PAN ROASTED AIRLINE CHICKEN BREAST

I managed to hack up a whole chicken today, and with that, I cut one of the breasts as an Airline Breast. Simply put, an Airine Breast is a skin on breast (sometimes with the bones left in) with the chicken drum still attached. Back in the day when almost every flight over an hour long served a meal, the Airline Breast was served a lot. The reason for leaving the wing drum was to help maintain some juiciness and flavor in an otherwise notoriously dry piece of chicken. I have cooked these with a without the breast bone.

Pan-seared and finished in the oven, the Airline Breast is served with a pan reduction sauce made with shallots, wine, herbs, and a little chicken stock then finished with butter.

Ingredients:

• 2 skin on chicken breasts, with or without the wing drum

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• Canola oil

• 1/4 cup diced shallots

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup white wine or dry sherry

• 1 cup chicken stock

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold

• Fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season the breasts with Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp of canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, place the breasts in the pan skin side down and let them cook without moving until well browned, about 4-5 minutes. Turn breast over and place uncovered in the oven to cook until the internal temperature is 160 degrees.

• Remove the breasts from the skillet and place on a plate, covering loosely with foil.

• Place the skillet over medium low heat and add the shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Saute, stirring, for about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic for 30 seconds.

• Pour the wine into the skillet to deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring the wine to a simmer then add the stock and let that simmer until it is reduced to about 1/2 cup of liquid. Remove skillet from the heat and add the cold butter. Whisk until it is emulsified. Sprinkle in the chopped parsley.

• Carve the chicken breasts against the grain into 1/2 inch slices and fan out on a plate. If serving rice pilaf, place the sliced breast on the pilaf. Drizzle on the pan sauce and sprinkle a little more chopped parsley.