cook and change a chicken breast into something delicious.

I once read somewhere that, “if you know a recipe, you know a single recipe. If you know a technique, you know 1,000 recipes. That stuck with me. For example, you could apply the “butter basting” technique from this video, then throw a rich tomato sauce and melt some low-moisture cheese over the top and create a Chicken Parm type thing. As for the roulade, get creative with the filling. Make a classic “Cordon Bleu” with ham and cheese, toss some bacon + cheddar in the mix or… back to the chicken parm thing, lay in a bit of reduced tomato sauce, then hit it with the mozzarella and parsley! But remember, these two techniques are just that… two techniques, there’s so much more out there so I encourage you to do some research and explore. The world if your MF oyster, chef.

Another topic that I didn’t go over, on purpose, was brining. Brining can and should be an entirely different video. Brining your chicken, either in a salt/water liquid solution or by pre-seasoning with kosher salt will make your bird juicer and more moist. Brining, especially a breast, is a surefire way to keep the breast moist. But it’s also not 100% necessary if you cook the breast properly. Either way, I’ve listed out an easy “5% salt brine” for you to try if you’d like. Cook on! 🤘🏻Adam

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Chicken Breast (2 Ways)

Cook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

Chicken

• Chicken Breasts, as needed

Instructions

Butter Basted Chicken Breast

1. Start by seasoning the chicken breasts with kosher salt. Heat neutral oil in a pan (carbon steel or stainless steel works fine), enough to lightly coat the bottom, over medium-high heat. Carefully lay the chicken breasts in the pan, away from your body to avoid oil splashes.
2. To start the butter basting process, sear the breasts on one side until golden brown, then flip them over.
3. Add chunks of whole butter into the pan. Use a generous amount for a robust flavor. Following the butter, add in your chosen herbs and garlic. Hearty herbs like thyme, rosemary, savory, or oregano are great options.
4. Push the food towards the top of the pan and carefully tilt the pan towards you. Using a large spoon, scoop and pour the melted butter over the chicken, effectively basting it. This technique helps the chicken cook thoroughly while infusing it with flavor from the herbs, garlic, and butter.
5. After basting, transfer the pan into a preheated oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit to finish cooking for a few minutes. The exact time depends on the thickness of the breasts; a rough estimate would be around 4 minutes.
6. Once cooked (the internal temperature should be around 165 degrees Fahrenheit), remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for at least 5 minutes to reabsorb the juices.

Stuffed Chicken Breast Roulade

1. To prepare the roulade, start by butterflying a chicken breast. Once split open, pound it out flat using a meat mallet (or a wine bottle if you don't have one). The ideal thickness is about 1/3 of an inch.
2. Choose your stuffing ingredients. This could be anything from salami, prosciutto, and Gruyere cheese to fresh herbs. Lay out your pounded breasts and layer in your chosen stuffing towards the bottom third of the breast.
3. Carefully roll up the chicken around the stuffing, tucking it in as you go. Place the rolled chicken aside and prepare some plastic wrap. Use this to wrap the chicken tightly, securing the stuffing and maintaining the shape. Twist the ends of the wrap tightly to create a compact and uniform shape.
4. Once the chicken roulades are wrapped, poach them in just simmering water (around 180 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 20 minutes.
5. After poaching, you can chill the roulades for later use, or proceed to the final cooking step. If continuing, remove the plastic wrap and pat the roulades dry.
6. Sear the roulades in a pan over high heat until browned and visually appealing, which should take around 5-10 minutes.
7. Once the roulades are done, cut them into even slices, being careful not to pull the filling out.

Adam's Notes

• These techniques provide two flavorful ways to cook chicken breasts. From these foundations, you can explore different seasonings, stuffing ingredients, and finishing sauces to suit your preferences.