Stovetop Roast Chicken with Lemon-Herb Sauce

I made this skillet chicken for my kids and their friends, because I needed an easy weeknight meal that would be ready in under an hour. The chicken was moist and perfectly cooked, but I used the higher end of Chris Kimball’s time ranges (as usual). My youngest son (who turns 12-years-old today) loved the sauce, while the older son liked the plain chicken. The secret of this recipe that ensures crisp skin: brown the chicken skin-side down for a second time (in step 4), after a quick 15 minute, stove-top braise. It’s a little more juggling, but it does provide nice skin and flavorful sauce. I did end up with too much sauce, so should have reduced it further in Step 6 beyond 1/2 cup. Overall, a delicious weeknight meal at 3-1/2 stars.

Quick weeknight chicken ready in 40 minutes

 

Comments:

1. Chris Kimball does have three other sauces associated with this recipe: Grapefruit-Tarragon, Spicy Thai, and Sake Glaze.
2. I did accidentally add 2 tablespoon lemon juice instead of 2 teaspoons, but I liked it.
3. This recipe works with any combination of bone-in chicken parts. I used 100% chicken breast, because they were on sale for $1/lb. Alternatively, Chris Kimball also says that you can cut up a whole chicken, which might add 10 minutes to the preparation time.

Rating: 3-1/2 stars
Cost: $4.50
How much work? Low.
How big of a mess?  Low.
Started: 5:30 PM.  Ready:  6:15 PM

Chris Kimball’s original recipe is here.  The descriptions of how I prepared it today are given below:

3-1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts (could be breasts, thighs, drumsticks, or any mix)
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 to 1-1/4 cups chicken broth

Lemon-Herb Sauce:
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 medium shallot
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-1/2 tablespoons minced parsley leaves
1-1/2 tablespoons minced chives
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
Salt and pepper

1. Cut breasts in half and trim of any excess fat. Use paper towels to pat the chicken dry, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil to 12″ non-stick skillet. Heat over medium-high burner until the oil begins to shimmer. Place chicken with skin-side down into skillet and cook without moving for 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown. Use a splatter screen it you have one to make clean up easier.
3. Flip chicken with tongs, and turn down burner to medium-low, then add 3/4-cup chicken broth. Cover skillet and cook for 12 to 16 minutes until white meat reaches 155-degrees and dark meat reaches 170-degrees. If they cook unevenly remove the pieces as they become ready and place on plate.
4. Pour liquid into a measuring cup and reserve. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels, and add another 1 teaspoon oil to skillet. Turn up burner to medium-high and pre-heat oil until it begins to shimmer. Cook chicken with skin-side down and cook without moving chicken for 5 to 7 minutes until chicken reaches its final temperature (160-degrees for white meat and 175-degrees for dark meat). Put on clean serving platter and tent loosely with foil while you finish the sauce. Meanwhile, mince your shallot.
5. Skim any fat from the reserved liquid and add broth so that you have 3/4 cup.
6. Reduce burner to low and heat another teaspoon vegetable oil. Saute shallot for 1 minute until it has softened. Add flour and cook for 30 seconds, constantly stirring. Increase your burner to medium-high, use your 3/4 cup cooking liquid to deglaze the pan, and bring up to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes until it has reduced to 1/2-cup. Add back any juices from the serving platter and finish cooking for 30 seconds before removing from heat.
7. Whisk together the lemon juice, parsley, chives and butter. Taste as adjust season with salt and pepper. Pour into a gravy boat and pour around chicken on each individual plate.