Easy Sauteed Chicken Breasts (in just 15 minutes!)
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If it seems like you can use chicken in just about any recipe, you’re right! Chicken is a versatile protein that can be used in loads of different ways. Which is why I love to have sauteed chicken breast on hand at all times.
Whether it is midday lunch, a weeknight dinner, or an after workout snack, sauteed chicken breast can be your best friend for fast, healthy meals all week long.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
Fast: Because you can make it in 20 minutes or less, knowing how to saute chicken breast is a game changer when it comes to prepping meals ahead of time for sauteed chicken recipes or just making sauteed chicken for a main entree.
Versatile: As you probably already know, sauteed chicken can be used on salads, in tacos, with rice bowls, as an entree, with gravy, and so much more! The options are endless!
Tender and Juicy: No dried out rubbery chicken here! This sauteed chicken recipe produces chicken that is tender, juicy, and absolutely delicious every time!
Meal Prep: Because of its versatility both in flavor and storage, you can prep this sauteed chicken a week ahead or even a month ahead of time (if you plan to freeze it) and have it ready to make with any meal at a moment’s notice!
If you have leftover chicken, consider making one of these yummy recipes; Pesto Chicken, Greek Lemon Chicken Soup and Soy Garlic Chicken Breast
What does sauteed chicken mean?
The word saute means to fry something quickly in hot fat. In this recipe, we will be frying chicken breast quickly in a little oil until we get that delicious caramelization on the outside of the chicken and it is perfectly cooked inside.
The only equipment you will need is a frying pan or skillet and a spatula or pair of tongs, and when you do it my way, sauteed chicken can be done in less than 20 minutes!
Love sauteed chicken? Try my; Tabbouleh Chicken, Peri Peri Chicken and Creamy Tarragon Chicken
How To Prepare the Chicken
Before I saute my chicken breast, I like to make sure that it is a thin, even thickness all the way across. This does two things…one, it helps the chicken cook way faster, and two, it makes sure the chicken cooks evenly.
I do this in one of two ways. If you have a meat mallet or a rolling pin, you can pound out the chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap, parchment paper, or in a sealable plastic storage bag. I like my chicken breast to be about 2 cm all the way across.
Another way is to just cut the breast into thinner slices. Again, trying to keep the thickness to about ¼ inch or 0.64 cm is best. Then you can season them to make sure they are flavorful after sauteing.
Can I use a Non-Stick Skillet?
A non-stick skillet can be used to saute chicken breast and if you are trying to cut down on how much oil you use, it is a great option.
However, if you plan to make a pan sauce after browning your chicken, then I recommend using stainless steel or cast iron. When you use one of these pans to saute, there are small brown bits that stick to the pan that when you deglaze, turn into a deliciously easy pan sauce.
How to not overcook or undercook your chicken
It is hard to overcook your chicken when you saute, especially if you are using my recipe. Though it can happen, and if it does, I recommend turning down the heat the next time so the chicken doesn’t cook quite so fast.
But undercooked chicken is the real issue you can run into when sauteing. Never eat undercooked or raw chicken! To prevent this, you can use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is 165°C/62°C. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, then you can cut the chicken and make sure the juices run clear with absolutely no hint of pink.
If you find that your sauteed chicken is getting burned, you may need to turn down the heat on the stove or remove the chicken earlier from the pan.
Ingredients
Chicken Breast: Chicken breast that has been pounded or sliced thin is my preference in this recipe. It speeds up the cooking time and creates a nice tender, juicy cooked chicken.
Seasonings: Seasoning your chicken to perfection is the only way to make sure it has great flavor after it is sauteed. So make sure to use plenty of salt and pepper. Then add in other seasonings that you prefer for a different taste profile. In this recipe, I add garlic powder, cajun seasoning and Italian herbs.
Oil: In order to get that dreamy caramelization on the outside of the chicken when you saute it, you need oil in a hot pan. I tend to use rapeseed or avocado since they can tolerate the high heat better than butter or olive oil.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
Change the seasonings – One of the great things about chicken is that its mild flavor allows you to change the seasoning and flavors you use,making it the perfect addition to just about every meal. I love Mexican seasoning if I am having chicken tacos, Asian flavors for chicken stir fry, and Italian herbs and spices if I plan to add my sauteed chicken breast to a pasta dish.
Use boneless chicken thighs – Don’t have chicken breasts? Chicken thighs are another great affordable meat you can saute and make ahead of time.
How to make sauteed chicken breast
- Start by placing the chicken breast into a ziplock bag (Image 1).
