Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts With White Wine Sauce

This recipe and technique is the secret for perfect restaurant-quality pan-seared chicken and pan sauce. The secrets for extra-juicy chicken with crisp skin and a smooth, rich pan sauce flavored with white wine and herbs.

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 boneless skin-on chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1 small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon leaves

DIRECTIONS

Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 450°F. Pat chicken breasts dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in an oven-safe medium stainless steel skillet over high heat until just starting to smoke. Carefully lay chicken breasts into hot skillet skin side down. Cook without moving until skin is deep golden brown and very crisp, about 6 minutes. Carefully flip chicken breasts and transfer skillet to the oven.
While chicken roasts, combine wine and stock in a liquid measuring cup and sprinkle gelatin over the top. Set aside.
Cook chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breasts registers 150°F, about 7 to 12 minutes. Remove skillet from oven and transfer chicken to a cutting board. Set aside to rest while you make the pan sauce.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet and place over high heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine/stock mixture and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking on high heat until sauce is reduced by about two-thirds, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in butter and soy sauce and cook at a hard boil until emulsified, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.
Slice chicken breasts into three pieces on a sharp bias and transfer to individual serving plates. Stir herbs into the pan sauce. Taste sauce and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.