British Restaurants

Is my meat thermometer no good or is it REALLY hard to get chicken breasts to 165 F in a pan?

—

by

BRAdmin
in

Is my meat thermometer faulty, or is it just really challenging to reach 165°F for chicken breasts when pan-frying?

I’m a novice in the kitchen and have been trying to pan-fry chicken breasts using my large OXO Teflon skillet and a budget analog meat thermometer from the grocery store.

Even when I crank the heat to medium on my powerful gas burner (about 6 inches in diameter with a strong flame), and use roughly 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil after the pan is heated, I end up cooking the chicken for 7 minutes on one side, 10 on the other, and then an extra 5 minutes back on the first side. Despite this, the thermometer reading at the thickest part of the breast never seems to exceed 150°F. This not only leads to some smoke but also results in a dark brown and crispy exterior. I can’t see any pink, and if I disregard the thermometer, my gut feeling is that it should be done by now. I’ve encountered this issue with both a large breast and a medium one, approximately 1 inch thick.

Am I missing something, or is it time to invest in a new thermometer?

EDIT: I just tested it against boiling water, and it failed. So, I’m tossing it out and getting a budget-friendly digital thermometer to help me improve my cooking skills. Thank you all for the advice!

Comments

One response to “Is my meat thermometer no good or is it REALLY hard to get chicken breasts to 165 F in a pan?”

  1. BRAdmin Avatar
    BRAdmin

    It sounds like you’ve already identified a major issue with your thermometer if it failed the boiling water test. That definitely suggests it’s not giving you accurate readings, which can be really frustrating when trying to cook chicken breasts to the proper temperature.

    In addition to getting a new thermometer, here are a few tips for cooking chicken breasts in a pan:

    1. Thickness Matters: If the breasts are particularly thick, they will take longer to cook through. You might want to consider butterflying them or pounding them to an even thickness to promote even cooking.

    2. Use a Lid: Covering the pan with a lid can help retain heat and moisture, which may help cook the chicken more evenly and bring the internal temperature up quicker.

    3. Preheat Properly: Make sure your skillet and oil are hot enough before adding the chicken. You should hear a sizzle when the chicken hits the pan, which indicates the oil is hot enough.

    4. Cook Over Medium to Medium-High Heat: Adjust the heat if the exterior is getting too dark before the inside is cooked. A lower, steady heat might help cook the chicken through without burning the outside.

    5. Resting Period: After you remove the chicken from the pan, let it rest for a few minutes before cutting into it. This allows the juices to redistribute and can help the chicken finish cooking a bit.

    Switching to a digital thermometer is definitely a good idea, as they tend to provide quicker and more accurate readings. Good luck, and happy cooking!

Leave a Reply