- Pound until you achieve a thickness of around ½ inch – 1 inch. You can go thinner (around ¼ inch) which will decrease the cook time even more (Image 2).
3. Add the Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper into the bag (Image 3).
4. Seal the bag and shake to evenly coat (Image 4).
5. Preheat a stainless steel pan over a high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the oil to coat the base of the pan. Place the chicken into the pan with tongs and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of your chicken (Image 5).
6. Cook until an internal temperature of 165°C/62°C is achieved. Remove from the pan and leave to rest for a couple of minutes before slicing (Image 6).
Pair this yummy chicken recipe with these easy side dishes; Frozen Garlic Bread in Air Fryer, Crispy Smashed Broccoli with Parmesan and Parmentier Potatoes
Tips for the best result
- Pound out the chicken before cooking so it is the same thickness all the way across.
- Deglaze your pan after sauteing your chicken breast for a nice, easy pan sauce to go with your chicken.
- Let the meat rest before slicing so the juices are not lost.
Serving Suggestions
The amount of sauteed chicken breast recipes out there is endless. Here are some of the ways you can serve sauteed chicken whether you made it ahead of time or made it 5 minutes ago; chicken casserole, chicken salad, chicken tacos, chicken rice bowls, chicken katsu curry, chicken pasta, chicken bites.
Make Ahead and Leftover Storage Instructions
Refrigerating – To store pre-made or leftover sauteed chicken in the refrigerator, use an airtight container and store for up to 5 days.
Freezing – Freezing can be a great way to prepare for a week or even a month of chicken meals. To freeze pre-made or leftover sauteed chicken breast, place the chicken in an airtight container and then freeze in a regular freezer for up to 3 months. If you want to freeze it for even longer, you can store the chicken in a deep freeze for up to 1 year.
Reheating– Reheating chicken is super easy. You can use the microwave, stovetop, oven, air fryer, or even the grill. How long you reheat the chicken breasts will depend on their size and thickness.
Microwave: Place the chicken on a microwave safe dish and cook in 15 second intervals until heated through.
Stovetop: You can place the chicken whole or cut up into a sauce pan or skillet over low to medium heat until the chicken is warmed through.
Oven: Put the chicken on a baking sheet and cover with a bit of foil. Warm on 350°F (180°C) f for about 10-15 minutes or until heated throughout. If the chicken is cut up it will take less time.
Air fryer: I find the air fryer to be the easiest reheat method due to the ease of cleanup and how fast it warms the chicken up. Just place the chicken into the basket and reheat it on 350°F (180°C) for 2-5 minutes. The time will be a little more for whole breasts and a little less for smaller cut pieces.
For some more easy air fryer recipes, try my ; Air Fryer Chicken Bites or Chicken Patties in Airfryer
FAQs
You can absolutely saute chicken breast. It is fast, easy, and creates flavorful, delicious caramelized chicken that can be used in loads of meals and recipes.
Sauteing chicken in butter or oil is a bit of a personal preference. The butter will be more flavorful, but I find that I like using oil due to its higher smoke point. It is easy to burn butter if you put it over too high a heat.
If the chicken has been pounded out to about ¼ inch thickness, then you should be able to saute the chicken in 20 minutes or less over medium high heat.
Covering your pan when sauteing chicken will actually cause too much moisture for the chicken to brown, giving you steamed chicken versus sauteed chicken.
If you find that the inside of the chicken is not cooking quickly enough, I recommend pounding the chicken to a smaller thickness with a meat mallet before trying to saute or turning the heat down a bit to give the inside time to cook before the outside of the chicken is done.
If you tried this Easy Sauteed Chicken Breasts recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Easy Sauteed Chicken Breasts (in just 15 minutes!)
Ingredients
- 600 g chicken breast (3 large) (£4.25)
Cupboard Essentials
- 1 tbsp rapeseed/canola oil
- 1 tsp Italian herb
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt & Pepper
Method
- Start by placing the chicken breast into a ziplock bag. Pound until you achieve a thickness of around ½ inch - 1 inch. You can go thinner (around ¼ inch) which will decrease the cook time even more.
- Add the Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper into the bag. Seal the bag and shake to evenly coat.
- Preheat a stainless steel pan over a high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the oil to coat the base of the pan.
- Place the chicken into the pan with tongs and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of your chicken. Cook until an internal temperature of 62°C/165°C is achieved.
- Remove from the pan and leave to rest for a couple of minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Pound chicken to an even thickness before cooking for uniform doneness.
- Deglaze the pan after sautéing to create a simple, flavorful pan sauce.
- Allow meat to rest before slicing to retain juices.
Nutrition
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