Techniques
Cooking Method
Tip
Beginner
1 min

Don’t move meat right after it hits the pan—let it brown

Resist stirring or shifting the meat so it can develop a brown crust.

After placing chicken in hot oil, leave it alone so the surface can brown where it contacts the pan. Moving it too soon prevents browning and can increase sticking.

The short version

  • Browning = flavor; contact time matters.
  • Moving too soon encourages sticking and reduces browning.

What goes wrong

Constantly moving the chicken as soon as it goes in

Let it sit undisturbed until it browns and releases.

Why it works

Browning requires sustained contact and high surface temperature; movement disrupts crust formation.

Put it to use

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