Light Sautéed Chicken Cutlets with a White Wine and Herb Pan Sauce
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 5, 2009
Time
55 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Chicken
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat and tenderloins removed (see illustration below) and sliced into cutlets (see illustrations below)Salt and ground black pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oilSauce
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)Salt 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)½ cup dry white wine or vermouth1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth 2 tablespoons whole milk 1 teaspoon cornstarch 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley leaves 2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves Ground black pepperBefore You Begin
We prefer the flavor of whole milk in the sauce; however, 2 percent milk or half-and-half will also work. Do not use 1 percent or skim milk.
Instructions
- Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Pat the cutlets dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the cutlets in the flour and shake off the excess; set aside.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Lay half of the cutlets in the skillet and cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Flip the cutlets over, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 2 minutes. Transfer the cutlets to a plate and cover with foil; set aside. Repeat with the remaining oil and cutlets.
- Add the shallot and ¼ teaspoon salt to the oil left in the skillet, return to medium-low heat, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the wine, scraping up the browned bits. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, and cook until the mixture measures ¾ cup, about 5 minutes.
- Pour any accumulated chicken juices into the simmering sauce. Whisk the milk and cornstarch together in a small bowl, then whisk into the simmering sauce. Continue to simmer the sauce until it has thickened, about 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and tarragon and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the cutlets before serving.
for the chicken
for the sauce
Time
55 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Chicken
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat and tenderloins removed (see illustration below) and sliced into cutlets (see illustrations below)
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sauce
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
Salt
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
½ cup dry white wine or vermouth
1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves
Ground black pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Chicken
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat and tenderloins removed (see illustration below) and sliced into cutlets (see illustrations below)
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sauce
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
Salt
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
½ cup dry white wine or vermouth
1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves
Ground black pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Chicken
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat and tenderloins removed (see illustration below) and sliced into cutlets (see illustrations below)
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sauce
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
Salt
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
½ cup dry white wine or vermouth
1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves
Ground black pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
While experimenting with our light sautéed chicken cutlets recipe, we quickly realized that the cutlets, which are about half as thick as whole boneless breasts, cooked too quickly to achieve a golden crust on both sides. Increasing the heat to medium-high for the entire cooking time enabled us to brown one side of the cutlets before flipping them over and cooking them through. The second side did not brown, but the cutlets were moist and flavorful. Pan sauces are typically finished with some sort of fat—cream or butter—to add richness and help emulsify the sauce. We tried many substitutes for these ingredients and settled on two winners: A whole milk–cornstarch slurry stood in for the butter and light cream cheese enriched our sauce without adding the excess fat and calories of heavy cream.
Before You Begin
We prefer the flavor of whole milk in the sauce; however, 2 percent milk or half-and-half will also work. Do not use 1 percent or skim milk.
Instructions
- Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Pat the cutlets dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the cutlets in the flour and shake off the excess; set aside.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Lay half of the cutlets in the skillet and cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Flip the cutlets over, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 2 minutes. Transfer the cutlets to a plate and cover with foil; set aside. Repeat with the remaining oil and cutlets.
- Add the shallot and ¼ teaspoon salt to the oil left in the skillet, return to medium-low heat, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the wine, scraping up the browned bits. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, and cook until the mixture measures ¾ cup, about 5 minutes.
- Pour any accumulated chicken juices into the simmering sauce. Whisk the milk and cornstarch together in a small bowl, then whisk into the simmering sauce. Continue to simmer the sauce until it has thickened, about 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and tarragon and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the cutlets before serving.
for the chicken
for the sauce
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