America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Sauteed Chicken Cutlets with Tomato, Thyme and White Wine Vinegar

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 14, 2011

Time

45 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Sauteed Chicken Cutlets with Tomato, Thyme and White Wine Vinegar

Ingredients

Chicken Cutlets

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat and prepared according to illustrations belowvegetable oil Salt and ground black pepper

Tomato, Thyme, and White Wine Vinegar Sauce

2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)2 teaspoons tomato paste 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 ½ teaspoons light brown sugar 6 sprigs fresh thyme 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Salt and ground black pepper

Before You Begin

The cutlets will be easier to slice in half if you freeze them for about 15 minutes.

Instructions

    for the chicken

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 200 degrees. Season both sides of each cutlet with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking; place 4 cutlets in skillet and cook without moving them until browned, about 2 minutes. Flip cutlets and continue to cook until second sides are opaque, 15 to 20 seconds. Transfer to large heatproof plate. Add 2 teaspoons oil to now-empty skillet and repeat to cook remaining cutlets. Cover plate loosely with foil and transfer to oven to keep warm while making sauce.
  2. for the sauce

  3. Off heat, add 2 teaspoons oil, shallot, and tomato paste to hot skillet; using residual heat, cook, stirring constantly until softened, about 30 seconds. Set skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken broth, vinegar, light brown sugar, and thyme; bring to simmer, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits. Simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, 6 to 7 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper; serve immediately with cutlets.
Sauteed Chicken Cutlets with Tomato, Thyme and White Wine Vinegar

Sauteed Chicken Cutlets with Tomato, Thyme and White Wine Vinegar

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen
Save

Time

45 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

Chicken Cutlets

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat and prepared according to illustrations below
vegetable oil
Salt and ground black pepper

Tomato, Thyme, and White Wine Vinegar Sauce

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons light brown sugar
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and ground black pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

Chicken Cutlets

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat and prepared according to illustrations below
vegetable oil
Salt and ground black pepper

Tomato, Thyme, and White Wine Vinegar Sauce

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons light brown sugar
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and ground black pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

Chicken Cutlets

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat and prepared according to illustrations below
vegetable oil
Salt and ground black pepper

Tomato, Thyme, and White Wine Vinegar Sauce

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons light brown sugar
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and ground black pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

Finding that most sautéed chicken cutlet recipes produced dry, bland, tough chicken coated with a dull sauce, we were determined to produce a chicken cutlet recipe that would guarantee juicy, flavorful results. For even cooking, we halved the breasts horizontally before pounding for consistent size. Then we pounded the breasts between layers of plastic wrap sprinkled with oil, giving the chicken a veneer that shielded it as it cooked, ensuring a moist result. Our full-flavored chicken cutlet sauce recipes were inspired by French classics.

Before You Begin

The cutlets will be easier to slice in half if you freeze them for about 15 minutes.

Instructions

    for the chicken

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 200 degrees. Season both sides of each cutlet with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking; place 4 cutlets in skillet and cook without moving them until browned, about 2 minutes. Flip cutlets and continue to cook until second sides are opaque, 15 to 20 seconds. Transfer to large heatproof plate. Add 2 teaspoons oil to now-empty skillet and repeat to cook remaining cutlets. Cover plate loosely with foil and transfer to oven to keep warm while making sauce.
  2. for the sauce

  3. Off heat, add 2 teaspoons oil, shallot, and tomato paste to hot skillet; using residual heat, cook, stirring constantly until softened, about 30 seconds. Set skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken broth, vinegar, light brown sugar, and thyme; bring to simmer, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits. Simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, 6 to 7 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper; serve immediately with cutlets.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

This is a members' feature.