Laura Fuentes

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Eat Healthy
  • Quick Meals
  • Pancakes
  • About
  • Pasta Night
  • Best Chicken Recipes
  • Meal Plans
  • Cookbooks
  • Contact
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Eat Healthy
  • Quick Meals
  • Pancakes
  • About
  • Pasta Night
  • Best Chicken Recipes
  • Meal Plans
  • Cookbooks
  • Contact
×
Home » Recipes » Kitchen Skills

How to Cook Chicken Pieces in a Pan

By Laura Fuentes Updated Jul 3, 2025

5 from 72 votes

Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

Perfectly seared chicken pieces so you have juicy chicken every time.

Today, I’ll show you how to cook chicken pieces in a pan so they get that perfect sear and stay juicy in the center. You’ll find tips, what equipment to use, and a few marinades and seasoning recipes to make your chicken extra flavorful.

chicken pieces in a pan with a wooden spoon

Perfectly Pan-Seared Chicken Pieces

Chicken pieces (or cubes) are the foundation of so many delicious recipes. From pasta to salad to stir fry, everything is better with chicken! When cooking chicken pieces in a pan, you want the exteriors to be crispy, golden brown, and the centers to be juicy- this is what makes incredible chicken dinners. 

And it’s much easier to achieve when the chicken is cut into smaller pieces. I also love that you can prep this recipe ahead and keep it in the fridge for a convenient option to add to meals throughout the week. You can also air fry chicken pieces if you prefer that method.

If you need help getting quick and easy meals on the table each night, then check out my weekly meal plan. It’s a done-for-you solution that will save you time and money every single week!

What Do You Need to Cook Chicken Pieces in a Pan

You’ll find the ingredient measurements on the recipe card below, but first, let’s see what you need to make perfectly cooked chicken with golden, crisp exteriors: 

  • Heavy-bottomed cast-iron or stainless steel skillet
  • Cooking oil: just a little olive or neutral cooking oil. 
  • Spatula: to flip the chicken.
  • Boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
  • Meat thermometer: to check for doneness.

How to Cut Chicken Breasts

In this recipe, we’re using boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. I find this is less time-consuming than trying to cut a whole chicken, remove the skin, debone, and cook it.

To cut a chicken breast or thigh into 1-inch cubes, place each fillet onto a sturdy cutting board and hold it with your non-knife hand. Using a sharp knife, carefully slice the piece of chicken into ¼-inch slices. Next, cut each of those slices crosswise into cubes.

If you want to cook chicken slices for fajitas or a stir-fry, you can just cut each fillet into ¼-inch thin strips.

Cooking Chicken Pieces in a Pan

Here’s how to make tender chicken pieces with golden brown crusts in less than 10 minutes: 

  1. Prep the chicken 
    Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes or thin strips, then season with your favorite seasoning blend or add them to a large zip bag with your choice of marinade. *If using a marinade, allow 20 minutes or up to 24 hours for the chicken to marinate. 
  2. Get the pan hot
    In a large cast-iron or stainless steel skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. 
  3. Cook
    Add the chicken pieces and cook undisturbed until the bottoms are opaque with golden brown patches. Flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F. 
  4. Serve
    Remove the chicken from the heat and add to your favorite recipe. 

More of a visual learner? In this quick video, I show you the whole process and share a lot of tips:

How Long to Cook Cubed Chicken Pieces in a Pan

Cubed chicken will cook in a pan in just 7 minutes. I like to give them a good sear on the first side, then flip and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165F, about 3 additional minutes.

There is also a visual cue to look for when checking for doneness that doesn’t involve burning your fingertips. Using the tip of a knife, poke a few chicken pieces. If the juices run red, they need more time, if it’s clear, the chicken is cooked.

side by side image of chicken pieces and lemon chicken marinade

Seasonings & Marinades for Cooked Chicken Pieces

I recommend using a seasoning blend to sprinkle over the cut chicken before cooking. The granules adhere to the surface of the chicken pieces and give them a crust.

Marinades will also add flavor, and you can marinate the uncooked chicken pieces overnight then cook it the next day. I have a collection of delicious marinades, and seasonings blends you can use that will add serious flavor.

  • Quick Lemon Chicken Marinade
  • Cilantro Lime Marinade
  • Sweet & Spicy Chicken Marinade
  • Taco Seasoning– 1 ½ teaspoons per pound
  • Creole Seasoning– about 1 ½ teaspoons per pound

How to Use Chicken Pieces

Chicken is my family’s #1 protein of choice and having cooked chicken on hand makes it so easy to add to recipes.

