Brown Butter Chicken with Apples

brown butter chicken in a black skillet with apples and sage.

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Brown Butter Chicken with Apples

This brown butter chicken with apples is the perfect cozy dinner for fall! Juicy, golden-brown chicken breasts are paired with crisp Honey crisp apples, fresh sage, and a rich, creamy Brie sauce.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Julie Maestre

Equipment

heavy bottomed skillet
wooden spatula
tongs
knife
Cutting Board

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 6-7 ounces each
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
10-12 sage leaves
2 Honeycrisp apples cored and cut into wedges
1 medium shallot diced
¾ cup chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 8-ounce container of Brie, rind removed and cut into small pieces, room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. When the butter is foaming, add the chicken. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until deeply golden and the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and loosely tent with foil.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Cook until melted, foamy and deep golden brown with a nutty aroma. Watch closely because butter can burn quickly.
Add the sage leaves and fry for about 30-60 seconds, until crisp. Transfer to a plate.
Add the apple wedges to the browned butter. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side until golden around the edges but still firm. Transfer apples to the plate with the chicken.
Add the shallot to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, until slightly reduced.
Stir in the heavy cream and Dijon mustard. Add the cubed Brie and stir frequently over medium-low heat until the Brie is melted, and the sauce is creamy. Do not let the sauce boil. There may be tiny bits left of unmelted Brie.
Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Return the chicken and its juices to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Arrange the apple slices and crispy sage around the chicken. Warm gently for 1-2 minutes, then serve immediately.

Notes

Top Tips

Brown the chicken until deeply golden, this creates an exceptional flavor.
Browning the butter is not necessary, but it gives the dish a deeper, nuttier flavor that complements the sweet apples, earthy sage and creamy Brie. Take watch to not burn it.
Let the apples develop those golden edges to develop the concentrated and caramelized flavor we're looking for. Cook until tender yet firm. Avoid cooking them until mushy or falling apart.
Be sure to remove the rind from the Brie and cut it into small pieces before adding it to the skillet.
Keep the heat low once the Brie has been added and stir frequently until melted. It may have very small unmelted bits remaining, but it still works great. Avoid boiling it. NOTE: when I made this, the Brie had some very small unmelted bits remaining in the sauce.

Nutrition