Description
Succulent Chicken Breasts with Mediterranean spices elevate simple proteins into a restaurant-quality meal. Seasoned carefully and seared to golden perfection, you’ll savor tender, flavorful chicken that brings Mediterranean comfort directly to your plate.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless (6–8 oz / 170–226 g each)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning (or dried oregano)
- Juice of ½ lemon (optional)
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley or thyme, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preparation: Thoroughly pat chicken breasts dry and liberally coat with selected spices, massaging seasoning into every crevice for maximum flavor penetration.
- Searing: Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until it ripples with intense warmth. Carefully place chicken smooth-side down, allowing a perfect golden crust to develop over 5-6 minutes without disrupting contact with the pan.
- Cooking: Flip chicken, reduce heat to medium, and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes. In the final moments, introduce butter and minced garlic, creating a luxurious pan sauce by gently basting the protein with melted butter.
- Finishing: Confirm doneness by checking internal temperature reaches 165°F with a meat thermometer. Immediately remove from heat and brighten the dish with a vibrant splash of fresh lemon juice, cutting through the rich flavors and adding a zesty dimension.
Notes
- Blot Chicken Dry: Remove excess moisture completely to achieve a perfect golden-brown sear and prevent steaming instead of browning.
- Spice Massage Technique: Thoroughly work seasonings into chicken surfaces for deep, even flavor penetration and maximum taste absorption.
- Heat Management Critical: Maintain medium-high heat initially, then reduce to medium to create a crispy exterior while ensuring juicy, tender interior without burning.
- Rest and Finish Wisely: Allow chicken to rest for 3-5 minutes after cooking to redistribute internal juices, preventing dryness and maintaining maximum moisture content.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 660 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg