See all videosHow to Prep Chicken Breasts (1:22)
To keep chicken breasts from drying out (or serving them undercooked), you need to even out their thickness. Find out how!
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Member Comments About This Video
Great information - 4/10/18
I really enjoyed hammering down the chicken breast to make it even. I was really amazed how easy it was to accomplish. Thank you for all of your hints. - 8/28/17
chicken is my favorite blank slate to build a healthy meal out of. - 5/10/17
Great! - 4/17/17
You don't need a hammer-just use a heavy pot to pound out the breast evenly.
- 3/19/17
Too bad the camera caught the hands, it is difficult to see... - 3/18/17
Also pounding that breast is a stress reliever. - 1/26/17
Great video of her hands! - 5/24/16
This was good advice, but I couldn't see anything but her hands. Can you re-shoot it?
- 2/13/16
THank You!!!!!!!!!! - 2/11/16
Thank you. - 7/14/15
I've always wondered why the tendon was left there anyway! Thanks for the tip! - 6/18/15
Besides a hammer or rolling pin, what could I use to pound the chicken? - 6/17/15
Very helpful, agree with the camera angle comments - 4/28/15
What an excellent tip from the Sparker who suggested using the inner plastic bags from cereal boxes. I save those for wrapping items for my freezer, and would not have thought about using them for pounding the chicken breasts... What a great purpose, and no cost.
Thanks! - 4/13/15
An easy and very useful tip. - 4/11/15
Good video but please work on the camera angles. You just needed to shoot from the other side. Would have been helpful to identify the tendon and how she cut it out. - 12/2/14
AHA! Wonderful info. I too cut out the tendon, but didn't know how to make the chicken breast even in thickness. Thanks oodles.
- 11/6/14
I will try this! I never really gave the thickness on one end a though! LOL Thank you so much for the tip! - 10/30/14
your hand was in the way, couldn't see what you were cutting exactly or where.
- 3/19/14
Glad to hear about the tendon! Was wondering why my chicken breasts always seemed tough. Thanks Chef Meg! - 1/30/14
I use plastic wrap both over and under the chicken and spray it with water to help the meat slide as I even it out. As the chicken cooks it will rebound some to thicker so do not be afraid to make it thin. You can also do this with a piece of steak if you want it thin for sandwiches.
- 12/23/13
I agree with others here--this should be re-shot so I can actually see what she's cutting. The rolling pin idea was interesting, though. - 10/28/13
I've always cut the tendons out before cooking as I never liked the looks of it and now I have a great reason for it! My husband felt I was wasting good chicken. Great Video! Thanks! - 9/28/13
This really makes sense...and yes, that tendon can be chewy!! I think if you get a look before you start to cut, you'll see it's kind of silvery rather than chicken flesh color. - 9/7/13
Will try. - 8/24/13
Great video, except her hands block what she's cutting...would recommend redoing the video with the camera on the other side of her so we can actually see what she's cutting, where she goes in, etc. - 7/25/13
Great idea. I think I know what the tendon looks like without seeing this on the video.. - 7/1/13
Thanks - 6/30/13
Want to save on plastic wrap?? Save the inner plastic bag from a box of cereal and use that in place of the plastic wrap. Cheaper and the tough bags will never rupture; causing chicken stuff to fly around your kitchen. - 5/10/13
Good tips, but agree that the camera work needs work. I felt like I was on a bumpy boat ride. - 3/10/13
Bad camera work! - 3/6/13
so easy! never thought to use a rolling pin! - 2/12/13
Love it, I will try that the next time I make chicken breast. - 2/8/13
Good tip! - 12/17/12
Couldn't see what she was cutting out. Why would you video the top of her hand?? - 12/4/12
Wish I could see what she's cutting out! I don't like working with meat and it'd be great to know what I'm doing without havig to 'explore' looking for something I don't know what. - 10/13/12
I wanted this refresher before I set out to prepare the Chicken Parmesan recipe. WIsh me luck! - 9/26/12
awesome thank you ! - 9/17/12
I really could not see what she was removing from the chicken. Her hand was in the way! - 9/12/12
Very good idea - 9/3/12
nice - 9/2/12
wow, after all these yearts of cook chicken breasts - 9/1/12
this makes so much sense! - 9/1/12
Seems very logical. Why haven't I thought of doing this? - 8/31/12
Thanks - 8/28/12
Thin chicken is good chicken!! - 8/28/12
love it I put mine in a zip bag & pound it. I always buy them on sale and will pound them out & wrap separately & freeze... quick easy to fix meals just waiting to happen . Thanks Meg - 8/28/12
I used a hammer once and mutilated my poor breast. When stuffing it I had it pinned in all kinds of places with toothpicks. Next time I'll probably use a rolling pin. - 6/3/12
I know people might find this weird but i put chix breasts in a ziploc and use an actual hammer. Everyone has one of those. Some people dont have an actual mea mallet! Works GREAT!!!! - 5/4/12
thanks...I will try that. - 5/3/12
Great tip, thanks! - 2/20/12
Thanks! - 2/20/12
Very good info. - 2/20/12
Now why didn't I think of that before? This is a great tip. Thank you!! - 2/20/12