Pan-Seared Chicken with Savory Butter Sauce

Name: Pan-Seared Chicken with Savory Butter Sauce
Ingredients: 4 pieces Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (Approximately 1.5 to 2 pounds total. You can also use chicken breasts, adjusting cooking time.); 0.25 cup All-purpose flour (For dredging the chicken.); 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter (For cooking the chicken and forming the sauce base.); 1.5 tablespoons Chili sauce (Such as Sriracha, sweet chili sauce, or a mild tomato-based chili sauce.); 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon Walnut Catsup (An old ingredient, if unavailable, substitute with 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar or mushroom ketchup for a similar savory depth.); 1 teaspoon Dry mustard powder (Such as Colman's mustard powder.); 0.25 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (Adjust to your preferred level of spice.); 0 to taste Salt; 0 to taste Black pepper; 1 cup Hot chicken or vegetable stock; 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley, finely chopped (For garnish.)

A modernized take on a classic recipe, featuring pan-seared chicken dredged in flour, cooked until golden brown, and then simmered in a rich, savory butter sauce infused with chili, Worcestershire, mustard, and a hint of walnut catsup. Finished with fresh parsley, this dish is simple yet full of complex flavors.

Ingredients

4 pieces Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (Approximately 1.5 to 2 pounds total. You can also use chicken breasts, adjusting cooking time.)
0.25 cup All-purpose flour (For dredging the chicken.)
2 tablespoons Unsalted butter (For cooking the chicken and forming the sauce base.)
1.5 tablespoons Chili sauce (Such as Sriracha, sweet chili sauce, or a mild tomato-based chili sauce.)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Walnut Catsup (An old ingredient, if unavailable, substitute with 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar or mushroom ketchup for a similar savory depth.)
1 teaspoon Dry mustard powder (Such as Colman's mustard powder.)
0.25 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (Adjust to your preferred level of spice.)
0 to taste Salt
0 to taste Black pepper
1 cup Hot chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons Fresh parsley, finely chopped (For garnish.)

Instructions

1Pat the chicken pieces thoroughly dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, cut four small gashes into the skin and flesh of each chicken piece. This helps the chicken cook evenly and absorb flavors. Season generously all over with salt and black pepper.
2Pour the all-purpose flour into a shallow dish or plate, ready for dredging.
3In a small bowl, combine the chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, walnut catsup (or its substitute), dry mustard powder, and cayenne pepper. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are well mixed. Set aside.
4Take each seasoned chicken piece and dredge it completely in the flour, ensuring it's evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour. In a large skillet or frying pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and begins to foam, carefully place the dredged chicken pieces, skin-side down if applicable, into the hot pan. Cook until well browned and crispy on all sides, which typically takes about 5-7 minutes per side. Adjust heat as needed to prevent burning.
5Once the chicken is beautifully browned, reduce the heat to medium-low. Carefully pour the prepared savory sauce base (from Step 3) into the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Immediately pour in the hot chicken or vegetable stock. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, then cover the pan with a lid. Let it simmer for five minutes, allowing the chicken to finish cooking through and the flavors to meld into a rich sauce.
6Remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle generously with the finely chopped fresh parsley. Serve the chicken immediately, spooning the savory pan sauce over each piece.