Trouble Browning Chicken

[suziquzie]

I've been cooking a long time..... I must be an idiot.
Every time I am browning / sauteeing a boneless skinless chicken breast, no matter how medium or medium high I have the heat, they are always crusty on the outside before they are cooked through, unless I pound them or cut them thinner.
Am I just getting overly large pieces? Last night I tried again not cutting or pounding, when I saw they were getting too brown outside again I covered them up and finished in the oven. It works out nicely they are very juicy that way, but should I have to be doing an extra step every time? Thoughts?

[expatgirl]

when you say medium or medium high---what temps are you exactly talking about? If they're juicy when you wrap them up then yeah, I would say take the extra step...too many times people end up with overcooked dried out fillets instead of juicy ones

[suziquzie]

i dont cook them on high, my dial goes lo to hi, 9 is the highest # before hi.... I'm usually between 5 and 7.

[Andy M.]

For chicken breasts, I brown over fairly high heat then put them in the oven to finish coooking. You need the high heat to get the browning but if you try to cook them through at that heat they will dry out.

Breasts that have been pounded thin can be cooked through on the stove top as they will cook through faster.

[suziquzie]

Thanks I'm glad it's not just me Andy.... they always look so perfect on the cooking shows, it drives me nuts that I can't do it myself!!!!

[Jeekinz]

Ah man, chicken breasts are easy. What kind of pan are you cooking them in? I drop the heat to med-low and cover, sometimes even add some chicken stock to keep them super moist. Makes a great sauce after. The cover and lower temp to finish alows you to do other things than baby sit the chicken. Moist meat everytime.

[Robo410]

chicken, like steak, ... a thin cutlet, a thin steak: in the pan all the way. Thicker: brown in pan then finish in oven, (or with a lid and some liquid.) You are doing the right thing.

[suziquzie]

Depends on how many.
1 or 2 I use my Emeril All-clad 10 inch non-stick
If its for more I use the 12 inch copper bottom non-stick skillet. Heavy sucker!
If I had a lid for the 12 inch it would be easier. For some reason thats my only piece in the set that came without one, but they sent me 4 10 inch lids, like I would be using all 4 10 inch pieces at the same time? right.
I end up putting it in a covered casserole in the oven.

[Jeekinz]

Once you get the color you want on one side, flip it to finish on the other. I use the poke test to check for doneness. Once it feels somewhat firm, remove from the pan and cover. I always use SS pans, so once the chicken releases, it gets flipped.

Adding some sort of liquid will help with moisture. Do this after you get some color. You can pick up a lid for your pan at any store like Target or Kmart.

[Jeekinz]

Don't forget to drop the heat when you turn them.