pan roasted chicken breast with sage vermouth sauce

First of all, I am not cut out to be a butcher – just in case anyone thought I possessed such skills. I have always been a little squeamish around raw meat and after preparing this meal, that fact has not changed. In full belief that Cooks Illustrated knew what they were doing, I bought my chicken breast with the skin and ribs attached as they recommended, got home, and freaked out.

Channeling my inner butcher (which, I discovered, doesn’t exist), I grabbed my kitchen shears and started to hack up the chicken breast. Incidentally, Cooks Illustrated did not provide the detailed information a novice butcher like myself needed for this undertaking. Separating the cold, jiggly raw meat from the sharp bones of the rib cage was seriously gross. But I persevered and successfully performed my first chicken mastectomy. I will avoid such a gruesome procedure in the future, but if you like mastering those surgical shears or want to take a stab at your own chicken mutilation experience, then go for it.

Second, before telling you about the splendor of the crispy golden chicken topped with a pan sauce full of caramelized shallots and a hint of sage, you should know how much I detest and loathe chicken breast. It is bland and dry and has the consistency of pressed sawdust, which is why I haven’t made any chicken this year. Chicken, however, is supposedly healthy  (I guess sawdust is good for you?) so I decided after four months of chicken-less dinners that we were due for a check up. With that out of the way, I will now tell you how scrumptious this meal really is.

Salt and water is the key to getting chicken to actually taste like something, and something good. The process is known as brining and it makes the chicken succulent and juicy. However, you cannot rely solely on this trick for your flavor. Chicken needs more, hence the pan sauce – which is so good you will go back and use a spatula to scrape every last drop on your plate. Once the chicken is roasted, the shallots are caramelized until golden and soft, then the pan is deglazed using vermouth and a few sage leaves. And nothing can make a pan sauce better than butter. The butter is whisked into the sauce making it smooth and almost creamy. In the end, though some of the preparation  was, in my opinion, unnecessary, the chicken did not lack for flavor or juiciness. However, if you choose to perform a mastectomy on the poor chicken, make sure you do not show the pictures to those about to consume the dish.

Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts with Sage Vermouth Sauce
Adapted from The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook

Serves 4

Chicken:
1/2 cup table salt
2 pounds whole bone-in, skin-on chicken breast, split in half along the breast bone and trimmed of rib sections*
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Sage-Vermouth Sauce:
3 large shallot, minced
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup dry vermouth
7 medium-large sage leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

* I recommend using chicken breast without the rib cage and with the skin attached.

Chicken: Dissolve the salt in 2 quarts (8 cups) cold water in a large container. Place chicken in container fulling submerging in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Rinse the chicken breast and pat dry with a paper towel. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and heat to 450°F. As the oven in heating up, heat oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet (I used my cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to smoke place chicken breast skin side down in the pan for about 4-5 minutes or until it is golden brown and has a good sear. * Make sure your chicken is dry dry dry before you season it and put it in the pan. If still damp or wet, the skin will not crisp up as it is suppose to.

Once the chicken is golden brown flip it over to the un-skinned side and sear it for 3 minutes longer or until it is golden brown. Once both sides are browned, flip chicken skin side down and place the skillet in the heated oven. Roast for 15 – 18 minutes or until the chicken registers at 160°F. Once the chicken is roasted, take the pan out of the oven and place chicken on a platter and tightly cover with foil.

Sauce: Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet. (Remember to use a pot holder!) Add the minced shallot and heat skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the shallot, stirring frequently until golden brown and soft, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, vermouth and sage. Increase the heat to high and as the liquid is simmering, scrape up any stuck bits on the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid simmer until it has reduced to about 1 cup, about 3-5 minutes. If any juices have accumulated on the platter with the chicken, carefully pour it into the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and discard the sage. Add chicken back into pan and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve.