Gordon Ramsay’s pan fried chicken is a butterflied breast, flattened thin and cooked on a hot griddle for just 2 to 3 minutes per side, then topped with a tomato and olive salsa, rocket and shaved Parmesan. The whole thing takes about 15 minutes and the chicken stays juicy because the even thickness means every part cooks at the same rate.
This recipe is from Bread Street Kitchen, where Ramsay says “butterflying helps them cook more evenly so there is less chance of the meat drying out. It also means the cooking time is reduced.” He pairs the chicken with sunblush tomatoes, Kalamata olives, garlic and oregano in a raw salsa that can be made the night before.
The butterfly cut is what makes this work. Slicing the breast almost in half horizontally and opening it like a book, then flattening it with a rolling pin, means you go from a thick 3cm breast that dries out on the outside before the middle is cooked, to a thin even piece that sears golden in minutes.
Gordon Ramsay Pan Fried Chicken Breast with Tomato and Olive Salsa
Course: DinnerCuisine: MediterraneanDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes6
minutes380
kcal16
minutesFrom Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen cookbook. Butterflied chicken breasts cooked on a hot griddle in minutes, served with a Mediterranean tomato and olive salsa, green beans, rocket and shaved Parmesan. The salsa can be made the night before.
Ingredients
- For the Tomato and Olive Salsa:
40g sunblush or slow-roasted tomatoes, roughly chopped
20 cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
20 pitted black olives (Kalamata), roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
100ml extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- For the Chicken:
4 chicken breasts (preferably corn-fed), about 150g each
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- To Serve:
250g green beans, trimmed
4 handfuls of rocket
10g Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved
Directions
- Make the salsa: Put the sunblush tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, olives and garlic into a bowl. Reserve 2 teaspoons of olive oil, then pour the rest into the bowl with the oregano and parsley. Stir together. This can be made the night before and kept covered in the fridge.
- Butterfly the chicken: Place each breast on a chopping board and slice almost all the way through horizontally, keeping it joined along one side. Open it out like a book, cover with cling film and flatten with a rolling pin until evenly thin.
- Cook the green beans: Boil in salted water for 5 to 6 minutes until tender, then drain and keep warm.
- Cook the chicken: Brush the reserved oil over the butterflied breasts and season with salt and pepper. Preheat a griddle pan until hot, then cook the chicken over a medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Work in batches if needed.
- Serve: Divide the green beans between plates, place the chicken on top. Spoon the salsa generously over each breast, scatter a handful of rocket on top and finish with the Parmesan.
Notes
- From the Bread Street Kitchen cookbook. The tomato and olive salsa can be prepared the night before. Ramsay’s tip: butterflying the breast ensures even cooking and reduces the time on the griddle.
FAQs
How do you stop chicken breast drying out when pan frying?
Ramsay’s answer in Bread Street Kitchen is the butterfly cut. Slicing the breast almost in half and flattening it to an even thickness means the outside doesn’t overcook while the middle catches up. Two to three minutes per side is all it needs.
In his Ultimate Cookery Course he takes a different approach: pan-searing skin-on breast then braising it in stock, Marsala wine and butter for 10 minutes. Both methods solve the same problem from different angles.
Can you use this technique with skin-on chicken breast?
Yes. Keep the skin on, lay it skin-side down on the hot griddle and don’t move it for the first 3 minutes so the skin crisps. Then flip and finish. The skin adds flavour and acts as a natural barrier that keeps the meat moist.
The only change: don’t flatten as aggressively. Skin-on breast holds together better at about 1.5cm thick rather than paper-thin.
Can you bake this chicken breast instead of pan frying?
You can, but increase the time. Lay the butterflied breasts on a baking tray, brush with oil and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 12 to 15 minutes. The salsa goes on cold after baking.
You lose the griddle char marks, which give the chicken its smoky edge. A compromise: sear 1 minute per side on a screaming hot pan, then finish in the oven for 8 minutes. That gives you colour and even cooking.
What can you swap the salsa for?
The tomato-olive salsa is Mediterranean and light, but the chicken works with almost any sauce. Ramsay’s basil pesto spooned over the hot breast melts into a quick sauce. His hollandaise turns it into something richer for a weekend meal.
A caprese salad alongside keeps the Italian theme going if you want to skip the rocket and Parmesan from the original recipe.
What sides work best with pan fried chicken?
The recipe comes with green beans and rocket, but a tomato salad doubles down on the Mediterranean angle without repeating the salsa. Roasted new potatoes or a simple fennel salad round out the plate.
For something more filling, toss cooked orzo pasta in a little of the olive oil from the salsa and serve it underneath the chicken. The juices from the tomatoes soak into the pasta.
How long does leftover chicken breast keep?
Pan fried chicken breast actually stores better than most chicken dishes because the thin cut means it reheats evenly without drying out. Keep covered in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheat in a pan over medium heat for 2 minutes per side, or eat it cold sliced over a salad. The salsa keeps separately for three days. Don’t store them together because the acid from the tomatoes breaks down the chicken texture overnight.
