Country-Seasoned Chicken Breast with Butter Sauce

This is my favorite way to cook chicken breasts, and it’s on the table in just 12 minutes! We call it "Anytime Chicken" because it’s quick, simple, and uses ingredients you probably already have. The chicken is coated in a savory country-style seasoning with a touch of flour to create a beautiful crust. Then, a rich and flavorful butter sauce is made right in the same pan, using all those delicious golden bits left behind by the chicken. It’s an easy recipe that tastes anything but boring.

Instructions

1. 1

   In a small bowl, mix all the seasoning ingredients together. Sprinkle this mixture over both sides of each chicken breast steak, using your fingertips to spread it evenly. Shake off any extra seasoning.

2. 2

   Melt the first amount of butter in a large non-stick pan over high heat. Place the chicken in the hot pan and cook for about 2 1/2 minutes on each side, until it’s a beautiful deep golden brown. The internal temperature should be 67°C / 153°F. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate.

3. 3

   Turn the heat down to medium-high. Pour the white wine (or stock/water) into the pan. Scrape the bottom with a rubber spatula to loosen all the flavorful golden bits left from the chicken, and let it simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half. Turn off the heat, add the second amount of butter, and stir until it’s melted and fully combined with the sauce.

4. 4

   Plate the chicken and spoon the delicious pan sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley if you like, and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

• Chicken – This recipe also works great with boneless chicken thighs. Just add a couple of extra minutes to the cooking time to ensure they are cooked all the way through.

• Flour – The small amount of flour is key here. It helps create that lovely, light crispy crust and gives the butter sauce something to cling to. Regular all-purpose flour is perfect, but gluten-free flour or cornflour/cornstarch also works well.

• Wine – A dry white wine is the best choice here—just avoid anything too sweet or too oaky. You don’t need to use an expensive bottle; a good table wine is all you need. You can also use flat champagne or sparkling wine if you have leftovers!

• Pan Sauce – There isn’t a ton of sauce, which is typical for a quick pan sauce like this. But what it lacks in volume, it more than makes up for in amazing flavor from all the browned bits in the pan. To double the recipe, use two separate pans to avoid overcrowding, which will prevent that delicious crust from forming and can burn the "fond" (the browned bits) in the pan.