Salt and Pepper Chicken
It takes little effort to roast extra chicken breasts in order to have leftover chicken for another meal. These breasts are simply seasoned with salt, pepper and herbs to make them versatile.
Storage tip: To store the chicken for use in other recipes, let it cool, then remove the meat, discarding the skin and bones. Shred the meat and store in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It is best not to freeze poultry or meat once it has been cooked.
Ingredients:
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves, about 4 lb. total
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme, sage or tarragon
- 2 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Directions:
Roast the chicken
Preheat an oven to 400°F.
Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper on top of and under the skin. Place the chicken, skin side up, in a large roasting pan. Roast until the chicken is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of each breast registers 170°F, about 45 minutes.
Transfer 4 chicken breast halves to a serving platter and reserve the remaining 2 for another use (see note above).
Deglaze the pan
Place the pan on a stovetop over high heat. When the pan sizzles, add the broth and thyme and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Boil until the broth is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Make the sauce
Whisk the butter, a couple of pieces at a time, into the reduced liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken, passing the sauce at the table. Serves 4; makes about 8 cups (3 lb.) cooked chicken total.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Make Ahead, by Rick Rodgers (Oxmoor House, 2008).