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For a quick and easy weeknight dinner, try my Pan Fried Chicken Breast! Follow my easy method for pan frying chicken breast. It turns out tender, juicy, and flavorful every time, and is the perfect base for building a simple but tasty dinner in under 30 minutes!
Jump to:
- Recipe for Pan Fried Chicken Ingredients
- How to Pan Fry Chicken Breast
- How Long to Pan Fry Chicken Breast
- Pan Fried Chicken Recipe Expert Tips
- Fried Chicken Breast Recipe Variations
- Pan Fried Chicken FAQ
- How to Store Pan-Fried Chicken Leftovers
- What to Serve with Pan Fry Chicken
- Pan Fried Chicken Breast
- Reviews
If there's one classic protein I know I can always rely on, it's chicken breasts. They pair with just about any meal and are easy to prepare any way you prefer. When I'm not outside grilling chicken breasts or making buttermilk chicken in the oven, you can bet I'm pan-frying them!
When my kids were growing up, chicken breast was a go-to meal on busy nights. I made this recipe weekly because they loved it so much. It's always been a budget-friendly, super quick weeknight meal, and when I had time to make it with lemon sauce, it became a favorite Sunday meal.
Slice it to add to grilled chicken dinners or chicken alfredo pasta, or serve with a side of lemon potatoes and green beans. You can prepare my sauteed chicken breasts, and I guarantee you'll love how juicy and tender they are!
Recipe for Pan Fried Chicken Ingredients
- Skinless Chicken breasts, thin-sliced - Pan-seared chicken breasts cook more quickly and consistently and are easy to work with. If you have thicker chicken breasts, you can use a meat mallet to pound them out to an even thinness of about ½-inch.
- Olive oil or Avocado oil
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Butter
You can also carefully slice thicker chicken breasts in half. Please do this by placing them on a cutting board. With one palm resting on the chicken breast, use your free hand to run the knife through the long side of the chicken, slowly and carefully cutting through until sliced in half. This is best done with a very sharp knife and cutting gloves.
How to Pan Fry Chicken Breast
- Add garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to a bowl and mix until combined. Dredge the chicken breasts on all sides to season them. Use your hands to pat the seasoning down.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add ½ your olive oil.
- Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add 2 chicken pieces. Do not overcrowd the skillet.
- Cook for 5 minutes or until browned and caramelized. Using tongs, flip each chicken breast and cook for another 5 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reaches an internal temperature slightly under 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.
- Add butter and cook for an additional minute.
- Remove chicken from the skillet and let it come to room temperature for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Serve, and enjoy!
I have used this method with chicken thighs, and it works great!
How Long to Pan Fry Chicken Breast
Chicken breasts take approximately 9-14 minutes to pan-fry: 5-7 minutes on the first side and then 4-7 minutes on the opposite side. This depends on the thickness of your chicken breasts, with thinner chicken taking around 10 minutes to cook and thicker chicken taking up to 14. Use a meat thermometer and my Chicken Temperature Chart for the best results!
As a tip, I recommend purchasing thinly sliced chicken, slicing your chicken thinly, or pounding it out to an even-thinness using a meat mallet.
Pan Fried Chicken Recipe Expert Tips
- Use thinly sliced chicken breasts or pound chicken out to an even thinness before pan-frying.
- Do not overcrowd the skillet! Cook the chicken breasts two at a time as your skillet allows. If you have a large burner and a 14-inch skillet, you may be able to fit four at a time, but each chicken breast must be able to cook and brown evenly. If your chicken breasts are squashed together in the pan or your pan doesn't heat evenly, they don't have enough room.
- Allow the chicken to rest after cooking so it does not lose any of its juices when slicing. It should only need about 5 minutes of rest time.
- Slice against the grain for the most tender chicken breast. You can tell which way the grain runs by looking for the "lines" on the chicken. They're easy to see on golden-brown pan-fried chicken breasts!
- I love serving this dish with my Portuguese Rice and Fettucine Alfredo.
Fried Chicken Breast Recipe Variations
You can marinate these chicken breasts if you like. Try my buttermilk marinade! You can also use whatever seasoning you prefer. I love my Chicken Seasoning Rub.
You can add the following spices to kick up the flavor.
- Onion Powder
- Italian Seasoning
- Cayenne Pepper
Try more of my Chicken Breast Recipes for Dinner!
Pan Fried Chicken FAQ
Start by pan-frying chicken breasts in oil. Just before removing the chicken from the pan, add butter and allow the chicken to cook for about 1 minute. Oil will give the chicken breasts the perfect brown sear without burning over time while adding butter at the last minute gives the chicken that juicy, buttery flavor without burning.
If, for whatever reason, your chicken breasts are not cooking quickly enough, you can cover them with a lid while they're in the pan to help them cook through more quickly. The steam will help trap heat and cook the chicken through quickly.
How to Store Pan-Fried Chicken Leftovers
- Cool leftover chicken to room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- Divide the chicken breasts into portions and store them in an airtight container or plastic wrap.
- Store in a refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
- Label with the storage date so you can refer to it.
What to Serve with Pan Fry Chicken
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Pan frying chicken breast is a great way to make a delicious dinner with very little effort! Once you know how to pan fry chicken, you can use it for everything from salads to pastas, sandwiches and more.
Pan Fried Chicken Breast
Video
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts - thin-sliced
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil - divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 Tablespoons butter - divided
Instructions
- Add garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to a bowl, and mix until combined. Sprinkle seasoning mixture evenly over chicken breasts on all sides. Use your hands to pat the seasoning down.½ teaspoon garlic powder,½ teaspoon paprika,¾ teaspoon salt,¼ teaspoon pepper
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add ½ your olive oil.3 Tablespoons olive oil
- Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add 2 chicken breasts. Do not overcrowd the skillet.4 chicken breasts
- Cook for 5 minutes or until browned and caramelized. Using tongs, flip each chicken breast and cook for another 5 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads slightly under 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.
- Add butter and cook for an additional minute.2 Tablespoons butter
- Remove chicken from the skillet and set it aside to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts, butter, and oil.
- Serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use thinly-sliced chicken breasts or pound chicken out to an even thinness before pan-frying.
- Do not overcrowd the skillet! Cook the chicken breasts 2 at a time as your skillet allows. If you have a large burner and a 14-inch skillet you may be able to fit 4 at a time, but it's very important each chicken breast has the opportunity to cook evenly and brown evenly. If your chicken breasts are squashed together in the pan or your pan doesn't heat evenly, they don't have enough room.
- Allow the chicken to rest after cooking so it does not lose any of its juices when slicing. It should only need about 5 minutes of rest time.
- Slice against the grain for the most tender chicken breast. You can tell which way the grain runs by looking for the "lines" on the chicken. They're easy to see on golden-brown pan-fried chicken breasts!
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