This Unexpected Kitchen Tool Makes Flattening Chicken Breasts A Snap

Here's an interesting fact — poultry is the most popular protein in the world. According to The Cold Wire, chicken, specifically, is currently the most consumed animal protein by humans, with more than 8 billion being devoured every year in the U.S. alone, and we can't say we're totally shocked by that. Whipping up the bird in its entirety is a great way to feed a large group of family and friends, and on an average night, a succulent chicken breast is all that's needed to make a delicious meal. This particular cut is incredibly versatile as it has the ability to be grilled, baked, or fried, not to mention that there are dozens of different ways you can flavor the meat. 

If chicken breast is a favorite in your house, you may have come across a few recipes that instruct you to pound out the meat before cooking it up. This step is important because it will help your chicken cook faster and more evenly, and who doesn't want that? A meat tenderizer is typically used to get the job done, but there are plenty of other things you can use if you don't have one laying around, including one surprising tool that makes the task a snap.

There are plenty of tools you can use in place of a meat tenderizer when you have a recipe that calls for your chicken breast, or any type of meat, to be flattened out. A rolling pin, can of tomatoes, and even a regular hammer will do the job just fine, but if you're really looking to get the task done with ease, a Reddit user has an even better method. "I use my tortilla press to get perfectly flat and even chicken breasts," they shared along with the above photo of them putting the hack to use. "You can actually get them a little thinner than this to stuff and roll up."

Many people commended the user for their chicken-flattening technique, like one user that called it "super smart," while another noted that the gadget also works great for making smash burgers. A third, however, pointed out one small flaw in the user's demonstration — they didn't place their chicken in a plastic bag or plastic wrap, which will help prevent splatters of raw chicken from contaminating the tortilla press as well as the rest of your kitchen. So long as you make sure to do this, we don't see any reason not to use anything other than a tortilla press to flatten out chicken breasts in the future.