Pan Fried Chicken Breasts (Ready In Under 15 Minutes)

This pan fried chicken recipe is so simple yet so delicious. The chicken breast is coated in an Italian seasoning mix that's filled with flavor, then it gets pan fried until it has a perfect sear on the outside while staying super juicy on the inside. Plus, in addition to tasting great, this pan seared chicken breast recipe is quick and easy to make in under 15 minutes!

The Best Pan Fried Chicken

When it comes to easy chicken recipes, there aren't many that are better than this one. I mean, it's simple to make, but the results are anything but that! 

This recipe makes perfectly cooked, juicy chicken that's loaded with the perfect combination of savory flavors. And since this is a pan seared chicken breast recipe, the chicken has a golden crust on the outside that is just addictive. 

I know I'm biased, but I really think this is one of the best chicken breast recipes I've come up with.

I just love that the chicken cooks perfectly every single time, and as I mentioned, this recipe is really quick and easy to make too. All you have to do is season the chicken, then toss it on a cast iron skillet to cook for just 10 minutes! This pan fried chicken breast really is the perfect meal for busy weeknights or if you want to meal prep for the week.

Oh, and since this recipe comes together so quickly and is mostly passive cooking, you can effortlessly whip up something to go with it, like this loaded baked potato casserole, these ranch potatoes, or parmesan noodles.

Ingredients

The ingredient list for these pan fried chicken breasts is the definition of simple. Honestly, odds are you already have most - if not all - of the ingredients you'll need on hand already since they're kitchen/pantry staples.

Anyway, here's what you'll need to make this pan fried chicken breast recipe:

• 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
• ¼ cup flour
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon Italian herbs
• Olive oil, for frying

How simple is that?

By the way, if you're looking for another pan fried chicken recipe, then I definitely suggest you check out these Italian chicken cutlets next. The recipe uses just about all the same ingredients plus a few for the breading.

Ingredient Substitutions And Suggestions

While I always make these pan fried chicken breasts with the ingredients listed above, there's definitely some wiggle room for you to swap some ingredients to suit your preferences or possibly save you a trip to the store.

For instance, this recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into fillets. That said, you could make this recipe with skinless chicken thighs if you prefer. Just keep in mind the cooking time may vary, and make sure the chicken thighs are all the same levels of thickness.

How To Make Pan Fried Chicken

Now that we have all of that covered, it's time to make pan fried chicken breasts!

I hate to sound like a broken record, but I can't stress enough just how easy this recipe is. Even if you've never cooked chicken breasts on the stove before, you'll find this recipe to be a breeze, and it'll turn out perfect every single time.

So, with that said, let's stop wasting time and get cooking!

Step 1: Prep Work

First, you'll want to pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels so the seasonings stick better later on. Now, if your chicken breasts are too thick, butterfly them by cutting the chicken in half to make them thinner and even in thickness.

Next, you can season the chicken breasts with as much salt and pepper as you want.

Step 2: Season Chicken Breasts

Once you've prepped your chicken breasts, you're going to want to make the seasoning mixture.

So take out a bowl and add the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian herbs to it and give everything a mix until it combines. Then you can take each piece of chicken breast and coat it on both sides with the seasoning mixture.  

Step 3: Cook Chicken Breasts

Now that you've seasoned your chicken breasts, you'll want to heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a cast iron skillet - or regular skillet if you don't have one - over medium high heat.

As soon as the oil is hot, you can add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook them for about 5 minutes on each side. You'll know the chicken is done cooking when it has a golden crust on the oustide and the inside it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Once your pan fried chicken breasts are fully cooked, you'll want to let the chicken rest for a minute, then you can serve it with some pasta, veggies, or anything else that you want.

Enjoy!

How To Store Pan Fried Chicken Breasts

This recipe for pan fried chicken makes 2 servings, so it should be just enough for a small dinner or lunch for two. With that said, one of the things I love about pan frying chicken breasts is that they make for great leftovers. So if you want to meal prep, you can make a double or triple batch of this recipe!

Then if you have leftovers, you can store the cooked chicken breasts in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. And if you want to keep the chicken for longer, you can freeze it in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 4 months.

How To Reheat Cooked Chicken

When you're ready to enjoy your pan fried chicken breasts again, they're really delicious cold, but you can reheat 'em if you want. 

The best way to reheat chicken is to put it on a wire rack and heat it in the oven at 400°F for about 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F again. Just make sure to let the chicken come down to room temperature before reheating. And if you're reheating frozen chicken, you'll want to let it thaw in the fridge overnight. 

FAQs About This Pan Fried Chicken Recipe 

How long should you pan fry chicken for?

Typically, you should pan fry chicken for 5 minutes on one side, then flip it and fry it for an additional 5 minutes on the other side. Now, the amount of time the chicken cooks on each side will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts. No matter the size, you'll know the cooked chicken breast is done when it's browned on both sides, and a meat thermometer has an internal temperature of 165°F.

How do I pan fry chicken without it getting tough?

The trick to pan fry chicken without it getting tough is to make sure that the oil in the pan is hot before adding the chicken breasts to it. Also, you'll want to cook chicken breast over moderate heat for a longer period of time as opposed to cooking it at a high temperature for a short period of time. 

Is it better to fry chicken in flour?

While it's not necessary, frying chicken in flour helps it develop a more crispy coating on the outside. I have also found that it is the best way to keep the chicken juicy without drying it out. So having said that, I think it is better to fry chicken in flour.

Wrapping It Up

Well, that's how to make pan fried chicken!

Honestly, I know we're just talking about cooking chicken breasts, but I seriously think this easy chicken recipe is as delicious as it gets.

I don't know if it's the balance of flavors or the combination of crispy and tender textures that makes this chicken so good. I just know we make this recipe in the Duff household at least once a week. Since it's so versatile, it's easy to have a completely different meal every single time using the chicken as the base. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this pan fried chicken recipe as much as I/we do.

As always, if you make it, leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out!

More Easy Chicken Recipes

If this recipe has you in the mood to make even more delicious chicken recipes, we have a bunch on the blog that you can try next!

Here are some of our most popular recipes:

• Oven baked chicken with cream of chicken soup
• Oven baked chicken tenders
• Oven baked chicken leg quarters
• Chicken and potato casserole
• Chicken fajita casserole
• Chicken noodle casserole
  

Oh, and make sure to follow us on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube! We post new recipes on them every day.

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