Top this chicken off with our homemade basil pesto sauce. Click here for the recipe.
Ingredients
4 each 4-6 oz. boneless chicken breasts, skin on or off; wing bone in or out
1 Tbsp cooking oil (avocado oil or olive oil)
Salt & pepper, to season
Any rub or spice (i.e. 1/3 parts cumin, cinnamon, garlic powder)
INGREDIENTS FOR SALT BRINE (OPTIONAL):
4 cups warm water
¼ cup sea salt
2 Tbsp honey, brown sugar, coconut sugar
12 whole peppercorns (or 1 tsp black pepper)
2 tsp garlic, chopped
1 tsp thyme
Pinch of chili flakes (or 1 tsp Sriracha)
Directions
If using brine, mix brine ingredients together and let it cool for 15 minutes. Submerge the chicken in brine and let it sit for at least 45 minutes (and up to 2 hours). Remove from brine and pat dry.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat a medium oven-proof sauté pan on your stovetop to medium-high.
Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and rub.
Add oil to pan, place breasts "round" or "presentation side" or "skin side down."
Cook over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. They will become lightly browned.
Turn chicken breast over. Turn off the burner and place the pan with chicken in the oven.
Cook chicken breast for 2.5 minutes per ounce of chicken (i.e. an 8 oz. chicken will cook for 20 minutes). If you are cooking more than one chicken, determine cook time based on the larger breast.
Let chicken rest for 3-4 minutes before cutting.
Optional: Top each serving with 1 Tbsp of pesto sauce. (Find our pesto recipe in the Notes)
