Easy Pan Sauces for Chicken - Cooks Illustrated

Published May 1, 1999.

Use the flavor developed during sautéing to make quick, tasty sauces.

The Problem

When confronted with a plain sautéed chicken breast, the first thing some of us yearn for is a sauce to jazz things up a little. But how to make one?

The Goal

A variety of pan sauces that can be made right in the sauté pan in about five minutes.

The Solution

The best way to create flavor in a quick pan sauce is to make use of the fond, those bits of meat and traces of juice that caramelize on the pan surface during cooking and are loaded with flavor. The easiest way to release that flavor into a sauce is to use a liquid to lift off and dissolve the fond in a process known as deglazing. This process can be accomplished with many different liquids: wine, water, juice, brandy, stock, vinegar, or a combination thereof. The liquid is then boiled down and reduced to thicken the sauce. For a silky, rich texture, butter is swirled in at the end.

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