Pan Seared Chicken in Rich Sauce

I realized recently that I've posted nearly a thousand recipes on my blog.  A THOUSAND!  Does that sound ridiculous to anybody else?  My family jokes all the time that I don't like to make the same recipe twice but I had no idea that I had gone through that many recipes in 2 1/2 years. 

It goes without saying that I really enjoy trying new recipes and different foods.  There are very few things that I really don't like to eat.  (like capers, for instance)  I like to blog the recipes that I enjoyed so that all of you can enjoy them too.  There are occasions however, when I make something that just doesn't live up to my expectations.  I feel like it's my obligation to blog those recipes as well.  Partly because I think there are followers out there who could help me fix my mistakes and partly as a cautionary tale.

Those of you who read by blog regularly, know that I am a HUGE Cook's Illustrated fan.  I look forward to the day that it arrives in my mailbox every month and I spend hours reading through the articles and recipes.  I have always relied on Cook's Illustrated to have really great recipes too.  My only complaint is that they can be labor intensive but I've never had a bad meal when I was following one of their recipes.

Pan Seared Chicken in Rich Sauce was featured in the November issue of Cook's Illustrated and I have to say that this is the first CI recipe that left me disappointed.  I am pretty sure that I messed something up in the cooking process because my bland chicken surely didn't live up to the high Cook's Illustrated standards.

I am going to give you the recipe and you can decide for yourself whether or not you think it's worth a try. 

Pan Seared Chicken in Rich Sauce
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/8 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon grated onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons flour
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley







Let chicken stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.











Heat a stainless steel skillet over medium heat.  Add 1 Tablespoon oil and swirl to coat.  Add chicken and cook 5 minutes.  Turn and continue to cook until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Remove chicken from pan and transfer to a platter.  Tent with foil to let chicken rest.

 


Add remaining oil to pan.  Add onion and garlic and cook 1 minute.















Add flour and cook another 30 seconds.







Add wine and cook until liquid evaporates.

Stir in stock, bring to a boil and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup.

Remove from heat.  Stir in butter, sugar and salt.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Pour over chicken.

The skinless chicken was chewy and rubbery.  I wasn't impressed with the bland flavor of the chicken either.  The sauce was flavorful but the kids didn't care for the wine flavor. 

All in all, this chicken was a miss.  I can't expect to love EVERY recipe that I make.  There are bound to be a few "misses" along the way.  I still love to try new recipes and it's worth eating a few bland chicken dinners in search of the great ones.

Ciao!