Asian skillet chicken is quick, easy, and incredibly delicious. A quick marinade with lots of great ingredients gives the chicken tons of flavor. The marinade not only flavors the chicken but also tenderizes and moistens it.

We eat a lot of chicken, and I am always looking for new, creative ways to serve it. This pan-fried crusted chicken is a favorite weeknight dinner. I was happy to find another easy, flavorful skillet chicken dinner.

Elements

Chicken Breast: I used one chicken breast, sliced in half.

Garlic Powder: Garlic powder is a great choice for the marinade. Fresh garlic will burn easily. By using garlic powder, you get that great flavor without the fear of burnt garlic.

Five Spice Powder: I love five spice powder. We use this brand from our local grocery store. It adds great flavor, and the spices smell wonderful.

Sesame Oil: Adds flavor and helps the marinade coat the chicken.

Oyster Sauce: Adds more great savory flavor. Hoisin sauce is a great substitute.

Low Sodium Soy Sauce: I can’t imagine an Asian-inspired marinade that doesn’t have soy sauce.

Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness for a nice balance of flavors.

Black Pepper: No need for salt, as sodium is provided in several of the other ingredients. I like a generous sprinkle of fresh black pepper.

Olive Oil: Used to sauté the chicken.

Preparation

Start by marinating the chicken. Stir together the garlic powder, five spice powder, sesame oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper. Slice the chicken in half. Try to make them the same size so they cook at the same time. Submerge the chicken in the marinade and turn over a few times to coat the entire surface of the chicken.

While the chicken marinates, I like to prep whatever I am serving for sides.

Once the chicken has had at least 15 minutes to marinate, heat up a large skillet and add the olive oil. I like to use my stainless steel skillet for this recipe.

Add the chicken. Pour some of the marinade over the chicken if you want for added flavor. Allow the chicken to cook on one side for at least 5-7 minutes. The chicken will easily release from the skillet when properly seared. Cook on the second side for another 5-7 minutes until cooked through. This will depend on the thickness of your chicken.

Serve immediately. Rice and a side veggie are great accompaniments. If you serve with rice, I would suggest rice with some flavor of its own, as the chicken isn’t saucy. Pineapple coconut rice was my recent choice; spicy sesame rice would also be delicious.