Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Sherry-Cream Sauce with Mushrooms
By America's Test KitchenPublished on September 12, 2011
Time
50 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Chicken Breast Cutlets
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds), rinsed and dried thoroughly¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oilSherry-Cream Sauce with Mushrooms
2 scallions or shallots, minced (about ¼ cup)8 ounces mushrooms, sliced thin (about 2 ½ cups)⅓ cup sherry, preferably cream or Amontillado½ cup low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock1 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves pinch mace (ground)Salt and ground black pepper or white pepper1 piece lemonBefore You Begin
White wine, champagne, port, or madiera can be substituted for the sherry in this classic chicken saute; in that case, the mace should be omitted or replaced by a speck of nutmeg. For best flavor, choose "ripe" button mushrooms whose caps have darkened and lifted away from the stems, or use "wild" mushrooms of any kind.
Instructions
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper on both sides of the cutlets. Measure flour onto a plate or pie tin. Working with one cutlet at a time, press both sides into the flour. Make sure tenderloin is tucked beneath and fused to main porton of breast. Pick up cutlet from tapered end; shake gently to remove excess flour.
- Heat butter and oil in a heavy bottomed skillet measuring at least 9 inches across bottom. Swirl skillet over high heat until butter has melted. Continue to heat skillet until butter stops foaming and has just begun to color. Lay cutlets in skillet, tenderloin side down.
- Maintain medium high heat, so fat sizzles but does not smoke, and sauté cutlets until browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn cutlets with tongs (a fork will pierce meat); cook on other size until meat feels firm when pressed and clotted juices begin to emerge around tenderloin, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer cutlets to a plate, keep warm in oven set at lowest temperature possible, and continue with recipe.
- Without discarding fat, set skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté until softened, about 1 minute. Increase heat to high, add mushrooms, sauté until limp and brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add sherry, boil until completely evaporates, about 1 minute. Add stock and cream; boil stirring frequently, until sauce reduces to about 2/3 cup and is thick enough to lightly coat a spoon, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add any accumulated chicken juices; reduce sauce to previous consistency. Stir in parsley and mace and season to taste with salt, pepper, and drops of lemon juice. Spoon sauce over cutlets and serve immediately.
Time
50 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Chicken Breast Cutlets
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds), rinsed and dried thoroughly
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
Sherry-Cream Sauce with Mushrooms
2 scallions or shallots, minced (about ¼ cup)
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced thin (about 2 ½ cups)
⅓ cup sherry, preferably cream or Amontillado
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
pinch mace (ground)
Salt and ground black pepper or white pepper
1 piece lemon
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Chicken Breast Cutlets
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds), rinsed and dried thoroughly
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
Sherry-Cream Sauce with Mushrooms
2 scallions or shallots, minced (about ¼ cup)
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced thin (about 2 ½ cups)
⅓ cup sherry, preferably cream or Amontillado
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
pinch mace (ground)
Salt and ground black pepper or white pepper
1 piece lemon
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Chicken Breast Cutlets
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds), rinsed and dried thoroughly
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
Sherry-Cream Sauce with Mushrooms
2 scallions or shallots, minced (about ¼ cup)
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced thin (about 2 ½ cups)
⅓ cup sherry, preferably cream or Amontillado
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
pinch mace (ground)
Salt and ground black pepper or white pepper
1 piece lemon
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Our ideal sautéed chicken breast recipe would have to produce chicken with a nicely browned exterior and a tender, juicy interior. Although there are several keys to sautéing boneless chicken breasts correctly, one element was paramount for our sautéed chicken breast recipe: there must be enough heat. Other points we found to be significant were drying the meat thoroughly with paper towels after rinsing under cool water and lightly flouring the cutlets. Flouring serves two purposes: It creates a barrier between the fat in the pan and the moisture in the cutlet so that the fat "spits" less, and it helps to produce a consistently brown and crispy crust.
Before You Begin
White wine, champagne, port, or madiera can be substituted for the sherry in this classic chicken saute; in that case, the mace should be omitted or replaced by a speck of nutmeg. For best flavor, choose "ripe" button mushrooms whose caps have darkened and lifted away from the stems, or use "wild" mushrooms of any kind.
Instructions
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper on both sides of the cutlets. Measure flour onto a plate or pie tin. Working with one cutlet at a time, press both sides into the flour. Make sure tenderloin is tucked beneath and fused to main porton of breast. Pick up cutlet from tapered end; shake gently to remove excess flour.
- Heat butter and oil in a heavy bottomed skillet measuring at least 9 inches across bottom. Swirl skillet over high heat until butter has melted. Continue to heat skillet until butter stops foaming and has just begun to color. Lay cutlets in skillet, tenderloin side down.
- Maintain medium high heat, so fat sizzles but does not smoke, and sauté cutlets until browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn cutlets with tongs (a fork will pierce meat); cook on other size until meat feels firm when pressed and clotted juices begin to emerge around tenderloin, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer cutlets to a plate, keep warm in oven set at lowest temperature possible, and continue with recipe.
- Without discarding fat, set skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté until softened, about 1 minute. Increase heat to high, add mushrooms, sauté until limp and brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add sherry, boil until completely evaporates, about 1 minute. Add stock and cream; boil stirring frequently, until sauce reduces to about 2/3 cup and is thick enough to lightly coat a spoon, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add any accumulated chicken juices; reduce sauce to previous consistency. Stir in parsley and mace and season to taste with salt, pepper, and drops of lemon juice. Spoon sauce over cutlets and serve immediately.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Key Equipment
More Like This
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments