Finding Best Way to Cook Chicken Breast; Microwave, Fry, Bake, Poach

I often cook chicken breasts in the oven after stuffing them with mozzarella and chorizo or ricotta and spinach, so I was intrigued to see how a plain chicken breast would taste.

I preheated my oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit and added a little cooking spray to the bottom of a small baking tray.

Then, I placed the chicken breast in the pan and rubbed the top with some olive oil. To add flavor and spice, I sprinkled it with salt, pepper, and a little smoked paprika.

After 20 minutes, I checked the thickest part of the chicken and found the juices were running clear, so I took it out of the oven. I let it rest for a few minutes before cutting to keep it juicy.

The oven-roasted chicken turned out lovely, with excellent texture and flavor. All things considered, it was a complete winner.

Next, it was time to try pan-frying. I heated some olive oil over relatively high heat and seasoned my chicken breast with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.

When the oil was hot, I placed the chicken breast in the pan and cooked each side for two to three minutes before lowering the heat and placing a lid on the pan to help it cook through.

I turned and moved the chicken breast regularly in an attempt to cook it evenly.

Each side of the chicken breast turned a nice brown color, but it took 15 minutes to cook through completely — more time than I expected (although I’d rather overcook it and make sure the chicken is safe to eat).

Once it was done, I let it rest for a few minutes again.

Searing the meat at a high temperature created a tasty flavor. I loved how the top and bottom of the chicken had an almost charred taste after coming off the pan.

This perfectly cooked chicken breast was also juicy.

The stovetop chicken wasn’t hugely dissimilar to the oven version, but it had a more brown, flavorful exterior.

Before this experiment, I’d never microwaved chicken. I didn’t have high hopes.

I placed my chicken breast in a glass dish, seasoned it with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, and poured water into the dish until it covered ⅓ of the chicken breast.

I covered the dish with a sheet of parchment paper and microwaved it for five minutes. When I opened the microwave door, I realized the baking paper had rotated and flopped onto the chicken.

Small logistical blip aside, it was completely cooked.

I took the chicken out of the microwave, let it sit for a minute or two, and then cut into it.

It didn’t have quite the same flavor as the baked and pan-fried chicken, but it was still moist and easy to shred. And it was so quick! I was pleasantly surprised.

Poaching was the final cooking method I wanted to test.

I brought a pot of salted water to a boil, plopped in the chicken breast, covered it, and lowered the heat to a simmer.

Aside from putting salt in the water, I didn’t add any seasoning to the chicken. However, I’ve seen people poach chicken breasts in stock, so I might try that next time to see how it affects the flavor.

After about 15 minutes, the chicken was fully cooked.

The poached chicken breast didn’t look particularly appealing, but it was cooked through.

Although I don’t love plain poached chicken on its own and find it quite bland, it works well for shredding and adding to fajitas, curries, or pasta.

I regularly poach chicken, but honestly, the microwave did the same thing as the stove. Actually, it did an even better job in less time.

I’d never considered using the appliance to cook chicken before this test, but I wish I’d tried it sooner. My husband was surprised by how nicely the microwave version turned out, too.

For some dishes, I’ll stick to frying and roasting chicken breasts, but the next time I want shredded chicken, I’ll use the microwave.