Chicken breasts become intensely flavorful and juicy with my easy technique: start spice-rubbed chicken in a cold pan. Not only does the slow rise in heat prevent the spices from burning, it also keeps the chicken from sticking to the pan. From a technical standpoint, it’s great because you get a sous vide effect, with the meat cooking through evenly first while retaining its juices and developing a seared crust at the end.

The chicken—along with its instant pan sauce—takes well to a range of flavors. The well-loved pairing of coriander and cumin creates an irresistible crust on chicken breasts, which finish in a tangy, sticky balsamic vinegar glaze. The fruity heat of black pepper balances the sweetness of the pan sauce.

Coriander and black pepper chicken breasts with balsamic glaze

Servings/Yield

Author:

Lior Lev Sercarz, from "Mastering Spice" by Lior Lev Sercarz

Image of Coriander and black pepper chicken breasts with balsamic glaze

Ingredients

Spice Blend

21⁄2 teaspoons coriander seeds (5 grams)
3⁄4 teaspoon black peppercorns, preferably Tellicherry (3 grams)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (3 grams)
1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger (1 gram)
Finely grind the coriander, peppercorns, and cumin together and immediately mix with the ginger. Or mix together 2 teaspoons pre-ground coriander, 1⁄2 teaspoon pre-ground black pepper, and 3⁄4 teaspoon pre-ground cumin with the ginger.

Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (8 ounces each)
Kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

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Directions

Sprinkle the spice blend all over the chicken to evenly coat. You can cook them right away or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
Season the spiced chicken with salt. Generously coat a large skillet or sauté pan with oil (2 to 3 tablespoons). Put the chicken in the pan in a single layer, smooth-side down, spacing the breasts apart, and set over medium heat. Cook nice and slow until the bottoms are golden, about 7 minutes. Using a spatula or tongs, carefully flip each piece.
Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 120°F, about 7 minutes. Flip again, reduce the heat to low, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 160°F, about 6 minutes more.
Drizzle the vinegar all around the chicken. It should bubble and spatter immediately. Continuously turn the chicken to glaze it in the reducing vinegar until lightly coated, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let stand for a few minutes, drizzle the pan glaze over the chicken, and serve.