Originally published on January 15, 2016
Whether you’re using them as a main course, or you just need juicy chicken for tacos or a salad, there’s more than one way to cook a good bird. Pan-roasting is a quicker way to cook chicken, and I find that because you have so much more control over it, it doesn’t dry out as easily. Any cut works for pan-roasted chicken, and taking or leaving the skin is also up to you. When everything is working right in my world I keep a couple of pan-roasted chicken breasts in my fridge for quick suppers and sandwiches.
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- Salt
- Pepper
Directions:
1.) Pat chicken as dry as you can with paper towel and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2.) Melt the butter and the oil together in a cast-iron skillet set over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken, skin-side down. Yes, I realize this is a skinless chicken recipe, but the side where the skin is found should be placed down in the pan first. Cook chicken on this side for about 10 minutes.
3.) Flip the chicken breasts over. The skin should be crispy and golden. Continue cooking skin-side up until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 – 20 minutes. Some like to place a lid over the chicken at this point to help the chicken cook more quickly, but this can wreck all your hard work and can make the skin soggy and rubbery.
4.) Once the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and juices no longer run pink, remove chicken from pan and let rest for 5 minutes.
5.) Serve and enjoy!