Chicken breast fillet

For a boneless fillet about 2 cm thick, pan-fry it over medium heat for roughly 5–7 minutes per side, or bake at 200 °C for about 18–22 minutes. Cook until the centre reaches 75 °C, then rest it for a few minutes.

Cook it to 75 °C in the thickest part rather than leaving it in the pan after it is done. For even cooking, flatten the thick end gently to match the thinner end, and let the fillet rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Yes: bake it from frozen at 180 °C, allowing around 50% more time than for a thawed fillet. Check that the centre reaches 75 °C; don’t slow-cook frozen chicken or leave it to thaw on the worktop.

Keep it covered in the fridge and use it by the use-by date; if you won’t cook it in time, freeze it. Thaw it in the fridge, keep it separate from ready-to-eat food, and wash hands and utensils after handling raw chicken.

Slice it into strips for fajitas or stir-fries, or poach it gently and shred it for chicken salad, sandwiches or soup. For poaching, keep the water at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil so the meat stays tender.

Yes, but breast is leaner and cooks faster, so it can dry out in dishes that simmer for a long time. Add it later in the cooking, or use thigh for curries and stews that need a longer, slower cook.

A 100 g portion provides 30 g of protein. A cooked fillet’s weight is lower than its raw weight because it loses water, so compare portions in the same cooked or raw state.

Usually, chicken breast fillet means the boneless breast muscle, with the small inner fillet sometimes sold separately. The label can use the terms differently, so check whether the piece is boneless and whether skin is included.