Skillet-Roasted Chicken Breasts with Rustic Orange-Thyme Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in split chicken breasts (10- to 12-ounce each, ribs removed, trimmed)
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt (divided)
• vegetable oil spray (for spraying skin)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves (smashed and peeled)
• 4 strip orange zest (3-inch strips, divided)
• 0.25 cup orange juice
• 10 sprig fresh thyme (divided)
• 1.5 tbsp whole-grain mustard

Steps

1. 1

   Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.

2. 2

   Use your fingers to carefully separate skin from 4 trimmed chicken breasts, ribs removed. Peel back skin, leaving skin attached at top and bottom of breast.

3. 3

   Sprinkle 1½ teaspoons kosher salt evenly over chicken (⅜ teaspoon per breast). Lay skin back in place.

4. 4

   Using metal skewer or tip of paring knife, poke 6 to 8 holes in fat deposits in skin of each breast. Spray skin with vegetable oil spray.

5. 5

   Place chicken skin side down in 12-inch skillet and set over medium-high heat. Cook until skin is well browned, 7 to 9 minutes.

6. 6

   Carefully flip chicken, transfer skillet to oven, and roast until chicken registers 160 degrees, about 30 minutes.

7. 7

   Transfer chicken to plate skin side up. Place skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until juices in skillet form dark fond, about 1 minute.

8. 8

   Add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and 4 smashed and peeled garlic cloves and cook, stirring constantly, until butter is fully melted, about 1 minute.

9. 9

   Add 2 (3-inch) strips orange zest and 5 sprigs thyme and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 20 seconds.

10. 10

    Stir in ¼ cup orange juice and 1½ tablespoons whole-grain mustard. Off heat, add remaining 2 (3-inch) strips orange zest and 5 sprigs thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

11. 11

    Carve meat from bones and slice breasts on bias against grain into ¾-inch-thick slices. Return slices to skillet along with any accumulated juices and serve.

Notes

Salting under the skin seasons the meat directly. Piercing the skin helps it render efficiently. Starting in a cold pan gives the skin time to brown before the meat overcooks. Slicing the meat and returning it to the skillet keeps the chicken and sauce warm for serving.

Nutrition per serving

• main course
• chicken
• skillet-roasted
• one-pan
• orange
• thyme
• winter
• fall