Recipe: Sauteed Chicken Breast

The Chicken is in the upper left-hand corner, btw.

Another day, another recipe courtesy of my old Culinary Skills notebook! This is another favorite recipe of mine from that class, mainly because I am a huge fan of sauteed items, such as Chicken Breast. Granted, a lot of people say it’s kind of bland, but hey, I like to think of it as a blank canvas for flavor. Especially when it’s a sauce derived from the chicken itself and, of course, augmented with some great complimenting flavors.

Sauteed Chicken Breast with Pan Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 Chicken Breasts, Pounded flat
• 2 Oz. of Mushrooms, Sliced
• 1 Tablespoon of Shallots, Minced
• 1 Oz. Olive Oil (or any neutral-flavored oil)
• 2 Oz. and 1 Tablespoon of White Wine
• 2 Oz. of Heavy Cream
• 1 Tablespoon of Fresh Parsley, Chopped
• 1/2 Cup of Demi Glace (classic Mother Sauce. Made by reducing Chicken, Beef or Veal Stock down until it is thick)
• 1/2 Tablespoon of Butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Hardware:

• Large Saute Pan (large enough to fit all 3 chicken breasts in at the same time)
• Spring-loaded Tongs
• Whisk
• Chef’s Knife
• Cooling Rack for chicken
• Wooden Hammer

1. Pound the chicken breasts flat with hammer.
2. Dry surface of chicken and season, liberally, with salt and pepper.
3. Put the saute pan onto HIGH heat. The pan has to be VERY hot in order to do this.
4. Add the oil to the pan and, when it shimmers, add the chicken.
5. Sautes the chicken until the edges and the bottom are golden.
6. Flip over and saute until that side is also golden.
7. Transfer the chicken to the cooling rack, which is set over wither a bowl or sheet pan to catch the drippings.
8. Drain any excess fat from the pan, lower the heat to medium and deglaze with the 2 Oz. of wine.
9. Cook until the wine is reduced.
10. Add the drippings from the chicken and the 2 Oz. of cream, as well as the parsley.
11. Bring this mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.
12. Add the Demi Glace and the remaining 1 Tablespoon of wine.
13. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust thickness of sauce by adding chicken stock to thin it out, if desired.
14. Re-heat the chicken breasts in the sauce for about a minute before serving.

The best part of this dish? If done right, you should still be able to get a crisp texture from the chicken, even after its been simmering in the sauce for a bit. This dish really showcases a whole myriad of flavors. It really is as much fun to eat as it is to cook. So, enjoy!