Mediterranean Pan Seared Chicken

In general, Chicken is one of my least favorite meats. My husband, a wrestler through high school and college, can stomach it plain, grilled with almost nothing on it. To me, however, the thought of plain grilled chicken gives me the shivers. So, when I cook it, I make sure to load on the flavor and pan sear it to make sure it stays tender, juicy, and delicious. Here is one of my favorite ways to make it:

Ingredients

1 1/4 to 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (breasts or tenders will work in this recipe, but I feel the thighs have more flavor)

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1/4 tsp dried sage

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 cup white wine of choice (for mine I used Pinot Grigio)

1/4 cup olive oil plus more for sautee

1/8 tsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp butter

Method

In order to achieve a juicy tender piece of chicken, I like to marinate it for several hours (up to 1 day) before I cook it. This isn't rocket science--I throw everything (except the butter) into a bowl, toss in the chicken, and stick it in the fridge. 

When I'm ready to cook, the first thing I do is get my pan, with 2 tbsp of butter and a coat of olive oil, nice and HOT. You want to hear sizzling when the chicken hits it. Remove the chicken from the marinade and put it straight into the pan, but do not crowd it--if you have to do 2 batches it's ok. This next step is important---DO NOT MESS WITH THE CHICKEN. Don't wiggle it. Don't turn it. Just. Step. Away. (Not too far away..I don't want to be responsible for you burning down your house). Depending on thickness you want to let it cook 3-4 minutes per side. For the thighs I did 3 minutes. When time is up, flip each over and again, leave it alone until it's done. 

When it is, remove it from the pan and let it rest for several minutes so all of the juices redistribute. You can serve it with a little lemon squeezed over the top if you want. 

And there you have it. A very easy, very fast, and very delicious piece of chicken. Pair it with some yummy sides (I made Pecan Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Sautéed Cabbage) and it's time to eat!