You can serve cooked chicken pieces over salads, add them to cooked veggies for a stir-fry, or stir into cheesy pasta. There’s also nothing wrong with keeping it simple and dipping them into your favorite sauce, just like chicken nuggets.

Juicy Garlic Pepper Chicken Pieces in a Pan

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 7 minutes mins
Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
Total Time: 17 minutes mins
Perfectly seared chicken pieces so you have juicy chicken every time.
5 from 72 votes
Print Pin

Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking

Instructions

  • Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes on a large cutting board. Sprinkle the salt, black pepper, and garlic powder over the chicken pieces and toss to coat.
  • In a large cast-iron or stainless steel skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add the chicken pieces in an even layer and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
  • Remove from heat and add to your favorite recipe or serve with dipping sauce.

Notes

You can replace the garlic powder, salt, and pepper with 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons of your favorite seasoning blend.

Equipment

printed papers of weekly family meal plan
Ad Free Weekly Meal Plan $1
chicken ebook displayed on an ipad and phone screen
Chicken. It’s What’s for Dinner

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.2g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 362mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.01g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

More Kitchen Skills

  • round loaf of homemade bread on parchment paper
    No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
  • shredded chicken on a bowl and a whole chicken on the side
    How to Shred Rotisserie Chicken
  • closeup of cooked spaghetti squash half
    How to Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave
  • spaghetti squash in a slow cooker
    Slow Cooker Spaghetti Squash

Comments

    5 from 72 votes (42 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Kris says

    June 06, 2025 at 11:17 pm

    5 stars
    Made this for my sister and her friend for dinner last night, they came out fantastic!

    Reply
  2. Natalie says

    May 16, 2025 at 11:25 am

    5 stars
    Delicious chicken!! Loved this recipe!

    Reply
  3. Kathryn says

    May 14, 2025 at 9:05 pm

    5 stars
    These garlic pepper chicken pieces were great! I used them in a pasta recipe and it was awesome.

    Reply
  4. Janna says

    March 11, 2025 at 6:52 am

    5 stars
    The garlic pepper seasoning really took this chicken pieces recipe to the next level!

    Reply
  5. Lucy says

    March 06, 2025 at 4:05 pm

    5 stars
    These garlic pepper chicken pieces were so great!

    Reply
  6. Dayna says

    March 01, 2025 at 3:39 pm

    5 stars
    Perfect base for so many recipes.

    Reply
  7. Taylor says

    February 24, 2025 at 7:37 am

    5 stars
    Loved this garlic pepper combination.

    Reply
  8. Betty says

    February 19, 2025 at 8:23 pm

    5 stars
    These chicken pieces were so flavorful! Great base for lots of my recipes.

    Reply
  9. Jill says

    February 16, 2025 at 4:50 pm

    5 stars
    Easy and tasty!

    Reply
  10. Jenna says

    December 25, 2024 at 6:00 pm

    5 stars
    This is the first time I cook chicken pieces in a pan and they’re seared and golden and crispy and juicy. THANK YOU!!

    Reply
  11. Beth says

    July 23, 2024 at 10:39 am

    5 stars
    This is an excellent guide! When I first started cooking, my chicken pieces always came out white with no color. I wish I’d had this!

    Reply
  12. Ned says

    July 23, 2024 at 8:03 am

    5 stars
    These chicken pieces turned out so moist and delicious! Thank you so much!

    Reply
  13. Cathleen says

    July 22, 2024 at 4:39 pm

    5 stars
    Very thorough explanation, thank you so much for sharing this information! Bookmarked to come back to later 🙂

    Reply
  14. chara says

    July 22, 2024 at 1:46 pm

    5 stars
    I love this recipe, I am making this later. Thanks for sharing

    Reply
  15. Anjali says

    July 22, 2024 at 1:16 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for this helpful guide! My chicken turned out perfectly tender and cooked through! It was delicious!

    Reply
  16. Lexus says

    July 17, 2024 at 9:18 am

    5 stars
    I needed these chicken pieces for pasta! Thanks for walking me through ow to cook chicken pieces in a pan. So easy and they tasted great.

    Reply
  17. John Hutchins says

    July 10, 2024 at 4:38 pm

    5 stars
    Very nice with spaghetti sauce

    Reply
  18. Jill Diaz says

    June 03, 2024 at 3:45 am

    5 stars
    Quick, easy and good… husbands new favorite way to eat chicken. We added our own sauces and had it our way. Thanks!

