Proof that healthy doesn’t mean tasteless, this Sear-Roasted Chicken with Orange-Tarragon Pan Sauce is delicious, full of flavor and easy on the calories.
If your family is anything like mine, you know that before any conversation of healthy eating is broached your loved ones scatter.
To work around that, I try to integrate vegetables, whole grains and other good-for-you foods into our meals without the conversation. I figure that unless someone wanders in while the healthy ingredients are visible, no one will be the wiser.
So imagine my surprise and relief when Hubby mentioned that he realized that he really needs to start eating better. It’s ironic really, because the man can still eat and remain long and lean, but he knows that with every turn around the sun he celebrates, that’s changing and his metabolism is slowing down.
The poor guy doesn’t realize the size of the animal he let out of its cage with his comment. I can do healthy, but now I can do it publicly. No more skulking in the shadows with my bags of vegetables and whole grains.
Starting here … with chicken in a deliciously decadent (yet low-calorie) citrus pan sauce.
The Process
I gotta tell you; I love Fine Cooking for being kind enough to warn me about the fact that the handle of my skillet would be hot after I removed it from the oven to the stove. I read the words, I nodded in agreement, then moments later I grabbed the hot handle so I could stir and scrape better.
So, maybe a double dose will help you. Follow the directions; they’re easy. When you get to the part about the fact that the handle of the skillet is hot, take special note. Then drape that handle with a hot pad.
The Verdict
Score big for us. Wow, this was delicious. At least Hubby and I thought so. The shallots, orange juice, tarragon and honey are awesome together. Spooned over the chicken, it turns a boring piece of breast meat into a vehicle for deliciousness.
Hubby had seconds and could have gone for thirds (that would have negated a bit of the whole healthy eating thing though). I settled for a bit more rice with the pan sauce spooned over it.
Sophie, yeah, that was a bust. She’s not a big fan of chicken as it is, and adding a sauce with hints of licorice (the tarragon), no matter how slight, wasn’t going to win any points with her. She had rice and broccoli.
What I’d Do Different Next Time
I’d double the recipe.
The Recipe
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-3/4 lb.)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- 2 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- ½ cup lower-salt chicken broth
- 2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 Tbs. honey
- 1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F. Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt and ¾ tsp. pepper.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Cook the chicken breasts, undisturbed, until browned (they should easily release when you lift a corner), 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until just cooked through (165°F), about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and keep warm.
- Put the skillet over medium heat (be careful of the hot handle), add the shallots and ½ tsp. salt, and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the orange juice, broth, tarragon, honey, and zest, and cook until the mixture is reduced by half, about 6 minute
- Transfer the chicken to serving plates. Pour any juices that collected on the plate into the sauce and serve the sauce with the chicken.
I hope you had a fantastic Christmas and New Year celebration. I pushed away from the computer and enjoyed focusing on my family for the past two weeks. Now that school’s about to start again (yea), it’s time to get back at it though, and apparently with more of a focus on healthy cooking. Care to join me?
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