Chicken Breasts With Leeks and Parmesan Cheese

Chicken with leeks in frying pan

Alena Hrbkova / StockFood Creative / Getty Images

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This chicken breast recipe is an easy dish to throw together, but it seems more elegant and complicated than it actually is. We love how the sweetness of the leeks complements the chicken, and a handful of Parmesan cheese adds a nice richness. Vermouth is a fortified white wine that we often use in place of white wine in recipes because it will last for months. Be sure to use dry vermouth instead of sweet vermouth. If you don't have alcohol on hand, you can use the same amount of cider vinegar.

Cooking Equipment Needed: Measuring spoons, liquid measuring cup, sauté pan, cheese grater (One to try: Microplane Twist 'n Grate), tongs, meat thermometer

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil, or grapeseed oil

  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, about 6 ounces each

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 4 leeks, cleaned, halved lengthwise, and cut into half-moon-shaped slices

  • 1/4 cup vermouth, or white wine

  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and tilt the pan to coat completely with oil.

  2. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Place them in the sauté pan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the chicken releases easily from the pan and the underside is browned. Turn the chicken over and cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes to brown the other side. Transfer the chicken to an ovenproof platter or pan and put it in the oven to finish cooking.

  3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter to the pan. When the butter melts, add the leeks and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are softened, about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat to add the vermouth, then return it to medium-low heat and cook until the vermouth is reduced by about half. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.

  4. Remove the chicken breasts from the oven and check their internal temperature with a meat thermometer, which should be 165 F. and let stand a few minutes before slicing chicken on the bias. Transfer chicken breasts to a dinner plate and top each with a generous spoonful of the cooked leeks.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
426 Calories
14g Fat
15g Carbs
55g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 426
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 4g 22%
Cholesterol 156mg 52%
Sodium 387mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 55g
Vitamin C 7mg 33%
Calcium 111mg 9%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 595mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)