Baked Chicken With Pan Sauce Perfect For Dinner

Dec 9

Breaking down a whole chicken, pan searing it and finishing it off in the oven quickly became my new favorite way to make a whole chicken. It takes half the time to cook and you get the CRISPIEST outside when it pan sears and bakes. Plus, it leaves your set up to make a beautiful pan sauce. Goes perfectly with baked cauliflower and crispy smashed potatoes recipe here. Shown with whipped parsnip below.

platting chicken thigh with pan sauce over the top

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken broken down into 6 pieces

2 sprig ea rosemary, sage, thyme

1 glass chardonnay

1 c chicken stock

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

1 tbsp oil for searing

Tools needed:

Cutting board

Sharp knife

Glass baking dish

Wire whisk

Fine mesh strainer

Large saute pan

Oven and stove top

Paper towel

How to make it:

Break down chicken, reserving the carcass for a stock (make a post)

Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Dry brine for 4-6 hours by seasoning liberally with kosher salt on both sides. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before searing.

Preheat oven to 375

Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towel one more time as the salt draws out moisture from the chicken

Heat large saute pan over high heat until smoking. Add 1 tbsp oil. Carefully place chicken pieces into the pan, skin side down first. Sear 3-4 minutes for a nice, golden brow. Flip chicken over and sear additional 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic, shallot and top with rosemary, sage and thyme.

Place into preheated oven (uncovered) 30-45 minutes. Check the thickest part of the breast for an internal temperature of 165.

Remove chicken pieces from the pan, set aside on plate for 10 minutes to rest.

adding wine to pan to make chicken pan sauce

While the chicken is resting, make the pan sauce. Keeping the shallots, garlic and herbs in the pan, heat over medium (5 on the dial) with the wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for around 5 minutes to reduce. Simmering burns the alcohol from the wine and thickens the sauce. The longer you simmer the sauce, the thicker is will be. Strain out the solids lightly squeezing the juices from the shallot and garlic with a wire whisk catching the sauce in a mixing bowl. Whisk in 6 tbsp cold, unsalted butter 1 tbsp at a time. Melt each tbsp butter before adding more. Sauce done!

My favorite way to plate the chicken is with crispy smashed potatoes and baked cauliflower.