Chicken Breast with Cider Glaze
The challenge of cooking chicken lies in how to cook it well done, yet not allow it to dry out. The best solution is to stop the actual cooking process 3-4 minutes before the chicken is technically “done.” Remove the chicken from the oven when, at the thickest part of the cut, the interior is still slightly “raw.” Then let it “rest” in a warm area for 7-10 minutes. During that rest period, the residual heat from the cooking process will continue moving through the protein, cooking it, yet not overcooking it. The result will be chicken that is well done, but still moist and juicy. See more of Chef Carl Thorne-Thomsen's work by visiting storykc.com.
Ingredients
- 2c. cider vinegar
- 1c. honey
- 1 dry Serrano or chipotle pepper
- 1 apple, cored and roughly chopped
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skin on, approximately 6oz. each
- 1/2 lb. small Brussels sprouts, stems trimmed, outer leaves removed and discarded
- 2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 c. chicken stock
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1oz. unsalted butter
- 1 small branch of fresh rosemary, leaves minced
- 2 chiltepin chiles, crushed (or a pinch of red pepper flakes)
- Kosher salt
- Canola or grape seed oil
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 375°. Combine the cider vinegar, honey, apple pieces and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan and place on a medium hot burner. Bring to a low steady boil.
- At the same time, heat a sauté pan that is large enough to hold the two chicken breasts over a medium hot burner. After the pan gets hot, press the serrano pepper to the bottom of it for a few seconds, or just until you begin to smell its slightly smoky aroma. Press the other side of the pepper to the pan as well.
- Leaving the pan on the burner, place the chile in a small bowl and cover with warm water. After it has soaked for ten minutes, add it to the simmering vinegar-honey mixture. Discard the soaking water.
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt. Add two tablespoons of canola oil to the hot sauté pan and place the chicken breasts in the pan skin side down. Cook until the skin browns.
- Add the Brussels sprouts, one tablespoon of canola oil, and a bit of salt to a small baking pan. Stir the Brussels sprouts to coat with the oil and salt, then place the pan in the hot oven. They should take 25 minutes to cook. Stir them once or twice during that time.
- After the skin side of the chicken has browned, turn the breasts over, then place the entire pan in the oven. Set a timer for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, remove the pan from the oven. Then remove the chicken from the pan and allow it to rest on a plate in a warm spot, like the back of the stove.
- Drain the oil from the pan that the chicken breasts cooked in and return it to a medium hot burner. Add a teaspoon of fresh oil, the shallots, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and reduce until 3 tablespoons remain, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and butter.
- Strain the vinegar-honey mixture into a cold sauté pan that, again, is large enough to hold the two chicken breasts. Discard the apple pieces and dry serrano. Place the pan of vinegar over a medium burner and let the liquid reduce until syrupy. Add the chicken breasts. Coat both sides with the glaze and remove from the heat.
- Add the cooked Brussels sprouts to the pan of shallots and butter sauce and stir to coat. Season with a pinch or two of salt, then divide the Brussels sprouts and sauce between two plates. Place a chicken breast on each plate. Sprinkle with rosemary and chiltepin chiles and serve.
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