I asked four chefs the best way to cook chicken without making it dry

Chicken breasts are a staple dinner for many households, however, they can easily become chewy, dry or hard if the wrong cooking steps are taken. Chicken goes dry mainly because it is overcooked, which causes muscle fibres to contract and squeeze out moisture.

Chicken breasts are some of the cheapest cuts of chicken and can be used in a variety of ways. When you cook chicken breast correctly, it can surprise you with juicy, mouth-watering goodness. To prevent any cooking woes and drying out chicken, Stella Totino fromSimply Recipes asked four chefs for the trick to cooking the meat without making it dry.

Stephen Chavez says the key to getting juicy chicken breasts is not overcooking them. Cooking meat for too long is "without question the single most common mistake."

Christopher Hensel adds, "you can brine chicken breasts to "perfection" but it won't matter if you can't cook them right."

Like a marinade, a brine helps chicken breast soak up as much moisture as possible before cooking and the best part is that it only requires three ingredients: water, salt, and a pinch of sugar.

Brining works through osmosis, a natural process where water and dissolved substances move across a membrane to balance concentration levels. When chicken breasts are submerged in a brine, the salt breaks down muscle fibres, allowing the meat to absorb and retain moisture.

"Many people worry about undercooked poultry," says Jessica Randhawa, "leading them to cook chicken breasts until they're dry and tough."

Jessica says that although undercooking chicken can be dangerous, it's easy to avoid and is often over-feared. When cooking chicken, always check the meat's internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) using a meat thermometer. You can buy these at kitchen shops or online.

She also says it's imperative to let the chicken rest after cooking for optimal flavour and juiciness

Meanwhile, Erin Clare says to prevent your chicken from going dry, "let the chicken stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before cooking it, or better yet-use those 15 minutes to brine it".