How to make oven cooked chicken breast moist?

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jjasmelon
jjasmelon Posts: 101
in Food and Nutrition
I'll be using a bit of butter and thyme, but when i always oven cook it for about an hour chicken seems quite dry. I have a fan oven. Tips please
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Replies

  • notnikkisixx
    notnikkisixx Posts: 375 Member
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    My guess would be that an hour is too long, maybe try checking at the 45 minute mark?
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    Sear in a pan, Put a little chicken stock/apple juice/whatever liquid you would like in said pan after searing. Put in oven till cooked.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    Get a leave-in meat thermometer than has the cable to an external unit. Pull the chicken out of the oven at 165 degrees and let it rest. It will stay moist.

    You are likely overcooking it.
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    Sear in a pan, Put a little chicken stock/apple juice/whatever liquid you would like in said pan after searing. Put in oven till cooked.

    Best way.

    My I-don't-even-have-time-for-searing method is to spray a pyrex, put the chicken and herbs in, cover, and bake at 325. Not as yummy as searing, but good for salads and sandwiches.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Don't over cook it?
  • dawnsnarks
    dawnsnarks Posts: 101 Member
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    At 350, a normal-sized chicken breast shouldn't take any longer than 30 minutes, especially if you have the fan going. +1 on the searing too; will lock in moisture.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,994 Member
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    15-20 in a 400 oven after a quick pan fry to crisp the skin works well.......1 hour is criminal.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    Are we talking boneless skinless or bone-in, skin on?
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    dawnsnarks wrote: »
    At 350, a normal-sized chicken breast shouldn't take any longer than 30 minutes, especially if you have the fan going. +1 on the searing too; will lock in moisture.

    The bolded is an old wives tale. Debunked (Link is about beef but that applies to any meat really)
  • Lift_Run_Eat
    Lift_Run_Eat Posts: 986 Member
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    I place mine in a casserole dish, sprinkle with seasonings, and bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Comes out perfect every time.
  • burnsjulia
    burnsjulia Posts: 50 Member
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    Cook for a shorter time period, but definitely let it rest 10+ minutes. Resting makes a huge difference in moisture. (You can cover it with tin foil and a pot holder on top of the stove to keep in the heat.)
  • Th3Ph03n1x
    Th3Ph03n1x Posts: 275 Member
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    dawnsnarks wrote: »
    At 350, a normal-sized chicken breast shouldn't take any longer than 30 minutes, especially if you have the fan going. +1 on the searing too; will lock in moisture.

    ^^ You're def cooking it too long. I would add make sure you let it rest for 5 minutes after removing from the oven.
  • kt_simms
    kt_simms Posts: 20 Member
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    Brining. Even adding 10 minutes of brining can change your chicken tremendously for the better. Plus, an hour is a long time unless you're talking thick, bone-in cuts.
  • logicman69
    logicman69 Posts: 1,034 Member
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    I usually set my oven for 400, then bake for 25-30 minutes. Always comes out perfectly.
  • jessicapk
    jessicapk Posts: 574 Member
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    dawnsnarks wrote: »
    At 350, a normal-sized chicken breast shouldn't take any longer than 30 minutes, especially if you have the fan going. +1 on the searing too; will lock in moisture.

    I do mine this way without the searing (the quick, easy way) and let them rest for about 15 minutes under tin foil before cutting in. They are always moist and juicy and delicious!
  • harley0269
    harley0269 Posts: 384 Member
    edited January 2015
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    i bake my boneless skinless chicken breasts in the oven at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes if its thawed. **if its frozen then i bake it at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes. ~comes out moist & juicy & perfect every time!
  • RinnyLush
    RinnyLush Posts: 389 Member
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    Try cooking it in a tinfoil packet - this tends to work for me when I want to just throw it in the oven and forget about it for a few minutes. Otherwise, I prefer to pan-sear and transfer to the oven as others have suggested.
  • MommysLittleMeatball
    MommysLittleMeatball Posts: 2,064 Member
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    1 hour for a chicken breast is entirely too long. How about looking up some recipes to get a good idea for temp and time.

    Remember bone-in and boneless chicken breast will have different length of time to cook. I sear and finish in the oven with some stock. If it is a thin boneless chicken breast they are very easy to cook on top of the stove until done.

    There's lots of great food/cooking sites out there that have a lot of great info if you're just starting to cook. Even cooking shows will give you insight.
  • blktngldhrt
    blktngldhrt Posts: 1,053 Member
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    30 minutes at 350 is usually sufficient..unless the breasts are thicker than average. Cook until no longer pink and juices run clear. I would never make chicken breast if it needed to be cooked for an hour!!

  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    I don't know what a fan oven is, but as pointed out above, 1 hour seems long for a breast. Use a meat thermometer and take it out when it's to temp.

    Also, brining will help keep it moist, especially if you are using boneless skinless breasts. Bone-in, skin on, will also help keep it moist, and doesn't add any extra fat if you don't eat the skin.

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