This tangy dish is so easy to make and yet amazingly delicious. You will need a large, oven proof pan to cook the chicken in. The skin becomes almost bacon like in its crispness and flavor.
4 10 oz. chicken breast halves (bone in - skin on)*2 tbsp vegetable or extra virgin olive oil1 large shallot minced1/2 cup chicken stock1/4 cup lemon juice6 medium sprigs thyme3 tbsp butter cut into thirdskosher salt & freshly ground pepper
* I use a whole chicken and simply cut it up, but you need the skin, trust me
Season the chicken with salt and pepper
Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
Heat a large, heavy bottomed ovenproof skillet over medium high. When the pan is hot, add the oil. Heat the oil until it begins to smoke. Place the chicken, skin side down. Here's the trick - after 5 minutes, try to gently lift the chicken with tongs. If it doesn't come free without pulling, it isn't ready. Once the chicken lifts on its own, turn it over and cook for another 3 minutes or so.
Flip the chicken back to skin side down and place into the oven, skillet and all. Roast until the juices run clear or internal temp. is 160°F. Transfer chicken to platter and let rest while making sauce.
In the same skillet, remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat (I've found I usually don't remove any) and place on medium heat. Add shallots and saute, stirring frequently until softened, about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, lemon juice, and thyme; increase heat to high, scraping skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits from the bottom. Cook until sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium.
Whisk in 1 tablespoon of butter at a time. I usually only use 2 tablespoons because 3 tends to be a little too much, but if you're a butter aficionado, I say go for it. Season with salt and pepper and spoon over chicken breasts, serving immediately.
I strongly recommend serving this with a good risotto or jasmine rice. Pour extra sauce on the rice for a treat!