Roasted Chicken Breasts Base Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 whole bone-in skin-on chicken breasts (about 11/2 pounds each, patted dry with paper towels and trimmed of excess fat)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. 1

   Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees.

2. 2

   Line bottom of broiler pan with foil, place broiler pan rack on top; set aside.

3. 3

   PREPARING THE CHICKEN:.

4. 4

   In a small bowl, mix 1/2 teaspoon salt and butter until combined. Sprinkle underside of chicken breasts liberally with salt and pepper.

5. 5

   Gently lift skin at bottom of breast to create small pocket for butter.

6. 6

   Using teaspoon, place butter in center of meat. Pressing on skin, spread butter evenly over meat (and under the skin ).

7. 7

   Rub skin of each whole breast with 11/2 teaspoons oil and sprinkle leberally with pepper.

8. 8

   COOKING THE CHICKEN:.

9. 9

   Set chicken breasts on broiler pan rack, and gently pull out rib cage from each side of breast to create a stable base i.e. propping up breasts on rib bones.

10. 10

    Roast until thickest part of breast registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. To carve, follow illustrations 1 through 3 below.

11. 11

    CARVING THE CHICKEN:.

12. 12

    To remove meat, cut straight down along one side of breastbone.

13. 13

    Run knife down along rib cage to remove entire breast half.

14. 14

    Slice each breast half crosswise on bias, making thin slices.