A simple skillet fried chicken breast recipe based on the winning recipe from Cocoa Butter’s “Men vs Women: We Try Each Other’s Fried Chicken” Taste Wars, premiered August 5, 2026.
The interesting thing about the winning recipe is how stripped down it is: chicken breast, seasoned flour, butter, and a little cooking oil, followed by an oven finish. Rather than trying to improve it by throwing a dozen spices into the breading, this version keeps that basic idea intact while tightening up the technique and measurements.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Seasoned Flour
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For Frying
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed skillet
- Baking sheet
- Wire rack
- Tongs
- Instant-read thermometer
Instructions
1. Prepare the Chicken
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to sit briefly while preparing the breading.
If the breasts are very thick or uneven, pound them to a more uniform thickness so they cook evenly.
2. Season the Flour
Place the flour in a large resealable bag or shallow bowl.
Add:
- Salt
- Black pepper
Shake or mix thoroughly to distribute the seasoning throughout the flour.
3. Bread the Chicken
Place each chicken breast into the seasoned flour.
Coat thoroughly, pressing the flour onto the chicken so the entire surface is covered.
Shake off excess flour.
Place the breaded chicken on a rack and let it sit for approximately 10–15 minutes before frying.
The short rest allows the coating to hydrate and helps keep it attached to the chicken.
4. Heat the Skillet
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
Add:
- Butter
- Cooking oil
The oil keeps the butter from burning as quickly while still giving the chicken the flavor of butter-frying.
Heat until the butter has melted and the pan is hot.
5. Fry the Chicken
Carefully place the breaded chicken into the skillet.
Cook until the first side is deep golden brown and crisp, approximately 3–5 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken.
Turn the chicken and brown the second side.
Do not overcrowd the pan. Work in batches if necessary.
At this point the goal is color and crust, not necessarily to cook the chicken completely through.
6. Finish in the Oven
Transfer the browned chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
Place in the preheated oven.
Continue cooking until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F.
Remove from the oven.
7. Rest and Serve
Let the chicken rest for several minutes before serving.
Serve hot while the crust is crisp.
Serving Suggestions
Classic sides work well here:
- Mashed potatoes
- Biscuits
- Coleslaw
- Green vegetables
- Corn
- Gravy
Derrick’s Notes
Why this recipe is interesting
The benchmark recipe is deliberately simple.
There is no buttermilk marinade, no elaborate spice blend, and no deep-fryer setup. The basic formula is:
seasoned flour → butter + oil skillet fry → oven finish
That simplicity is worth preserving.
The biggest variables are technique:
- Get the chicken an even thickness.
- Season the flour aggressively enough to season the chicken.
- Let the breading rest before frying.
- Get the skillet hot before adding the chicken.
- Give the crust time to brown before flipping.
- Use the oven to finish the chicken instead of leaving it in the skillet until the breast is dry.
- Verify 165°F in the thickest part.
Benchmark vs. our version
The Cocoa Butter winning recipe is the benchmark, not something that needs to be reinvented.
Our changes are mainly measurement and technique clarification so the recipe can actually be reproduced consistently at home. The core ingredient list and cooking method remain intentionally close to the winning recipe shown in the video.
Source
Cocoa Butter — Taste Wars
“Men vs Women: We Try Each Other’s Fried Chicken”
Premiered August 5, 2026.
The episode’s final section, beginning around 15:06, presents the winning fried chicken recipe.