Sautéed Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes, Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Scallions
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 4, 2009
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 to 6 ounces each), tenderloins removed (see illustration below) and breasts trimmed of any yellow or white fatSalt and ground black pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 ounces (about 4 slices) bacon, chopped medium2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved1 - 2 tablespoons water (if needed)2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about ½ cup)2 scallions, sliced thin
Before You Begin
If you do not like blue cheese, goat cheese makes an excellent substitution.
Instructions
- Place the flour in a shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working with 1 chicken breast at a time, dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken and cook until well browned on one side, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Flip the chicken over, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook until the thickest part of the breast registers 160 to 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest while making the sauce.
- Add the bacon to the skillet and cook over medium-low heat until browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the skillet, stir in garlic, and cook over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits. (If necessary, add enough of the water to help loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.) Cook until the tomatoes are just softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in any accumulated chicken juices and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Off the heat, pour the tomatoes over the chicken. Sprinkle with the bacon, blue cheese, and scallions. Serve.
Yield
Serves 4Ingredients
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 to 6 ounces each), tenderloins removed (see illustration below) and breasts trimmed of any yellow or white fat
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces (about 4 slices) bacon, chopped medium
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 - 2 tablespoons water (if needed)
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about ½ cup)
2 scallions, sliced thin
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 to 6 ounces each), tenderloins removed (see illustration below) and breasts trimmed of any yellow or white fat
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces (about 4 slices) bacon, chopped medium
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 - 2 tablespoons water (if needed)
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about ½ cup)
2 scallions, sliced thin
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 to 6 ounces each), tenderloins removed (see illustration below) and breasts trimmed of any yellow or white fat
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces (about 4 slices) bacon, chopped medium
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 - 2 tablespoons water (if needed)
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about ½ cup)
2 scallions, sliced thin
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For our sautéed chicken breast recipe, we found it crucial to pick breasts of the same size; otherwise, they cook unevenly—a skinny breast will be done long before a thicker one. To that end, we also found it important to remove the “tenderloins,” which inevitably overcook (save them in the freezer for future use). As far as preparation goes, there are three crucial steps to success in a sautéed chicken breast recipe. First of all, it’s important to dry the meat with paper towels, so that the meat is dry once it hits the pan; otherwise, it can stick. Second, the breasts should be liberally seasoned with salt and black pepper. And third, the breasts must be dusted with flour to preserve moisture, maximize browning, and minimize the risk of sticking.
Before You Begin
If you do not like blue cheese, goat cheese makes an excellent substitution.
Instructions
- Place the flour in a shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working with 1 chicken breast at a time, dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken and cook until well browned on one side, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Flip the chicken over, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook until the thickest part of the breast registers 160 to 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest while making the sauce.
- Add the bacon to the skillet and cook over medium-low heat until browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the skillet, stir in garlic, and cook over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits. (If necessary, add enough of the water to help loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.) Cook until the tomatoes are just softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in any accumulated chicken juices and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Off the heat, pour the tomatoes over the chicken. Sprinkle with the bacon, blue cheese, and scallions. Serve.
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