Lighter Sauteed Chicken Breasts

  • 2

Ingredients

  • Chicken:
  • 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 (6-oz)) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded 1/2 inch thick
  • Table salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Sauce:
  • 1 shallot, minced (about 3 tbsp)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
  • 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp 2% or whole milk, do not use 1% or skim
  • 1/2 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
  • Table salt and ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

1. For the chicken: Place the flour in a shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper. Working with one breast at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Carefully lay the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook until well browned on the first side, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts, reduce the heat to medium, and continue to cook until the thickest part of the breasts registers 160 to 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest while preparing the sauce.

3. For the sauce: Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the shallot to the skillet, and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the broth, bring to a simmer, and cook until the mixture has reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes.

5. Pour any accumulated chicken juice into the simmering sauce. Whisk the milk and cornstarch together in a small bowl, then whisk into the simmering sauce. Continue to simmer sauce until thickened, about 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and tarragon, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.