It's really no secret that I don't know how to cook meat, and I have no problem admitting that. But when I found this step by step guide on how to cook tender and juicy chicken breasts that required very little skill and ingredients, I put my fear aside and gave it a shot. The result? It was pretty damn tasty!
The recipe is a 5-step process: brine, brush, rub, roast, rest, and takes about an hour overall. Since most of it is either letting the chicken brine, rest, or cook, you can make your other dishes while waiting.
Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 tbs melted butter or oil 1 tsp salt, plus more for brine 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp paprika
Directions:
Brine the chicken breasts in a large bowl of warm water with 1/4 cup salt. Stir until most of the salt is absorbed, and let the chicken rest for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken, rinse under cold water, then pat dry. Pre-heat oven to 450. Place chicken in a large baking dish and brush both sides with melted butter or oil. In a separate small bowl, combine salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika (or your favorite chicken seasoning), then spread evenly over the chicken on both sides. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the thickest part of the breasts reaches 160-170 degrees. If you want a nice crust on the top, broil on high for the final 3-5 minutes, keeping an eye that it doesn't burn. Once cooked, remove from pan and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Recipe from Gimme Some Oven