Sear Roasted Chicken Breasts with Shallot Herb Pan Sauce

By kimvess

Ingredients

• 4 or 5 chicken breasts, bone in and skin on
• 2.5 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 tsp canola oil
• Pan Sauce
• 1 small shallot, minced fine
• 1 cup chicken stock (preferably homemade, or substitute water)
• 2-3 thyme sprigs
• 1 rosemary sprig
• Zest and Juice of 1/2 of a lemon
• 1/2 tbsp butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 " oven safe frypan

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from dadcooksdinner.com

Preparation

Step 1

Heat your oven to 350*F. If the chicken breasts came with the rib section still attached, remove them. Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper, using 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp pepper per piece. Let rest at room temperature until the pan is heated. (If you have the time, you can dry brine the chicken by salting it 4 to 24 hours in advance, and leaving it in the refrigerator. Or, you can brine the chicken. Dissolve 1 cup of kosher salt in 2 quarts of water, then soak the chicken in this brine for 1 to 4 hours. Pat dry with paper towels before using.)

Put the teaspoon of oil in your fry pan, and heat over medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Swirl the oil around to coat the pan, then add the chicken, skin side down. Sear for 4 to 8 minutes, or until the skin is a dark golden brown. Flip the chicken and sear the bone side for 4 minutes.

Roast the Chicken: Move the pan to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. You want to cook the chicken until it is just 160*F in the thickest part of the meat. Remove the pan from the oven, and move chicken to a serving plate.

4. Make the Sauce:

Remember, the handle is still rocket hot!* Using an oven mitt or pot holder, put the pan over medium heat. Add the shallot to the pan and saute, stirring, for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the shallot is softened. Add the chicken stock and herbs, then turn the heat to high. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen all the browned bits of chicken, then boil the stock until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. The plate holding the chicken breasts will have some chicken juice on the bottom; add it to the pan. Turn off the heat, remove the herb sprigs, and add the lemon zest and lemon juice. Whisk the butter into the sauce, and add salt and pepper to taste. You want the sauce to be highly seasoned, so don't be afraid to add more salt or pepper if it needs it.

Serve: Spoon a teaspoon of sauce over each breast, then serve, passing the rest of the sauce on the side.