    Reply
  19. TAYLER ROSS says

    April 10, 2024 at 4:17 pm

    5 stars
    I used this recipe to make chicken last night and it was so thorough! Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply
  20. Jamie says

    April 10, 2024 at 3:25 pm

    5 stars
    My chicken came out so juicy and tender! It was delicious over a salad. Thank you!

    Reply
  21. Gianne says

    April 10, 2024 at 3:08 pm

    5 stars
    The chicken pieces turn out juicy and flavorful, and the crispy skin adds the perfect touch. This is definitely going to be a regular dish in my kitchen!

    Reply
  22. Elisa says

    April 10, 2024 at 3:03 pm

    5 stars
    Love this post, always struggle with breast chicken to be juicy. But came out delicious!! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  23. Justine says

    April 10, 2024 at 2:26 pm

    5 stars
    This is one of my favorite ways to cook chicken! Super easy and tastes great.

    Reply
  24. Lulwa Shammas says

    November 25, 2023 at 12:39 pm

    Hi I am always worried the chicken will be hard and dry… what is the trick please

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes says

      November 27, 2023 at 1:00 pm

      as mentioned in the recipe, they are sliced to 1-inch cubes. The most important part is that they’re all evenly cut not so much how thick or thin. This ensures they all cook evenly.

      Reply
  25. sly says

    August 12, 2023 at 12:27 pm

    5 stars
    Awesome!! Easy to prepare in batches and works well in chicken pot pie. Thank you

    Reply
  26. Helen says

    May 02, 2023 at 8:53 am

    5 stars
    Perfectly seared chicken pieces without being chewy

    Reply
  27. Jenna says

    March 03, 2023 at 10:38 pm

    5 stars
    This was perfect. The chicken pieces were seared great in the pan and didn’t stick. Thanks!

    Reply
  28. Erica says

    February 01, 2023 at 2:44 pm

    5 stars
    This looks so easy, thank you for this. Can’t wait to try this.

    Reply
  29. Kimm says

    April 06, 2022 at 3:49 pm

    5 stars
    You made it so easy to use chicken pieces as a meal builder. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes says

      April 07, 2022 at 4:09 pm

      Thank you, Kimm!

      Reply
    • V. says

      July 07, 2023 at 9:06 am

      5 stars
      I’m looking for a way to meal prep chicken to add to recipes I make for my family throughout the week.
      Can I make this in a big batch and freeze it?

      Reply
      • Laura Fuentes says

        July 10, 2023 at 5:17 pm

        Yes, you can cook your chicken pieces and freeze them! I still recommend cooking in batches so the chicken pieces retain the best texture. Once cooled, freeze!

        Reply
  30. Bon says

    March 05, 2022 at 3:19 pm

    5 stars
    Great tips,thanks!
    Can you freeze this for last minute meals?

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes says

      March 07, 2022 at 3:09 pm

      Absolutely! Once cooked, you can freeze chicken pieces in a zip bag for future meals!

      Reply

Hi! I'm Laura.
Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, mom of three, and the woman behind the world’s best pancakes—here to help you ditch the mealtime drama with recipes your family will actually eat.

More about me →

Let's Be Social!

Facebook Pinterest Instagram YouTube
5 Secrets to Healthy(er) Family Meals

Fresh Favorites

  • large stack of fluffy pancakes with slice of butter on top
    Best Fluffy Pancakes Recipe
  • rotisserie chicken alfredo
    Rotisserie Chicken Alfredo
  • three hard shell tacos
    How to Make Taco Shells
  • 4 fillets of baked cajun salmon served with roasted potatoes and broccoli
    Baked Cajun Salmon

Trending Now

  • large stack of pancakes topped with a slice of butter. a small bottle of maple syrup behind the stack of pancakes.
    How to Make Pancakes Without Eggs
  • copycat canes nuggets and fries with texas toast and two sauces
    Copycat Cane’s Chicken Recipe with Homemade Cane’s Sauce
  • large plate of freshly baked mixed chicken pieces
    Juicy Baked Chicken Pieces
  • creamy garlic sauce in a large pot with pepper on top
    5 Ingredient Creamy Garlic Sauce

Footer

Browse

  • Start Here
  • Eat Healthy in 30 Days
  • Weekly Family Meal Plans
  • Recipe Index

Useful Links

  • Contact
  • Permissions
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

COPYRIGHT © 2025 LAURA FUENTES · DESIGN BY FUENTES MEDIA

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.