What is the best way to saute chicken?

Sautéed Chicken Breast sounds fancy, but it’s actually a quick and low-effort way to cook chicken breast on the stove by quickly cooking chicken pieces in a pan. The result is tender and juicy pieces perfect for stir fries, sauces, or to pick up and dip!

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This recipe is a part of Serial Home Cooking’s Don’t Be Chicken! The Chicken Breasts Made Easy series. Chicken breasts are standard in our everyday meals, but cooking them well can be challenging. So, I’m sharing the best ways to cook chicken breast, simple chicken breast recipes, and my favorite tips and tricks to make great chicken every time.

Whether they’re called “bites,” “chunks,” or “pieces,” the method of cutting chicken breasts into pieces and quickly cooking on the stove is a popular one.

Why? Because it takes only minutes to cook, you can easily make multiple breasts at once, and the result is perfect chicken pieces to add to a stir fry, pasta sauce, casserole, and more.

Sauté means “fried quickly in a little hot fat.” When you sauté something, you want to get your pan nice and hot, add the fat (oil or butter), and when you add your ingredients you toss them around while they’re cooking, so they cook quickly on all sides. And similar to the pan seared chicken recipe, sautéed chicken breast is cooked fast and hot, allowing them to be juicy and not dry. It’s really one of the best ways to cook chicken breast in a pan.

Cutting up your chicken breast

The great thing about this technique is you can slice, dice or cube your chicken to your liking, or based on the recipe you want to use it for!

• Cut them into cubes for casseroles or salad toppings
• Slice into small strips for stir fry
• Slice into larger strips for fajitas or dippable chicken tenders

Seasoning the chicken breast

For this basic technique recipe we’ll only be seasoning the chicken with salt – which brings out its delicious, chicken flavor.

But once you master the basics, you can add any seasoning or marinade to bring out the flavors in your dish! Some ideas are:

• Toss with cumin, paprika and lime for fajita chicken
• Marinade in garlic, oregano and lemon juice for Greek-style chicken
• Combine with some soy sauce, sesame oil and corn starch to add to your stir fry

Sautéed chicken breast tips

There are 2 tips when sauteing the chicken to get it cooked well every time:

1: Use a large enough pan. The chicken will release water while cooking, and if the pan is overcrowded the chicken will steam instead of sauté. Choose a large skillet or wok, or cook the chicken in batches.

2: Make sure the pan is hot before you add the chicken. Heat over medium high for a few minutes before adding the oil and the chicken. This will allow the chicken to get a sear on the outside and prevent overcooking if the pan had to heat up at the same time as the chicken.

How do I know when my chicken is cooked?

How long your sautéed chicken breast will take to cook will depend on the size of the pieces you’ve cut them into. Smaller pieces could take 4-5 minutes, while bigger ones could take 7-9 minutes.

The best way to see if they’re cooked is to remove one of the biggest pieces from the pan and cut it in half. If it is still pink in the middle, return it to the pan. If it is white and juicy, it’s done! (And if the biggest piece is cooked, you can be sure the smaller ones will be cooked, too, since they will have cooked faster).

Now we’re ready to make sautéed chicken breast! Check out the recipe below, followed by step-by-step instructions to make quick and easy bite sized chicken.

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Sautéed Chicken Breast

Servings

4

Prep time

10

Cooking time

8

Calories

100

Sautéed Chicken Breasts is a quick and easy way to cook chicken pieces on the stove, resulting in juicy chicken to use in stir fry, salad and more!

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil

Directions

• Remove chicken breasts from packaging and pat dry with a paper towel
• Taking one breast at a time, slice into your desired-sized pieces:
  – Create thick pieces by slicing horizontally against the grain
  – Slice those pieces into thin strips by cutting with the grain, or make them into cubes by cutting against the grain
• Place the pieces in a bowl and season with salt. Toss to combine (this is where you would add your other seasonings or marinade). Set aside for 5-10 minutes.
• Put a large skillet or wok on the stove and place over medium high heat. Let the pan heat up for 3-4 minutes.
• To test if the pan is hot enough, wet your hand and flick it at the pan (the water droplets spray from your hand to the pan’s surface). If the water sizzles, it’s ready!
• Add the oil to the pan, then add the chicken. The chicken should sizzle when it hits the pan.
• Toss and flip the chicken every 1-2 minutes, making sure that each part of the chicken’s surface touches the pan. The chicken should turn opaque and get golden in places. Cook for 4-5 minutes for small pieces, 7-9 minutes for large pieces.
• To check if the chicken is cooked, remove one of the largest pieces from the pan and cut in half. If it is still pink in the middle, add back to the pan and cook for 1-2 more minutes, then check again. If not pink in the middle, the chicken is done!

  How do you sauté chicken without drying it out?

  Chicken should be dry before cooking, so pat it with paper towels just before sautéing. Don't crowd the pieces in the skillet or they will steam instead of browning nicely. Cook the chicken in batches if necessary. Add additional oil or butter as necessary.

  Do you need oil to sauté chicken?

  Medium-high heat works best for searing, and it's important to use the right oil such as vegetable, olive, canola, or peanut oil. The skillet must be hot before chicken is added. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil (you can also use vegetable oil or spray with cooking spray) and heat your skillet on medium high heat.

  Is it better to cook chicken in skillet or pan?

  Chicken breasts are susceptible to drying out when overcooked, so they're best cooked quickly using high heat. That means skillet-cooking, stir-frying, roasting/baking, or grilling chicken breasts are the best routes. The stovetop is particularly easy because you can make a sauce in the same pan.

  What does it mean to sauté chicken?

  Sautéed Chicken Breast sounds fancy, but it's actually a quick and low-effort way to cook chicken breast on the stove by quickly cooking chicken pieces in a pan. The result is tender and juicy pieces perfect for stir fries, sauces, or to pick up and dip!