I have been in such a chicken mood lately. And most of my chicken dishes, I’m searing the chicken in my cast iron pan then throwing it in the oven to finish cooking. I can’t stress enough how this is the best way to cook chicken breast. I often turn to boneless, skinless chicken thighs because it is so hard to overcook them. They stay moist when cooked in so many different ways. But chicken breasts are different.
I mean, first, chicken has to be cooked through. No “pink in the middle” acceptability test. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve toiled over a recipe only to disappointingly find the chicken wasn’t cooked through and <gasp> have to throw it in the microwave 😭. It seems like such a rookie mistake to make ~ undercooking your chicken, that is. But, honestly, it is such an easy mistake to make. Jabbing the thermometer in the wrong place. Taking the temperature *in* the oven where the thermometer picks up the heat of the environment around it. Ugh, so many ways!
Chicken breast obviously isn’t as hard to ensure it’s cooked through as, say, a whole chicken or even split chicken breast. I cooked split chicken breast for the first time last summer, and WOW, what an eye opener to the complexities of cooking chicken! But, any chicken that still has the bones in will inherently retain its moisture… you just have to make sure you give it enough time to cook through!
But, boneless, skinless chicken breast is easily overcooked… in any recipe that calls for it! Some bloggers/chefs will state in their ingredient list chicken breast or boneless, skinless chicken thighs, as if they’re easily interchangeable. And, well, “technically” they are easily interchangeable… but not if you want that perfectly moist but cooked through piece of meat!
Geez, beef is so much easier because it’s okay if it retains some pink in the center. So, for example, even in a stir fry, beef is easily seared on the outside, removed from the wok, and then just thrown back in at the end to heat through. I made a chicken stir fry last week for which I used sliced chicken thighs and approached it similar to how I would cook a beef stir fry. BUT, again, chicken thighs are just so easy to cook without losing the moisture content!
So, the trick I’ve learned with cooking chicken breast is twofold… or maybe it’s threefold? Okay, here it is… first, a cast iron pan is really essential. If you don’t own a cast iron pan, I highly recommend getting one for your kitchen arsenal. Cast iron pans are tried and tested for almost 2,000 years!!!! Can’t argue that. Plus, none of the nonstick liner flaking up or scratched surfaces. And even the most abused and neglected cast iron pan can often be restored and returned to a beautiful state. It’s all about how you take care of your pan. I use my cast iron pan so frequently that I season it with olive oil. For those of you who don’t use your cast iron pan frequently, using a fat that doesn’t break down as quickly as olive oil is recommended. I would advise coconut oil. First, it takes longer for the fats in coconut oil to breakdown. Second, coconut oil has its own natural antibiotics, which makes it perfect for this type of application.
Okay, so first step is your cast iron pan. Second step is searing the chicken. Sometimes I sear it on one side, flip it, and put it straight in the oven. Other times I sear it on one side, lightly sear it on the other side, and then put it in the oven. Both ways work! The key is to then not overcook it in the oven. You’ll want to cook it until it’s cooked through, but I’ll advise against that. Instead, I would recommend only cooking the chicken breast for 10 to 12 minutes in the oven. After you pull it out of the oven, immediately slice it. For only the pieces that are still raw in the center, return those pieces to the cast iron pan and cook, over a medium flame, for no more than 30 to 60 seconds per side. This will cook the raw center through without overcooking the chicken… aka, perfectly cooked, perfectly moist chicken breast!
One thing I haven’t noted is that I only cook with regular chicken breast… meaning, I don’t like cooking with the “thin” cuts of chicken breast. First, if I want chicken thinner, I’ll pound it to my desired thinness. Second, again, it is so easy to overcook chicken breast and thin chicken breast makes that so much easier to do! Oh, and if you’re asking what the problem is with overcooked chicken breasts??? Think tough, stringy pieces of meat. Yuck 😝.
Monday, using the same process, I made a blackened chicken breast to pair with a southwestern salad. Using this method and slicing the chicken before popping it back into the cast iron pan had the added benefit of then coating each slice of chicken in the blackened seasoning!
However, today, I kept the chicken breast simple by just coating it in some olive oil and salt and pepper. I didn’t want to overpower the chicken because the risotto is so strong in flavor! The blend of pesto and sun-dried tomatoes gives this risotto such a strong kick of Mediterranean goodness with which the simply seasoned chicken pairs so nicely. Add in some spinach for some Vitamin K goodness, and this is such a healthful, flavorful dinner! I topped this off with fresh thyme… most people cook with fresh herbs, myself included. But you need to garnish your plate with fresh herbs too… and not just the go to parsley most people choose, but fresh basil, thyme, oregano, cilantro, dill. Of course, pairing accordingly with your dinner. But the vibrancy of fresh herbs added as a garnish adds a beautiful dimension to your dinner.
Bonus? Even with all this detail on the science behind cooking the perfect chicken breast… this meal is ready to serve in 40 minutes! Oooo, who’s hungry?
Enjoy!
Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Risotto with Roasted Chicken Breast
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Italian
- Cuisine: Dinner
Ingredients
1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 TB olive oil
1½ cups Arborio rice
5 cups chicken stock
2 TBs butter
1 small sweet onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely minced
¼ – ½ cup homemade or store-bought pesto
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 – 3 cups baby spinach
2 TBs fresh thyme leaves
2 TBs fresh basil, roughly chopped
salt & pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Pat the chicken breast dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
While the oven preheats, melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the onion and lightly sprinkle with salt. Stir frequently and cook until just starting to soften ~ about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and Arborio rice. Cook, stirring almost constantly, for 2 minutes. Add in 1 cup of chicken stock and cook until fully absorbed, stirring frequently. Continue to add 1 cup at a time, allowing each cup to be fully absorbed before adding in the next cup. You do not have to stir constantly, but make sure you stir frequently.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron or oven safe pan over medium heat. When hot, carefully twirl the pan to fully coat the bottom with the olive oil. Add the chicken breast and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on one side (depending on the thickness of the cut). Flip and cook and additional 2 minutes. Place the pan in the oven and cook 10 to 12 minutes ~ again, depending on thickness. When finished cooking in the oven, place the chicken on a cutting board and slice. If any pieces are still raw in the center, return them to the pan. Cook over medium heat for about 30 to 60 seconds per side, but no longer! Remove from the pan and return to the cutting board. Sprinkle over half the thyme leaves and basil.
Returning to the risotto, once all of the liquid has been absorbed and the risotto is bite tender, add the sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, and Parmesan cheese, stirring to thoroughly combine. Add the spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Plate the risotto and sprinkle the remaining thyme and basil among the four plates. Divide the sliced chicken and place on top of the risotto. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Keywords: risotto, sun-dried tomato risotto, pesto risotto, sun-dried tomato pesto risotto, risotto with chicken, risotto with roast chicken, oven roasted chicken, oven roasted chicken breast
