This quick chicken recipe is luscious, moist, and flavorful, with a perfect balance of spice and sweet where maple meets pepper.
Yes, I know you've never heard of this before. Maple + pepper? Relax, trust me. Sweet and spicy is a great combo, even in if it's not in the Asian realm.
This pan-seared chicken breast is made of a simple maple glaze and a dry rub. When the pepper gets toasted in the pan, it brings out a sweet and bright note as well as a crunchy crust. This recipe is perfect for the family or even better at parties.
As always, remember to use skinless chicken breasts and a stainless steel skillet to maximize color.
For the glaze:
Combine 1 tbsp of maple syrup and 1 tsp of lemon juice (juice of half a lemon).
For the chicken:
Take 2-4 chicken breasts (tenders removed) and pat them dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper generously. Remember to be a bit more generous with the pepper to fulfill the name of the dish.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a stainless steel skillet. When almost smoking, place the breasts in, laying away from you, to not burn yourself with hot oil. Partially cover with a lid to minimize oil splatter. (My mom always got mad at me for spilling oil around the stove).
Glaze with the maple lemon sauce liberally using a spoon or pastry brush. Cook for 5 minutes on one side, careful not to move the breast in order to receive a golden brown crust. Flip the breast and glaze with the maple lemon sauce. Cook for a further 3 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160ºF interior at the thickest part of the breast. Remove from the heat to let rest.
Optionally boil the maple lemon sauce to serve.
Enjoy!
Please let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
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