Baked comfort food like chicken breast is simple and delicious to make. When you look at it closely, it is just a matter of tossing simple herb mixture then baking it until they are juicy and tender.
However, there are many principles that you are missing. If you are new to baking chicken breast, you should know important principles so you can cook perfectly. Here are some things you need to know about baked chicken breasts:
Learn the right temperature to bake chicken breast
The first thing that you need to know is the right temperature to bake chicken breast. There are different answers from 400°F to 425°F and 450°F. If you have plenty of time, you can experiment. However, if you ask experts, 450°F is ideal because it will produce the juiciest chicken breast.
Determine the right amount of time to bake chicken breast
You have to understand that not all chicken breasts are the same from the size to the quality of the meat. These things can influence the amount of time you cook a chicken breast recipe. To determine the amount of cooking, you need to weigh it.
The estimated cooking time for a 5 ounce of chicken breast at 450°F is 12-15 minutes. For a 7 ounce of chicken breast cooked at 450°F, it needs 15-20 minutes and for a 10 ounce of chicken breast cooked at 450°F, it needs 20-25 minutes.
Check if it is cooked through
If you are unable to follow the cooking time guide using their weight, you can always test the chicken breast using your finger. You need to touch the middle of the chicken breast using your finger and if it is still wobbly, it means it is not cooked through. It should be firm when you touch it.
You can also test if the meat is cooked through using an oven thermometer. You only need to insert the thermometer then check if it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Rest the chicken breast
Another secret to a perfectly juicy baked chicken breast recipes is to rest them. You have to understand that resting the baked chicken breasts is crucial because it will allow the juices to settle. If you cut them right away, the juices will just run right out of the chicken – you will end up with a dry chicken breast.
You need to rest the chicken breast covered for at least 5 to 10 minutes. Typically, you cover it using aluminum foil but if you want to avoid wasting it, you can consider covering it with a baking pan.
Understand proper slicing
When it comes to slicing, you have to slice the baked chicken breast goodness against the grain. This is another tip for getting juicy chicken breasts. If you slice it with the grain, the baked food will be gnarly and stringy looking.
Your comfort food baked chicken breast will be perfect if you consider basic principles. Your goal here is to cook the best-baked chicken breast whatever the occasion. There are other principles you can consider but for now, these will suffice.
