Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts with Huckleberry Sauce

Name: Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts with Huckleberry Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Pacific Northwest
Ingredients: Chicken breasts (2, skin-on); Sweet onion (¼ large, diced); Huckleberries (⅔ cup); Basil leaves (3, minced); Kosher salt (1 teaspoon); Butter (1 tablespoon, unsalted); Butter (1 tablespoon, unsalted); Olive oil (1 tablespoon, extra-virgin); Chicken stock (4 fluid ounces)

Servings: 2

When my parents met me on the Appalachian Trail, they took me to The Tavern in Abingdon, Virginia; there, I learned how well berries pair with poultry. Sautéing huckleberries with onions and fond creates a sweet, hearty sauce for the chicken in this dish.

Begin with deboning the following:

Chicken breasts (2, skin-on)

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with Kosher salt. While the seasoned chicken breasts rest, gather the following ingredients for your pan sauce:

Sweet onion (¼ large, diced)

Huckleberries (⅔ cup)

Basil leaves (3, minced)

Kosher salt (1 teaspoon)

Butter (1 tablespoon, unsalted)

Allow a cast-iron skillet to come to medium heat; then, allow the following to melt and coat the bottom of the skillet:

Butter (1 tablespoon, unsalted)

Olive oil (1 tablespoon, extra-virgin)

Place the chicken breasts skin-down in the skillet, allowing them to cook until golden-brown and crispy (about 6 minutes). Flip the chicken breasts over, and allow the other sides to brown for another 6 minutes. Continue to flip them every few minutes, for about 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet and add in the diced onions, allowing the onions to become soft and translucent after a few minutes. Stir in the huckleberries, and allow them to cook down for a few more minutes. Pour in the chicken stock, and scrape the bottom of the skillet to incorporate the fond.

Chicken stock (4 fluid ounces)

After the sauce has reduced by about half, remove the skillet from the heat and gently stir in the basil and butter. Slice the chicken breasts on the bias, and drizzle with the huckleberry sauce. Enjoy!