Pan-Seared Chicken with Bourbon-Apricot Sauce and Vegetables

Simple chicken breast is one of the most cook-friendly foods to prepare because it’s so versatile—it goes with just about anything. You can create countless dishes with it simply by adding sauces, stuffing it, or serving sides that turn chicken into everything from fine dining to picnic fare.

Here, this quick, two-skillet dinner is loaded with flavor and freshness. The chicken breasts sear in less than 10 minutes, and they’re coated in a rich, sticky, slightly sweet sauce made in the same skillet.

Cutting breast halves into two pieces and slightly pounding them means you can serve four people with one whole breast—not only tasty, but economical. Don’t worry about making perfectly uniform pieces when the breasts are pounded. The whole breast varies in thickness throughout, so it’s natural to have different shapes when different areas are flattened.

Remember though: A meat mallet is not a sledgehammer. Start with light pounding and increase the force as needed to flatten the meat without demolishing it.

Pounded Chicken Breasts

This recipe is quick, casual, and light, despite the bold flavor of the bourbon-apricot sauce. With two tablespoons of bourbon, the sauce has a very distinct whiskey taste. If you prefer less of that, simply add one tablespoon to the butter and preserves, give it a taste, and see if you want to add more.

The side dish in this recipe is a fresh vegetable medley, prepared simply with a little olive oil and fresh herbs. You can create your own medley of favorite vegetables, or substitute one or two here, but be sure to cut them into fairly even sizes so that they will cook in the same amount of time. This also makes the dish extra easy and fast—just toss everything in the skillet together and the entire side is done in minutes.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Chicken and Sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, each cut in half crosswise and pounded to about 1/2-inch thickness
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves
• 1 tbsp bourbon (or less, to taste)

Sauce Ingredients

For the Vegetables

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets, cut lengthwise in half (or into thirds for larger pieces)
• 1/2 cup very thinly sliced, peeled carrot, about 1 inch in length
• 1/3 cup very thinly sliced red onion
• 4 oz snap peas, cut in half lengthwise
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as sage, thyme, oregano, or rosemary

Vegetables Ready to Sear

Preparation

For the Chicken and Sauce

1. Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper.
2. Sear the chicken until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Transfer to a plate. Do not wipe out the skillet.

Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts

1. Reduce the heat to low and add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the apricot preserves and season with salt and pepper. Cook slowly until the preserves have melted, 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the bourbon and stir well to combine. Return the chicken breasts and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Warm the chicken in the sauce until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Bourbon-Apricot Sauce

For the Vegetables

1. Meanwhile, heat another skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add all the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Stir-fry gently until slightly browned and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Vegetables Beginning to Cook 

Cooked Vegetables

To serve, place 1 piece of chicken on each of 4 plates. Drizzle with bourbon-apricot sauce. Divide the vegetables alongside, garnished with chopped herbs.