Equipment
Ingredients
Protein
- 450 g chicken breast, boneless, skinless
Produce
- 200 g cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 garlic, minced
- 2 g fresh thyme, leaves only
Pantry & Dairy
- 15 ml olive oil
- 15 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 15 g honey
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Liquids
- 60 ml dry sherry
- 30 ml sherry vinegar
- 120 ml chicken stock
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 631 kcal
- Protein
- 51 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Fat
- 35 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 1353 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 16 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 161 mg
- Potassium
- 1069 mg
- Calcium
- 70 mg
- Iron
- 4.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 76 mg
- Phosphorus
- 535 mg
- Zinc
- 3.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 108 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.27 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.76 mg
- Niacin
- 26.4 mg
- Folate
- 40 mcg
- Water
- 346 g
- Alcohol
- 5 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season evenly on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat olive oil in a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken breasts and sear until deeply golden brown and cooked to an internal temperature of 74C/165F, about 6 to 8 minutes per side. Use tongs to remove the chicken to a plate to rest.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet in an even layer. Let them cook undisturbed for 3 minutes to brown, then stir. Add the diced shallot and minced garlic, cooking for 2 more minutes until softened and aromatic.
Pour the dry sherry and sherry vinegar into the hot skillet. Use a wooden spoon to vigorously scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Stir in the chicken stock, honey, and fresh thyme leaves. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow it to reduce by half until it thickens slightly into a syrupy consistency, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the cold cubed butter and swirl the pan constantly until the butter melts and emulsifies into a glossy sauce. Return the chicken and any resting juices to the pan, turning to coat in the glaze. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Using a stainless steel pan is crucial for this recipe. Non-stick pans will not develop the rich browned layer on the bottom (the fond) which gives the sherry sauce its intense savory depth.
- Swirling cold butter into the sauce off the heat is a technique called monter au beurre. It emulsifies the fat into the liquid without breaking, creating a luxurious mouthfeel.
- Do not salt the mushrooms when they first go into the pan. Salt draws out moisture, causing them to steam rather than sear.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store chicken and sauce in an airtight container. Mushrooms may darken.
Freezer: 1 month — Sauce may separate upon thawing; reheat gently and whisk to re-emulsify.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through to prevent overcooking the chicken.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is thin and watery
Cause: The liquids were not reduced enough before adding butter
Fix: Remove the chicken, return pan to medium heat, and reduce the liquid for another 2 to 3 minutes before serving
Prevention: Allow the stock and vinegar mixture to reduce by at least half until syrupy
Chicken is dry and stringy
Cause: Cooked past the safe internal temperature
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but ensure it is well-coated in the pan sauce to add moisture back to each bite
Prevention: Use a meat thermometer and pull the chicken exactly at 74C
Sauce tastes too acidic or sharp
Cause: Vinegar did not cook off sufficiently, or too little honey was used
Fix: Stir in a small pinch of salt and an extra 5g of honey or a splash of chicken stock
Prevention: Measure honey accurately and ensure the sauce reduces properly
Cultural Context
The combination of vinegar and sugar (or honey) reduced into a sauce is known in French culinary traditions as a gastrique, and in Italian as agrodolce. Using sherry and sherry vinegar nods to Spanish flavor profiles, providing a deeply complex, nutty sweetness that elevates simple pan-roasted poultry.
