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Chicken Breast – The thicker the breast, the longer it will need to cook in order for the thickest part to cook through. This could cause the thinner section to overcook. To provide for a more even cooking, you could gently pound the breast with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. Just don’t go overboard. You don’t want a cutlet.
Vermouth – The deglazing and sauce liquids can be just about anything – vermouth, a little wine, bourbon, stock, juice, water or a combination of two or three. I’ve used them all. Use the breasts seasoning and the other components of the meal to decide which liquids to use.
Orange Juice Concentrate – If you don’t have orange concentrate in the freezer you can substitute the concentrate and the water with a generous ½ cup of orange juice.
Below are some variations for skillet fried chicken breasts. The prep and seasonings differ, but the method of cooking is the same.
Bourbon and Cranberry Sauce – Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook. Make a sauce of minced onion, cranberries, crumbled sage, bourbon and apple juice (or water).
Garlic stuffed Chicken Breasts – Make four slots in the side of each breast with a paring knife. Insert ½ of a roasted garlic clove into each slot. Season the breasts with Creole seasoning and cook. Deglaze the pan with your liquid of choice and add a little butter to finish off the sauce.
The Easiest of all – Salt and pepper each breast, cook, deglaze with your liquid of choice.
Recipe author: MJ of MJ's Kitchen