Eric Blotkamp (Mirepoix Cooking School, Royal Oak, Michigan)
Serves 4
4 Amish skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Frying oil (see Chef’s Tips on blended oil, this page)
1 quart Michigan apple cider
8 ounces chicken stock (see this page)
4 ounces cornstarch
4 ounces cold water
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Preheat an oven to 350°F.
Heat a large, straight-sided pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper (see Chef’s Tips on seasoning, this page). Pour enough blended oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Sear the chicken, breast-side-down, until golden brown; then flip over and repeat. Remove the chicken and reserve on a sheet pan. Bring the cider and chicken stock to a low boil.
To make a slurry, combine in a separate bowl the cornstarch and cold water until incorporated. Continuously whisk while adding the slurry to the cider and chicken stock until it is the preferred thickness (it should coat the back of a spoon).
Drizzle some sauce over the chicken, and place it in the oven for 15 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked with an internal temperature of 165°F.