How to Cook Juicy & Tender Chicken Breast Every Time (It’s So Easy!)

Say Goodbye to Dry Chicken! The Japanese Restaurant Secret for Juicy, Tender Chicken Breast Every Time.
Chicken breast is a protein powerhouse, loved by many for its health benefits. But let’s be honest, it often ends up dry, tough, and disappointing. Today, I’m sharing a game-changing tip straight from Japanese restaurants that guarantees moist and tender chicken, no matter how you cook it—pan-fried, baked, or deep-fried!
This method is so simple and effective it rivals the results of fancy sous vide chicken breast techniques, but can be done with everyday kitchen tools.

What you need:

21-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts
500 ml water
25 g salt
25 g sugar

How to make:

1. Prepare the Brine: Add 500 ml water, 25 g salt, and 25 g sugar into a zip bag or container. Mix well until fully dissolved.
2. Brine the Chicken: Add the chicken breast into the brine. Seal and refrigerate for 2–3 hours or overnight.
3. Season the Chicken: Remove the chicken breast from the brine, pat dry, and season both sides with paprika, salt, and Italian herbs. (Or any seasoning you like)
4. Heat the Pan: Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add some olive oil. Place the chicken breast in the pan, cover, and cook for 3 minutes.

5. Remove the lid and continue pan-frying for another 2~3 minutes.
6. Flip the chicken breast. Cover and cook for 3 minutes, then uncover and cook for an additional 2~3 minutes over medium heat.
7. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
8. Serve the sliced chicken on top of your Marry Me Soup and enjoy~

Tips for Juicy & Tender Chicken Breast:

1. Brine Ratio: The ratio for water : salt: sugar is 100%: 5%: 5%.
2. Salt’s Role: Salt helps break down the muscle fibers in chicken breast, so it won’t shrink as much during cooking and will stay tender.
3. Sugar’s Role: Sugar increases the chicken’s ability to retain moisture, making the meat juicier.

More chicken recipes:

Creamy Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Crispy Chinese Lemon Chicken

Honey Garlic Chicken

Easy Sheet Pan Coconut Chicken Curry

Marry Me Chicken Soup (High Protein Version)

Black Pepper Chicken Recipe

Watch how to make:

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