Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast with Béarnaise Sauce

Béarnaise sauce is slightly similar to Hollandaise Sauce and is popular in the French cuisine. It’s made with sweet, creamy unsalted butter, egg yolks, vinegar, white wine; then flavored with tarragon, shallots and lemon juice before it’s strained so it’s silky smooth and creamy. It’s wonderful with pan-roasted chicken. Serves 4 Total Time: under an hour 

Béarnaise Sauce Ingredients:

1/4 cup White Wine
1/4 cup White Vinegar
3 tablespoons Minced Shallots
2 tablespoons Fresh Tarragon, chopped
2 tablespoons Water
4 Large Egg Yolks
7 oz  Unsalted Butter, melted
1 tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper, to taste 

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine the wine, vinegar, shallots and tarragon and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer 3-5 minutes; then remove from heat. Combine the water and egg yolks in a small bowl; then gradually whisk the eggs into the wine mixture. You want to do this slowly so you don't cook the eggs. Next, slowly whisk in the butter until the sauce is creamy; then add the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined; then strain through a fine sieve. 

Pan-Roasted Chicken Ingredients:

2 boneless skin-on chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Handful fresh thyme sprigs
Garnish: dash each chives and lavender (optional)

Directions:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat the chicken breasts dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place chicken breasts into hot skillet skin side down. Cook without moving until skin is deep golden brown and crisp, about 6 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken then add the butter and thyme. When the butter has melted, spoon it over the chicken several times. 

Transfer skillet to the oven. Cook chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breasts registers 165 degrees F, 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon the thyme butter over the chicken a couple times while it bakes. Remove skillet from oven and transfer chicken to a cutting board. Let it rest about 5 minutes before serving. Top with Béarnaise sauce, garnish with a dash of chives and lavender, if using and your favorite side like mash potatoes, jasmine rice or egg noodles. Yum Yum!