This chicken breast recipe is easy to throw together, but it looks more elegant and complex than it is. We loved how the sweetness of the leeks complemented the chicken, and a handful of Parmesan cheese added a delicious flavor.
Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Full: 30 minutes Serves: 4
Material:
- 1 tablespoon canola oil (or grapeseed oil)
- 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless; about 6 ounces each)
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper (appropriate amount)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 leeks (wash, halve lengthwise, and cut into half-moon slices)
- 1/4 cup vermouth (or white wine)
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (grated)
Production steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and tilt pan so it is completely coated.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper. Put them in the wok. Cook until the chicken comes easily from the pan and is browned on the bottom, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes to brown the other side. Transfer the chicken to a heatproof dish or pan and place in the oven to finish cooking.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add butter to pan. When butter melts, add leeks and sauté, stirring occasionally, until leeks are tender, about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the absinthe, then reduce to medium-low heat and cook until the absinthe is reduced by about half. Add the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the oven and use a meat thermometer to check their internal temperature, which should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit, then let sit for a few minutes before slicing the chicken on a slant. Transfer chicken breasts to dinner plates and top each plate with a tablespoon of cooked leeks.
