Description
Ina Garten’s Chicken With Shallots brings French countryside elegance to home kitchens with minimal effort. Caramelized shallots create a luxurious pan sauce that elevates simple roasted chicken into a memorable meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken:
- 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces/170 to 225 grams each)
Seasonings:
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Cooking and Sauce Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) dry white wine
- ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
- ¼ cup (40 grams) minced shallots (1 large)
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick/60 grams) unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature
Instructions
- Prepare the kitchen environment by heating the oven to 220°C (425°F), ensuring precise temperature for optimal cooking.
- Meticulously pat chicken breasts with paper towels to remove excess moisture, then generously season both surfaces with salt and ground black pepper.
- Select a large 30-centimeter (12-inch) cast-iron skillet and heat oil over medium-high temperature for approximately 2 minutes until it demonstrates a slight smoking point.
- Carefully position chicken breasts skin-side down in the heated skillet, allowing uninterrupted searing for 4-5 minutes until achieving a rich golden-brown exterior.
- Utilize tongs to gently rotate chicken so skin faces upward, then seamlessly transfer the entire skillet into preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).
- Simultaneously, create a flavor-enhancing sauce by combining white wine, fresh lemon juice, and finely chopped shallots in a separate medium sauté pan.
- Simmer sauce ingredients over medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes, reducing liquid volume to roughly , adding additional wine or water if reduction becomes excessive.
- Incorporate heavy cream, remaining salt, and pepper into the sauce, bringing mixture to a complete boil.
- Remove sauce from heat and introduce diced cold butter, gently swirling pan to ensure smooth incorporation without reheating, which could cause separation.
- Plate perfectly cooked chicken and generously ladle warm sauce over the top, optionally sprinkling an additional pinch of salt for enhanced flavor before serving immediately.
Notes
- Pat chicken dry for an irresistibly crispy skin that locks in maximum flavor and creates a stunning golden-brown exterior.
- Grab room-temperature butter to guarantee a silky smooth sauce that blends effortlessly and coats every bite with creamy richness.
- Monitor sauce reduction carefully, preventing over-concentration by adding a splash of wine or water if the liquid becomes too intense.
- Let chicken sear undisturbed, allowing a beautiful golden crust to develop and seal in succulent juices for a restaurant-quality result.
- Serve piping hot to enjoy the sauce at its peak, preventing separation and ensuring each mouthful bursts with vibrant, fresh flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 1055 kcal
- Sugar: 3.9 g
- Sodium: 340 mg
- Fat: 104.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 8.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2.1 g
- Protein: 15.3 g
- Cholesterol: 308 mg