Breaded Chicken Braised in Butter (Italian Petti di Pollo al Burro)

It's an incredibly simple dish. Nothing more, in essence, than chicken breast seasoned and floured, then browned and braised in copious amounts of butter. But the result is a revelation. The butter bath transforms a normally bland cut of chicken into something extraordinary and yes, extravagant. Italian cookery is renowned for this kind of simple recipe that produces almost magically exquisite results.

2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 stick butter (100 g)
all-purpose flour, unbleached
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
1 sprig thyme or sage
1 clove garlic, unpeeled

Garnish:
freshly squeezed lemon juice

To start, trim the chicken breasts of any stray gristle and remove the 'tenderloins' if you find them still attached to the breasts. Flatten them out slightly with the back of a skillet.

Season the breasts generously with salt and pepper. Flour them lightly.

Melt half the butter in a braising pan over medium-high heat. When the butter has stopped foaming and begins to turn colour, add the chicken breasts, 'top' side down and brown them for 5-6 minutes.

Turn the chicken breasts over. Lower the heat to a minimal flame and add the rest of the butter, cut into small pieces, along the thyme and garlic if using. As soon as it melts, baste the breasts with the butter and cover the pan tightly. Let them braise undisturbed for 15 minutes. (Alternatively, you can transfer the pan to a gentle oven about 325°F (160°C/140°C fan, Gas Mark 2).

Uncover the pan. Taste and adjust the butter sauce for seasoning, and remove the garlic and thyme. Sprinkle the lemon juice over everything.

Serve the chicken breasts right away, napping them generously with the butter.

Makes 2 servings.