How to Broil Chicken Breasts

Last Updated: August 28, 2022 References

Chicken is a nutritious and versatile food that pairs well with just about any side you can think of. Chicken breasts can be prepared in a number of ways to achieve a variety of different flavors, textures, and presentations. One of the easiest and most straightforward ways to prepare chicken breasts is to broil them. This produces a crispy, tender, and flavorful meal for you and your family or friends to enjoy.

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp salt
2 tsp ground pepper

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Defrosting and Seasoning the Chicken

1
Defrost the chicken breasts in the fridge for at least 5 hours. The best way to defrost any type of frozen meat is to place it in the refrigerator and let it thaw out over several hours. If you don’t have time to leave the chicken in the fridge this long, you can defrost it in cold water for 2-3 hours or use a microwave if you’re in a pinch.
- Using the refrigerator is safer than other options because it prevents the chicken from being exposed to bacteria that can grow in warmer temperatures. It also helps the chicken maintain its flavor.^{[1]
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- If you’ve bought your chicken breast fresh (unfrozen), you can skip the defrosting step altogether.
2
Mix 5 tbsp of olive oil, 3 tsp of salt, and 2 tsp of pepper in a bowl. Stir these ingredients thoroughly together with a spoon or brush.^{[2]
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Research source} You may also choose to add additional herbs and spices, such as garlic, thyme, or fennel, to your mixture for extra taste and texture.
- The olive oil adds flavor to the chicken and helps the seasonings adhere better to each breast.
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3
Rub the mixture into the chicken using your hands or a pastry brush. Coat each chicken breast as thoroughly as possible before cooking and take your time with each one.^{[3]
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- Once you’ve coated each chicken breast, you can sprinkle additional salt, pepper, and other seasonings over the chicken for added flavor.
4
Coat a large cooking sheet with a nonstick spray. Saturate the sheet evenly, using plenty of spray. If the chicken sticks to the sheet while it’s broiling, you may lose some of the seasoning and flavor.
- Alternatively, you can spread a very thin layer of olive oil over the sheet.^{[4]
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5
Place the chicken breasts on the cooking sheet a few inches apart. Make sure the chicken breasts aren’t touching each other. Each breast should be exposed to the heat of the broiler while it cooks.^{[5]
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- Spacing the chicken breasts a few inches apart also makes turning them over during the cooking process easier.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Cooking the Chicken in the Broiler

1
Place the oven rack about 6 inches (15 cm) from the heat source. There should be some space between the chicken and the broiling element in your oven to prevent the outside of the chicken from burning.
- The thicker the chicken breasts, the farther they should be from the broiler.^{[6]
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  Research source} So, if you have larger chicken breasts, you’ll want to lower the rack a couple of inches to accommodate the extra thickness.
2
Preheat the oven’s broiler about 5 minutes before cooking. Most ovens only have 2 broiler settings: on and off.^{[7]
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Research source} If your broiler has multiple settings, use the lower setting.
3
Put the cooking sheet with the seasoned chicken under the broiler. You may want to use oven mitts to avoid burning your hands. Keep in mind that you’re cooking with direct heat and the oven will be very hot.^{[8]
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- Place the pan in the center of the oven rack for the best results.
4
Broil the chicken for about 10 minutes, leaving the oven door ajar. You don’t want to have the door completely open, but leave a small gap to help vent steam out of the oven.^{[9]
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- Too much steam can prevent the outside of the chicken from crisping (which is part of the point of broiling in the first place).
5
Watch the chicken breasts carefully as they cook. You may choose to place aluminum foil around the edges of the chicken breasts if they begin to brown to prevent burning on the thinner parts of the chicken.^{[10]
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- Broilers are extremely hot and chicken can easily burn if it’s not monitored. The size of the chicken breasts and the temperature of your broiler can impact cooking time.
6
Turn the chicken over with metal tongs when one side has browned. Generally, it will take about 10 minutes for the chicken to be ready to turn. The chicken breasts should be golden brown on top. Use long metal tongs to avoid burning your hands under the hot broiler.^{[11]
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- It’s best not to use a fork or other sharp object to turn the chicken breasts. Piercing the chicken can cause the juices to escape and make your chicken dry and less flavorful.
7
Brush the chicken with additional olive oil and seasoning. This keeps the chicken moist, even while it’s being broiled at extreme temperatures.^{[12]
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- Adding additional oil and seasoning also helps replace any seasoning that may have come off when you transferred the chicken onto the cooking sheet and into the oven.
8
Broil the chicken for 10 more minutes or until fully cooked. Continue broiling until the juices run clear and the chicken is no longer pink in the center. Cooking times vary depending on the thickness of the meat.^{[13]
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- To be sure the chicken is fully cooked, you can use a meat thermometer to check the chicken’s internal temperature. It should be around 165 °F (74 °C) when it’s done.
- It is better not to use only the broiler to broil a chicken all the way.
- The broiling feature is used to char something or crisp up some skin afterward or before.
- You can reverse sear the chicken with the broiler or sear it. Then turn the heat back to a lower temperature, like 350 degrees, so the chicken cooks through to 165 degrees without burning the skin.^{[14]
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9
Remove the chicken and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. Use oven mitts to remove the cooking sheet from the oven. The chicken will be extremely hot, so make sure to let it cool before enjoying it.^{[15]
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Community Q&A

Question

When I try to cook this, it always burns the skin, even if it's on the bottom rack of the oven. What should I do?

Community Answer

If the broil setting is on high, turn it to low and keep an eye on the chicken. Sometimes broil settings can be touchy, depending on the oven.
Question

Do I close the oven door when broiling?

Community Answer

No. Keep the oven door slightly ajar (about 3 inches) during the entire broiling process. If your oven door won't stay open that far on its own, use a thick rolled up length of aluminum foil to prop the door open.
Question

What temperature should I broil at?

Community Answer

Broil is a separate setting on your oven rather than a temperature setting. It turns the broiler element or burner on and leaves it on until the setting is turned off. You don't have to choose a temperature.

Warnings

Don't wash your chicken breasts prior to broiling. Cooking at an appropriate heat will kill any bacteria and washing increases the chances of splashing bacteria-laden water on your countertops, stovetop, or other cooking surface.

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Always wash your hands with hot water and soap after you've touched raw chicken. Bacteria on your hands can be transferred to other surfaces where they can make you or your family sick if ingested.

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