Chicken with Herbs and Vermouth
Thinly-sliced chicken breasts sauteed in herb-infused butter and olive oil.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the herbs and chicken:
- 5 large leaves each basil and sage; 5 stems each thyme and oregano; a handful of flat-leaved parsley leaves
- A generous tablespoon unsalted butter
- A generous tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 medium-size chicken breasts
For the deglazing sauce
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup dry French vermouth (increase the amount if you want more sauce)
- A generous tablespoon of unsalted butter
Instructions
Preparing and sauteing the herbs and chicken:
- Mince the parsley; keep other herbs whole. Set aside. Slice the chicken horizontally in half (to make 4 flat-ish pieces). Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and set aside.
- Warm the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter melts, add the herbs (excluding the minced parsley), and saute until the fat in the pan is fragrant -- 90 seconds to 2 minutes.
- Push the herbs to one side of the pan. Scatter the exposed portion of the pan with the salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken, and let cook until the underside browns attractively -- about 4 minutes. Then flip to brown the other side for 2-4 minutes, or until the chicken achieves an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Discard the herbs -- they have given up their perfume at this point.
Making the deglazing sauce:
- Tip the vermouth into the hot skillet. As the liquid boils, stir it with a wooden spoon, scraping up any stuck-on bits of chicken. Off heat, add the generous tablespoon of butter, and swirl the pan until the butter melts.
Finishing and serving:
- Pour the sauce over the chicken, and then garnish with the minced parsley. Serve with such accompaniments as jasmine rice and steamed broccoli florets.