How to Make 20 Juicy Chicken Breasts for Your Party or Holiday Gathering
This page presents two methods for preparing chicken breasts in large batches, an indoor method and and outdoor method for grills. This blog contains affiliate links to the cherished cookware I used to make these party recipes.
Indoor Method: This Food Prep Begins with a 16 Inch Electric Skillet
A large electric skillet will generally fit eight chicken breasts. Two more breasts will fit into the skillet once the chicken has begun to cook down for a few minutes. I generally fire up two electric skillets when I'm cooking for a party. In the days before I owned a second electric skillet, I would simply drop another batch of chicken after the first batch finished cooking.
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Step One: Score Your Chicken Breasts or Cut them into Strips
Scoring Instructions: Make three deep cuts down the length of each chicken breast, being careful not to slice all the way through to the bottom. Larger breasts may need four cuts. Make six or seven more slashes across each piece of chicken in a horizontal direction, as shown. Season both sides of the chicken with a little salt and pepper.
Alternative Option: You may cut your chicken breasts into strips. This may be the best option for Mexican buffets! |
Put a Golden Sear on Both Sides of Your Chicken Breasts
Add three tablespoons of butter and six tablespoons of olive oil to the heated skillet. Lay your chicken into the sizzling oil mixture. Cook the chicken until a nice golden sear develops on each side. It should take about four to five minutes per side. Note: The chicken will begin to shrink down before it's time for the first flip. This is a great time to add two extra chicken breasts to the skillet. If the newly added breasts aren't as golden as the others, don't worry about it. This chicken is about to simmer in a special sauce for 10 minutes. It will be done!
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Add Your Preferred Sauce and Simmer for Ten Minutes
The photo at left shows chicken breasts simmering in my homemade garlic Parmesan sauce, but I don't always take the time to make sauces from scratch. Keep scrolling for a list of my favorite sauce options in a bottle.
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Other Sauce Options I Adore
Ken's Steakhouse Honey Balsamic Dressing - The Perfect Combination of Sweet and Tangy
Enchilada Sauce - My Favorite Choice when Making Chicken for Taco Salads or Mexican Buffets
Olive Garden Italian Dressing - This Stuff Will Have Your Guests Asking What Kind of Magic You Performed
Asian Sesame Dressing - My Favorite Choice for Making Chicken with Stir Fry Veggies
Outdoor Method: This Food Prep Begins with A Giant Roasting Pan
Disposable Roasting Pans are Also Great!
Step One:
Rinse 20 chicken breasts under running water and drop them into a giant roasting pan. And yes, you can drop more than 20! Just be sure to leave a few inches of space at the top of the pan so that heat can circulate under the foil.
Step Two:
Pour two 32 ounce packages of broth over the chicken. You can also use hot water prepared with bouillon in a jar. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 Minutes.
Step Three: Add Your Favorite Sauce
Dump your favorite sauce over the chicken. Be sure each piece is covered. Bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes.
Step Four: Use a Food Thermometer to Test the Largest Pieces
Test a few of the larger pieces with a food thermometer to be sure the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees.
Step Five: Use a Grill to Put a Sear on Your Chicken
Toss your fully cooked chicken breasts on a large grill to create a flavorful sear on each side. Brush with extra sauce as you go. I find that cheap folding grills are a nice compliment to my backyard grill, and they provide more surface area for cooking chicken in large batches. When my main grill is tied up, I never have to worry that there's no place to cook the extra meat.
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