Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts

By kwarren002

Use a pan sauce with this:

Lemon and Chive Pan Sauce

Vermouth, Leek and Tarragon Pan Sauce

Sherry, Red Pepper, and Toasted Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 recipe pan sauce, optional (recipes follow)

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Spray bottom of 12-inch skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Using fork, poke thickest half of each breast 5 to 6 times; evenly sprinkle each breast with ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or ¼ teaspoon table salt). Place chicken, skinned-side down, in skillet. Cover skillet and transfer to oven. Bake until thickest part of breast registers 145 to 150 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 30 to 40 minutes.

2. Remove skillet from oven and transfer chicken, skinned-side up, to paper-towel lined plate and pat chicken dry with paper towels. Rinse out pan and dry with paper towel. Heat oil in now empty skillet until smoking. While pan is heating, whisk butter, flour, cornstarch, and black pepper together in small bowl. Lightly brush top side of chicken with half of butter mixture. Place chicken in skillet, coated-side down, and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. While chicken browns, brush with remaining butter mixture. Using tongs, flip chicken and cook until second side is browned and thickest part of breast registers 160 to 165 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate and let rest while preparing pan sauce (if not making pan sauce let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving).