Chicken with Thyme, Lemon and White Wine

We eat a lot of chicken in my house. But unless it's summer and we're using the grill, it's very rare for us to just eat a chicken breast for dinner. Usually I serve chicken in things: pastas, salads, various casseroles. Sometimes, though, for simplicity's sake, it's nice to just be able to serve a piece of chicken, as-is. On the night I made this, I didn't have a particular recipe in mind; I just kind of winged it based on what I had on hand. The results were truly outstanding!

This recipe fancies up a plain old chicken breast with the additions of thyme, lemon and white wine. The chicken cooks in butter that has been infused with the thyme, and then gets a bath in a bright, fragrant sauce made with chicken stock, white wine, and splash of lemon juice. The chicken stays so moist, and every bite is loaded with flavor.

If you have some chicken breasts on hand and have no idea what to do with them, here's a simple recipe with just a few ingredients to make them taste fancy and delicious.

Chicken with Thyme, Lemon and White Wine

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons butter

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup chicken stock

Juice of 1 lemon

1. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Strip the leaves from the thyme sprigs. Add the thyme leaves to the melted butter and let them cook for a few minutes until fragrant.

2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook, turning once, until browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate, cover with foil, and keep warm.

3. To the same skillet you used for the chicken, add the white wine. Let it reduce, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to pick up any browned bits. After the wine is reduced, add the chicken stock and bring it to a bubble. Reduce the heat and return the chicken to the pan. Let it cook for a few more minutes in the sauce.

4. Just before serving, squirt the lemon juice over the skillet.