Greetings all,
I'm curious of everybody's take on what has over time, become my nemesis.
I make pan seared and roast skin-on, boneless chicken breasts on a fairly regular basis. I use a well used, seasoned, and cared for cast iron skillet (flat bottom), and roast in a 400 degree oven, and while the skin is crispy and perfect going into the oven, it becomes flabby with what seems to be a thin layer of fat underneath by the time the chicken reaches the correct temperature.
I take the chicken breast out of the fridge and pat dry with paper towel, and put it on a rack, skin side up, in a freezer for ten minutes to remove any excess moisture. Then I season it with salt and pepper and let sit in the fridge for approximately an hour. I take it out as I prepare the pan.
I allow the cast iron to preheat for about 8-10 minutes on the stovetop on high and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Once the skillet is almost smoking, I add a bit of olive oil and spread it around the pan, and immediately add the chicken, skin side down.
I let it cook, undisturbed, for about 3 minutes and flip it skin side up. The skin is usually almost perfectly carmelized and crispy at this point, and I let it continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes, reducing the heat slightly to medium-high. Then I toss it in the oven, skin side up, until it's reached the proper temperature.
Once it does, the skin is now soggy and seems to get worse when I cover it to sit. I loosely cover it with one piece of alum foil with two small holes cut in the top of it to permit steam from leaving. I let rest for 5 minutes and serve.
Any suggestions? When it's done, the meat itself is perfect - juicy and tender. But I just cannot get the skin perfect, save for roasting a whole bird.
Thanks!
I'm curious of everybody's take on what has over time, become my nemesis.
I make pan seared and roast skin-on, boneless chicken breasts on a fairly regular basis. I use a well used, seasoned, and cared for cast iron skillet (flat bottom), and roast in a 400 degree oven, and while the skin is crispy and perfect going into the oven, it becomes flabby with what seems to be a thin layer of fat underneath by the time the chicken reaches the correct temperature.
I take the chicken breast out of the fridge and pat dry with paper towel, and put it on a rack, skin side up, in a freezer for ten minutes to remove any excess moisture. Then I season it with salt and pepper and let sit in the fridge for approximately an hour. I take it out as I prepare the pan.
I allow the cast iron to preheat for about 8-10 minutes on the stovetop on high and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Once the skillet is almost smoking, I add a bit of olive oil and spread it around the pan, and immediately add the chicken, skin side down.
I let it cook, undisturbed, for about 3 minutes and flip it skin side up. The skin is usually almost perfectly carmelized and crispy at this point, and I let it continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes, reducing the heat slightly to medium-high. Then I toss it in the oven, skin side up, until it's reached the proper temperature.
Once it does, the skin is now soggy and seems to get worse when I cover it to sit. I loosely cover it with one piece of alum foil with two small holes cut in the top of it to permit steam from leaving. I let rest for 5 minutes and serve.
Any suggestions? When it's done, the meat itself is perfect - juicy and tender. But I just cannot get the skin perfect, save for roasting a whole bird.
Thanks!