This Easy Pan Seared Chicken recipe has lots of flavour, but uses simple seasoning and takes only 15 minutes total cooking time, making it an easy recipe you'll want to make again and again when you're pressed for time.

Pan-fried chicken breasts with a pan sauce is such a simple recipe because you make the sauce in the same pan as the chicken, by simmering down chicken stock and an acid like vinegar or white wine, which lifts all the tasty brown bits (also known as fond) from the bottom of the pan, then you melt butter into the reduced liquid for a flavour hit. It is absolutely delicious and the easiest way to make dinner.

Ingredients you'll need to make Easy Pan Seared Chicken

One of the great things about this recipe is you just need simple ingredients you can find in the supermarket (or in your pantry at home).

600g chicken breast (skinless and boneless chicken breasts)
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon chicken stock powder (chicken broth concentrate)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup instant polenta
3 cups water
1 cup milk
250g frozen chopped spinach
4 tablespoon chicken stock
2 cups frozen baby peas
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 cup chicken stock
40g salted butter

Check the recipe card for details and conversions.

Substitutions and Add-ins

To make this recipe gluten-free you can use gluten-free plain flour or cornflour.
Use dairy-free butter like Nuttelex for the sauce.
Additional seasonings - add flavour to the chicken breast by adding garlic powder and onion powder to the seasoning.
Instead of white wine vinegar, you can also use something acidic like white wine.

Pan Seared Chicken and Polenta ingredients

How to make Easy Pan-Seared Chicken

Slice the chicken breasts into thin schnitzels, about 1 cm thick, making them an even thickness. Alternatively, you can use a meat mallet to make the chicken thinner, but I prefer slicing as you retain the texture of the chicken breast.
In a bowl, mix together the plain flour, Italian seasoning, and chicken stock powder. Toss the chicken in this mixture to coat it.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan or skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, sear chicken for about 4 minutes on each side until it's golden brown (but no longer than 10 minutes). If you have a meat thermometer, check the thickest part of the chicken and the internal temperature should reach 75 C (165 F). While cooking the chicken breasts, move on to the next step.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the instant polenta, water, and milk. Whisk occasionally until it thickens.
In another pan over medium heat, add frozen chopped spinach and chicken stock. Stir to defrost the spinach. When it's defrosted, add the frozen baby peas, stir, and then remove from heat (this keeps them green).
Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest (optional to rest on a paper towel). Add white wine vinegar and chicken stock to the pan, then simmer on high until it's reduced by half (about 4 minutes). Stir occasionally, scraping the fond from the bottom of the pan. Once reduced, remove it from the heat and add a tablespoon of butter at a time, gently stirring to emulsify to make a velvety golden brown pan sauce. If the butter doesn't melt put it back on the stovetop on medium-low heat.
Slice the rested chicken breasts in half down the middle. Serve the polenta topped with green veggies, chicken breast, and the delicious pan sauce. Season with salt and black pepper. Enjoy!

Top tip

To make juicy chicken breasts you want to sear on a nice medium-high heat so they get a good sear, but are not overcooked or tough. The flour and stock powder crumb also work to create tender chicken breast by creating a barrier for the heat.

Polenta Consistency: Keep an eye on the polenta as it thickens. It should be creamy and smooth. You can add more milk if it gets too thick or lumpy.

Vibrant Green Veggies: When cooking the spinach and peas, be careful not to overcook them. Removing them from the heat as soon as they're defrosted will keep them vibrant green and fresh.

Kid-Friendly Variations

To simplify this for kids, serve elements separately and drizzle just a little pan sauce.

How to Store Easy Pan Seared Chicken

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days, but keep pan sauce and greens separate. The greens will be too liquid if kept with the polenta and chicken.

Equipment

You will need a frying pan, a stovetop and a saucepan.

More Chicken Recipes

If you like this easy chicken recipe, you should also try my Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken for a simple and flavourful dinner, or my Chicken Cordon Bleu or my most popular recipe on the blog, my Tuscan Chicken.

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