Recipe: Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with Huckleberries, Blue Cheese & Port Sauce

Makes 4 servings

- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

- Kosher salt

- Freshly ground black pepper

- 1 tablespoon clarified butter or olive oil, plus more if needed

- 1 shallot, minced

- 2 large fresh sage leaves

- ¾ cup port

- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

- ½ cup chicken broth

- ½ cup crumbled Oregon blue cheese or other full-flavored blue cheese (about 2 ounces)

- ¼ cup fresh wild huckleberries

Garnishes:

- Fresh sage leaves

- Crumbled blue cheese

- Fresh wild huckleberries

1. Read through the entire recipe before beginning, and have all ingredients ready and within reach of the range.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season chicken liberally on each side with salt and pepper. (If chicken breasts are really large, then lightly pound out a bit between sheets of plastic wrap.)

3. In a large, heavy, ovenproof nonstick skillet or sauté pan, heat the clarified butter over high heat until hot. Sear the chicken breasts for about 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook the chicken for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until juices run clear. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm.

4. Place the chicken-cooking pan over high heat and add the shallot and sage leaves to the pan. Cook for about 30 seconds, then stir in the port and mustard and scrape up the browned bits in the bottom of the pan to get all that good flavor into the sauce. Continuing cooking on high heat to reduce the port to ¼ cup, about 1-½ minutes.

5. Whisk in the chicken broth and cream, and reduce until saucy and almost glossy, about 4 minutes. Add the cheese and whisk in for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, then remove the sauce from heat and stir in the huckleberries. Discard the sage leaves. Whisk in any accumulated juices from the cooked chicken breasts, taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

6. To serve, plate the chicken breasts on dinner plates and drizzle with the sauce, dividing evenly. Garnish with fresh sage leaves and a sprinkling of cheese and huckleberries.

©2006 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®