Chicken breasts are lean, which means they have almost no fat to save them from overcooking. Remember that time you boiled pasta and forgot to set a timer? Chicken does the same thing—except it turns into a dry sponge instead of mush. Tenderizing breaks down those tight muscle fibers, so your dinner stays juicy and soft, even if you get distracted by a phone call.
Think of it like this: you wouldn’t run a marathon without stretching first. Your chicken breast needs a little warm-up too.