Using the refrigerator is safer than other options because it prevents the chicken from being exposed to bacteria that can grow in warmer temperatures. It also helps the chicken maintain its flavor. [1] X Research source If you’ve bought your chicken breast fresh (unfrozen), you can skip the defrosting step altogether.

The olive oil adds flavor to the chicken and helps the seasonings adhere better to each breast.

Once you’ve coated each chicken breast, you can sprinkle additional salt, pepper, and other seasonings over the chicken for added flavor.

Alternatively, you can spread a very thin layer of olive oil over the sheet. [4] X Research source

Spacing the chicken breasts a few inches apart also makes turning them over during the cooking process easier.

The thicker the chicken breasts, the farther they should be from the broiler. [6] X Research source So, if you have larger chicken breasts, you’ll want to lower the rack a couple of inches to accommodate the extra thickness.

Place the pan in the center of the oven rack for the best results.

Too much steam can prevent the outside of the chicken from crisping (which is part of the point of broiling in the first place).

Broilers are extremely hot and chicken can easily burn if it’s not monitored. The size of the chicken breasts and the temperature of your broiler can impact cooking time.

It’s best not to use a fork or other sharp object to turn the chicken breasts. Piercing the chicken can cause the juices to escape and make your chicken dry and less flavorful.

Adding additional oil and seasoning also helps replace any seasoning that may have come off when you transferred the chicken onto the cooking sheet and into the oven.

To be sure the chicken is fully cooked, you can use a meat thermometer to check the chicken’s internal temperature. It should be around 165 °F (74 °C) when it’s done. It is better not to use only the broiler to broil a chicken all the way. The broiling feature is used to char something or crisp up some skin afterward or before. You can reverse sear the chicken with the broiler or sear it. Then turn the heat back to a lower temperature, like 350 degrees, so the chicken cooks through to 165 degrees without burning the skin. [14] X Research source