How to Pan-Seared Chicken Breast Perfectly! A Simple Version of Chicken Fricassee

I have previously demonstrated how to cook chicken breasts, and at that time, I used the sous vide method. This recipe is also the most searched dish on the website. However, many people have asked me, "If I don't have a sous vide stick, can I still cook tender and juicy chicken breasts?"

BigBoy’s Pan-Seared Chicken Breast

The answer is, of course, yes! In this recipe, I’ll demonstrate how to pan-sear chicken breasts. In fact, when cooking any type of meat, as long as you control the internal temperature within the appropriate range and allow for proper resting time, the result will naturally be tender and juicy.

When I cook chicken breasts, I usually heat the internal temperature to around 50°C, then let it rest for about 10-15 minutes. During this time, the internal temperature will continue to rise by about 5-10°C. The final internal temperature will be around 60°C-65°C, which is approximately medium-well done. It’s important to avoid exceeding 70°C, as the meat will become dry.

 With the chicken breast at an internal temperature of 60°C-65°C, the result is tender, juicy, and cooked to a perfect medium-well level. This is the ideal doneness for the most tender and succulent chicken breast.

How long should chicken breasts be cooked?

The cooking time for chicken breasts depends on their size. The chicken breast I’m demonstrating today weighs 300 grams. After pan-frying both sides until golden brown, I place it in a preheated oven at 190°C to bake for 8 to 9 minutes. You can use this time as a reference. If the chicken breast is smaller, bake for 7 to 8 minutes. If it's larger than the one I’m using today, bake for 9 to 10 minutes.

Here are the cooking time references for chicken breasts:

	250-299g	300-349g	350-399g	400g+
suggested temperature and time（190°C）	7-8 mins	8-9 mins	9-10 mins	10 mins+

The cooking time for chicken breasts depends on their size

Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with simple Fricassée sauce

Once the chicken breasts are pan-seared, I will make a creamy sauce similar to Chicken Fricassée. The word "Fricassée" in French means "cut into pieces" and "pan-fry," which refers to cutting the chicken into pieces, pan-frying it to get a nice golden color, and then simmering it with chicken broth and cream. Therefore, it is traditionally a braised dish.

However, since we are using only chicken breasts today, there’s no need to braise the chicken. Instead, we will create a similar sauce, using chicken broth, fresh cream, and some mushrooms to make a French-style creamy mushroom sauce. So, we can call it a simplified version of Fricassée.

Now, let’s begin making the French pan-seared chicken breast and enjoy this delicious, easy dish together! Watch the video below to see the full process, and scroll down for the detailed written recipe and instructions.

Ingredients

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Chicken Breast (serve 2)

Chicken Breast	2 each (300g each)
Salt	to taste
Butter	30g
Rosemary	few sprigs
Broccolini	1 bunch

Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Shallot	1 each
Mushroom	240g
Dried Porcini	5g
Plain Flour	1 tsp
White Wine	40ml
Porcini soaking water	50ml
Chicken Stock	150ml
Dijon Mustard	1 tsp
Thickened Cream	60ml
Chive	few sprigs
Parsley	few sprigs
Salt	to taste

Steps

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1.

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Soak the porcini mushrooms in water for 30 minutes (reserve the soaking liquid). Slice the mushrooms, trim the stems off the broccolini, and finely chop the shallots, chives, and parsley.

2.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, blanch the broccolini for 1 minute, then transfer them to ice water. Drain and set aside.

3.

Season the chicken breasts with salt. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add oil, and sear the chicken breasts until golden brown on one side. Flip them over, add butter and rosemary, and continuously spoon the melted butter over the chicken until the other side is golden brown.

4.

Transfer the chicken breasts to the oven and bake for 8-9 minutes.

5.

Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest on a rack for 10 minutes. Reserve the oil in the pan.

6.

Using the same pan, sauté the broccoli sprouts until fragrant, seasoning with salt. Set aside.

7.

In the same pan, add the reserved oil and sauté the shallots until fragrant. Add the porcini mushrooms and sliced mushrooms, cooking until slightly softened.

8.

Stir in the flour and mix well. Add white wine, cooking until most of the wine has evaporated. Then add the porcini soaking liquid and chicken stock, bringing the mixture to a boil.

9.

Stir in Dijon mustard and heavy cream, cooking until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, and mix in the chives and parsley.

10.

Plate the broccoli sprouts and chicken breasts. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken breasts, and serve.

Tender and smooth chicken breast, paired with crisp broccoli sprouts and a rich French creamy mushroom sauce, makes for an exceptionally flavourful dish.