The Surprising Trick for Tender Chicken Breast Every Time

Now that the Thanksgiving turkey is behind us, it's chicken time again. A juicy, tender chicken breast is a thing of beauty—and is also sometimes really a hard thing to pull off. All too often, the easy weeknight meat is a little lackluster and sometimes a little (or a lot) dry.

You can debate all of the ways to make sure your chicken breast is tender and moist, but the basic idea is to avoid overcooking it, marinade or brine the bird before cooking (no matter the cooking method), use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking it, and let the chicken rest for a few minutes after cooking to allow its natural juices to redistribute, keeping the meat moist.

But did you know that the way you cut your chicken breast is almost as important as how you cook it? Cook's Illustrated, the highly respected culinary magazine known for its meticulous recipe testing and in-depth cooking techniques, shared  (@cooksillustrated) a genius chicken-cutting tip on Instagram and it's so simple, yet so effective.

Related: My Husband Cracked the Code to the Juiciest, Most Flavorful Chicken Breast

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Why You Should Cut Chicken Breast Against the Grain

According to Cook's Illustrated, you should cut your chicken breast against the grain, much as you do steak. The "grain" refers to the alignment of muscle fibers in the meat. When you cut with the grain, those long fibers remain intact, resulting in chewier, sometimes stringy pieces.By slicing against the grain, you shorten those fibers into smaller sections, making the meat feel softer and more tender as you chew it.

Related: Ina Garten Delivers the Roast Chicken of Your Dreams in This Super Simple Recipe

How to Cut Chicken Breast Against the Grain

Finding the grain in a steak is often pretty easy because the muscle fibers are pretty defined, but the grain of a chicken breast can be a bit trickier. In the video, the experts at Cook's Illustrated point out how the grain of a chicken breast goes outward from the center line.

That unusual grain means that to cut chicken breast against the grain, you need to slice it lengthwise into pieces, instead of cutting it the short way, as you'll more often see it sliced. The video goes on to say that in tests, the Cook's Illustrated experts found that testers didn't notice a huge difference in thin slices but thicker slices were "noticeably more tender" when sliced against the grain. If the long pieces of chicken seem awkward on the plate, they suggest cutting them in half so they're more similar in size to the more typical crosswise slices.

Many people commented that they were "mind blown" by this simple technique, and we agree! It's so simple.

"Interesting. Never thought about it but will now," someone said in the comments of the Instagram post. So will we.

Related: The Surprising Secret Ingredient for Tender, Juicy, Perfectly Browned Chicken

Other Ways to Improve Your Chicken Breast

Looking for other ways to wake up this snoozy meat? Here are some great recipes to help you avoid cooking up another boring chicken breast.

• The Secret Ingredient for Juicy, Flavorful, Never Ever Dry Grilled Chicken Breast
• 'Marry Me Chicken' Is the Date-Night Dish That Might End With An Engagement
• 15 Brilliant Baked Chicken Breast Recipes
• The Best Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipes
• 20-Minute Lemon Grilled Chicken Breasts Is the Easy Dinner That Makes Itself