I whipped up this recipe the other evening when a friend and her daughter came over to visit.  My friend raved about how delicious it was and having watched me cook, she was even more thrilled with how simple it is to cook.

This is my version of Pan Seared Chicken, though there are probably many cooks out there who do something similar. I do not call it ‘fried’ because there is no flour or breading and the chicken is not submerged in a large amount of frying/cooking oil.  Rather, I sear it in a little bit of olive oil to keep the poultry from sticking to the pan while cooking.

Ingredients:

2 large or 4 small skinless, boneless chicken breasts (you may substitute boneless thighs if preferred)

3 – 4 tablespoons olive oil (enough to lightly coat the pan)

1 – 2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/4 – 1/3 a cup finely chopped onion (I use purple onion)

salt, pepper, steak seasoning or other seasoning of your preference

If the chicken breasts are very thick, I like to beat them out a little with a meat tenderizing tool.  TIP:  Be sure to cover with two layers of wax paper.  This helps prevent splatters while beating out your chicken.  Flash frozen chicken breasts work wonderfully for this recipe also.

Gently coat the bottom of a non-stick skillet with olive oil.  Add in your minced garlic and chopped onion sprinkling evenly around the surface of the pan.  Next, sprinkle salt, pepper and your other preferred seasoning.  I use reduced sodium Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and a little sprinkle of Uncle Chris’ Gourmet Steak Seasoning.

Next, place your chicken breasts in your pan.  Then season the top of the breasts with your salt, pepper, and other seasoning.  Turn burner on medium to low.  (I cook on a gas range top; you may have to adjust the temperature according to your pan if you have a electric stove top.)  Cover chicken.

Let chicken sear about four or five minutes before flipping.  When you flip the chicken be sure to rearrange over more onion and garlic so that both surfaces are seared with the onion and garlic flavors.  Then watch chicken for another seven to ten minutes. Timing may vary depending on the size of your breasts and the thickness.  Remove lid and slice into one of the thicker breasts to be sure they are fully cooked.  If not cooked all the way, then flip the breasts one more time and let sear until fully cooked.

This process gives the chicken a nice browning on the outside while leaving the chicken moist and tender on the inside. [Note: Over cooking will leave the meat dry.]  Another tip I like to do is, using a spoon, take some of the drippings in the pan (while the chicken is cooking and after having flipped) and pour them lightly back over the top of the chicken.

Once the chicken is cooked all the way through, I serve it up with a baked potato and a veggie or salad and enjoy!! This is definitely an easy and quick meal to throw together after a long day!

To know more about my mad cooking skills and a day in the life of a Glass Half Full Gal, visit me at my blog:  I’m an Optimist; I’m a Glass Half Full Gal.  Or, follow me on Twitter @Glass_Half_Full!