Pan Roasted Chicken Breast With Creamy Mushroom Sauce

It was a rough day at the office. Your boss really reamed you out for not filing those TPS reports…again. At least you’re home now. You’re starving, but you’re also beat as a mule on the Santa Fe Trail in August. The last thing you want to do is spend three hours cooking just so you can pass out in a plate of food while watching Seinfeld reruns.

Weekday cooking can be a little…lame. It’s often difficult to find the energy to cook an amazing meal after dealing with the slings and arrows of daily living. Chicken breast is often a go-to protein for a quick dish, but it doesn’t conjure up the most exciting culinary fantasies. Usually bland and overcooked, it’s not the sort of thing that gets my palate fired up to the point of wanting to rush into the kitchen with reckless abandon. 

This pan roasted technique, however, really changed my whole perspective on chicken breast. By searing the chicken in a skillet first, then finishing it in the oven you end up with delightfully crisp skin and juicy, tender meat. You can then use the pan drippings to create a deceptively simple, put incredibly flavorful, mushroom sauce. 

Including prep time, this recipe takes about 45 minutes to make. You can eat gourmet during the week.

Meet the sauce stars–shallot, thyme, and mushroom. A power trio of flavor if ever there was one.

Using bone-in chicken breasts with skin is key for retaining moisture in the meat. Season liberally with sea salt and pepper.

In a cast iron skillet, sauté the chicken in some coconut oil, skin side down, for about ten minutes.

Crispy, golden brown skin is what you’re after. Sauté for a few minutes on the other side.

Finish cooking the chicken in a 350º oven for about 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet to rest. We’re going to put those tasty drippings leftover in the pan to some good use. Add some shallot and saute for 4 or 5 minutes, followed by the mushrooms and thyme.

Pour in some chicken stock, coconut milk, and arrowroot powder.

Simmer until the sauce is thickened, then finish it off with a squeeze of lemon.

Carve up the chicken and spoon the sauce on top. Serve with some quick sautéed greens for a complete meal. Enjoy!

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Pan Roasted Chicken Breast With Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts bone-in and skin on
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 shallot diced
• 1 cup baby bella mushrooms sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• sea salt
• black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350º
• Pat chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and season liberally with sea salt and black pepper.
• Heat coconut oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Sauté the chicken, skin side down, for about 10 minutes, until skin is crisp and golden brown. Flip chicken over an sauté for a few minutes on the other side.
• Place skillet in the oven until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the chicken breast from the pan and set aside. Return the skillet to medium high heat and add the shallot. Sauté until translucent, about five minutes.
• Add the sliced mushrooms and thyme. Sauté until the mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes.
• Pour in the chicken stock, coconut milk, and arrowroot powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 8 minutes.
• Remove sauce from heat and squeeze in the fresh lemon juice. Serve sauce over sliced chicken. Enjoy!

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