Why Is My Chicken Dry?
Almost always, it's overcooked. Chicken breast is perfectly done at 165°F and dries out fast past that. Pull it right on time and let it rest, and it stays juicy.
The real culprit: temperature
A few minutes too long is all it takes to go from juicy to dry. Use a thermometer. Pull the breast at 160–163°F and let carryover heat finish it to 165 as it rests. Cooking by guesswork is where chicken breasts go to die.
Rest it before you slice
Give it five minutes off the heat before cutting. Slice too soon and the juices run out onto the board instead of staying in the meat.
Set it up to succeed
Marinate it, even for thirty minutes. Start with chicken closer to room temperature rather than straight from the fridge. And don't blast it on the highest heat the whole way through.
Or just switch cuts
Thighs are far more forgiving — more fat, much harder to dry out. There is no shame in a thigh.
A small instant-read thermometer will save more chicken than any recipe ever will. It's the one tool that turns dry chicken juicy overnight.