Pan-roasted Chicken Breasts With Onion And Ale Sauce

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 1 cup kosher salt (or 1/2 cup table salt)
• 4 chicken breast halves, bone-in and skin-on about 3/4 pounds each
• ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced very thin
• 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup brown ale
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
• table salt
• ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

Recipe

• 1 dissolve salt in 2 quarts cold tap water in large container or bowl; submerge chicken in brine and refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 30 minutes. rinse chicken pieces under running water and pat dry with paper towels. season chicken with pepper.
• 2 adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees.
• 3 heat oil in heavy-bottomed 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke; swirl skillet to coat with oil. brown chicken skin-side down until deep golden, about 5 minutes; turn chicken pieces and brown until golden on second side, about 3 minutes longer. turn chicken skin-side down and place skillet in oven. roast until juices run clear when chicken is cut with paring knife, or thickest part of breast registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 15 to 18 minutes. transfer chicken to platter, and let rest while making sauce. (if not making sauce, let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.).
• 4 using potholder to protect hands from hot skillet handle, pour off most of fat from skillet; add onion, then set skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. add chicken broth, bay, brown sugar,brown ale, and thyme; increase heat to high and simmer rapidly, scraping skillet bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, until slightly thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. pour accumulated chicken juices into skillet, reduce heat to medium, and whisk in butter 1 piece at a time; season to taste with salt and pepper, add 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar and discard bay. spoon sauce around chicken breasts and serve immediately.