Chicken Steak
A 'chicken steak' — flattened chicken breast pan-seared until golden, finished with butter and herbs. Like a steak but lighter. The trick is even pounding and proper rest.
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
33 min
Servings
6
Calories
427 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Chicken750 g
- Black Pepper¾ tsp
- Paprika1 ½ tsp
- Garlic Powder1 ½
- Garlic4 ½ cloves
- Lemon Juice1 ½
- Olive Oil3 tbsp
- Salt1 ½ tsp
All quantities scaled automatically from 6 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Chicken750 g
- Black Pepper0.75 tsp
- Paprika1.5 tsp
- Garlic Powder1.5
- Garlic4.5 cloves
- Lemon Juice1.5
- Olive Oil3 tbsp
- Salt1.5 tsp
Instructions
- 1
Pound 2 large chicken breasts to ½-inch thickness between sheets of plastic wrap. Uniform thickness ensures even cooking.
- 2
Pat dry. Season heavily with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried thyme.
- 3
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high until shimmering.
- 4
Place the chicken in the pan. Don't move for 4-5 minutes — the crust forms when undisturbed. Flip once.
- 5
Cook the second side 3-4 minutes until cooked through (165°F internal). In the last minute, add 2 tablespoons butter, 3 smashed garlic cloves, sprig of fresh thyme. Baste the chicken with the melted butter.
- 6
Transfer to a plate. Rest 5 minutes. Slice against the grain. Serve with the pan butter drizzled over. Sides: mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, salad.
Watch how to make Chicken Steak
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Pound to even thickness. ½ inch cooks evenly in 8 minutes.
- 2.Don't move during cooking. Crust forms when undisturbed.
- 3.Butter baste at end. Adds richness and aromatic depth.
- 4.Rest before slicing. 5 minutes preserves juiciness.
🔬 Why It Works
Chicken steak succeeds when the chicken is pounded evenly (consistent cooking), seared properly (Maillard crust), and rested (juices redistribute). The butter baste at the end adds restaurant-style richness. Treating chicken like steak — high heat, brief cooking, proper rest — produces dramatically better results than the typical boiled-or-baked approach.
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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