Seared and Steamed Chicken Breasts

Name: Seared and Steamed Chicken Breasts
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, butter, or a combination; 4 plump skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, (1 1/2 to 2 pounds); Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1/3 cup dry white wine, chicken stock, or water; 1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced tomato (canned is fine; drain first); 2 tablespoons drained capers; 2 tablespoons chopped pitted black olives, preferably imported; 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

December 20, 2011

Here’s how to keep a skinless, boneless chicken breast moist while giving it a crust, without using a lot of fat. This technique relies on two properties of the chicken breast that make it more like fish than like other meat: it cooks quickly, and it contains a fair amount of moisture. This enables you to start cooking the breasts with just a bit of fat over fairly high heat to begin browning, then lower the heat and cover the pan, which not only allows the meat to steam in its own juices but maintains the nicely browned exterior (on one side anyway). If you use mass produced commercial chicken, the results will be somewhat cottony. Free-range or kosher chickens are usually considerably better.

Recipe notes

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