How to Cook the Perfect Chicken Breast (4 different ways!)

Learn exactly how to cook the perfect chicken breast four different ways! In this step-by-step tutorial for cooking chicken breast you’ll perfect baking, grilling, poaching and slow cooking so that you can use chicken in your favorite recipes. Marinade and recipe ideas included!

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Welcome to the ultimate guide to cooking perfect chicken breast! Chicken can be an intimidating protein to cook because it’s so easy to under or overcook, but with my four methods for cooking the perfect chicken breast, you’ll be an expert in no time.

In this guide you’ll learn how to:

With each of these methods, you’ll end up with juicy and delicious chicken breasts every time. Use these methods to cook chicken and add them to your favorite recipes like salads, grain bowls, tacos and more!

Let’s talk ingredients

In this guide we’ll walk through four basic methods for cooking chicken breasts. There are tons of ways to season & marinade chicken that you’ll find links to within this post, but for ease here’s what you’ll need to cook very basic chicken breasts:

Chicken breast: this tutorial is created for using one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Oil: you’ll need some oil for baking & grilling chicken breast. I like to use olive oil but feel free to use avocado oil or melted butter.
Seasonings: use these chicken breasts as a blank canvas for recipes by just adding salt & pepper to them for baking, grilling & slow cooking. See below for fun flavor ideas!
Water: in the poaching and slow cooking methods you’ll need some water to help the chicken breasts cook. Feel free to also use chicken broth for added flavor.

The #1 tool for cooking perfect chicken breasts

If you don’t yet have a meat thermometer, it’s time to get one! I highly recommend having a meat thermometer so that you can check the doneness of your chicken without having to cut into it and lose the juiciness. Here is a great one that I use all the time.

Go organic (if possible)

If it’s accessible, I recommend using organic chicken breasts whenever possible. They tend to be much juicier and less “tough,” than non-organic chicken breasts, so when you’re using the chicken as a blank canvas to add to recipes it makes a big difference.

Have fun with marinades & seasonings

As I mentioned, this guide to cooking chicken breast gives you perfectly cooked chicken that acts as a blank canvas you can use in any recipes you’d like. I have tons of seasonings and marinades to try with these methods, too! Get them in these tutorials & recipes:

Get all of our chicken marinades here.

Four ways to cook perfect chicken breast every time

Alright, let’s get to it! Check out the best four methods for cooking chicken breasts, plus recipes and more:

Use cooked chicken breast in these delicious recipes

Now that you’ve learned exactly how to bake, grill, poach and slow cook chicken breasts so that they’re perfectly juicy, feel free to use the chicken in some of our favorite recipes below:

Get all of our delicious chicken recipes here!

Recommended tools for cooking chicken

Get all of our favorite kitchen essentials here!

Freezing & storing cooked chicken breast

After you’ve used any of the above methods for cooking chicken breast, you can either use the chicken right away or store it for later:

To store: let the chicken breast cool completely and transfer it whole, shredded or cubed to an airtight container. Place the container in the fridge and use the chicken within 4-5 days.
To freeze: repeat the steps above but instead place your chicken in the freezer. Cooked chicken breast will stay good in the freezer for about 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, simply thaw it in the refrigerator and enjoy it cold with salad recipes or heat it up in the microwave for warm recipes.

I hope you love these simple methods for cooking the perfect chicken breast! If you try any of them, be sure to leave a comment on the tutorial and let me know how it went. Enjoy, xo!

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How to Cook Perfect Chicken Breast (4 methods!)

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Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

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4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
For baking & grilling:
1 tablespoon olive oil (or sub avocado oil or melted butter)
Freshly ground salt & black pepper
Optional: try one of our delicious chicken marinades
For poaching:
4 cup water or chicken broth
Generous shake of salt
Optional: fresh garlic cloves and chopped onion
For slow cooking:
1/2 cup water or chicken broth
Freshly ground salt & black pepper
Optional: try one of our delicious chicken marinades

Instructions

Learn how to bake perfect chicken breast.
See how to grill chicken breast.
Get the instructions for how to poach chicken breast.
Learn the best way to make slow cooker chicken breast.

Recipe Notes

To store: let the chicken breast cool completely and transfer it whole, shredded or cubed to an airtight container. Place the container in the fridge and use the chicken within 4-5 days.

To freeze: repeat the steps above but instead place your chicken in the freezer. Cooked chicken breast will stay good in the freezer for about 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, simply thaw it in the refrigerator and enjoy it cold with salad recipes or heat it up in the microwave for warm recipes.

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