Easy Way to Get Tender & Juicy Chicken: Thin-Sliced Chicken

Growing up, my family used whole chicken tenderloins for entrees. My husband introduced me to using thin-sliced chicken breasts and tenderloins for entrees. I could not believe how simple but delicious thin-sliced chicken is! So long as it isn't overcooked, it always turns out juicy and tender. 

Not only is thin-sliced chicken delicious, it is quick and easy! It can be made in less than thirty minutes. It is also versatile enough to be used in many different ways. If I were to include an ingredients list, it would literally say: chicken breasts or tenderloins, oil, and whatever else you want. 

Keep reading to see how you can start making thin-sliced chicken in five simple steps! 

Step 1: Thaw chicken if needed. Trim fat from the chicken.

Step 2: Lay the breast or tenderloin down flat. Using a chef's knife or other thick knife, make thin slices through the chicken as shown below. 

Step 3: Season the chicken or put it in a marinade. We have three main ways we like to season thin-sliced chicken depending on what we are eating it with: 
1. Taco seasoning with or without lemon juice
2. Creole seasoning with or without lemon juice
3. Ranch seasoning  

 Step 4: Heat olive oil in a skillet, then add chicken. The chicken will cook in just a few minutes since it is thin, so be careful not to over-cook it!

Step 5: Serve and enjoy! We like to eat creole seasoned thin-sliced chicken with sweet potatoes, taco-seasoned thin-sliced chicken with Mexican rice, and ranch-seasoned thin-sliced chicken with mashed cauliflower.  

For a special treat, we drizzled queso blanco over our taco-seasoned thin-sliced chicken and Mexican rice in the picture above. 

Stay tuned for the Mexican rice recipe I adapted from my mother-in-law! Everyone always raves about her Mexican rice and I was finally able to replicate it and create a recipe for it.