Sautéed Chicken with Garlic
- 1 small chicken (2 to 3 pounds), cut into serving pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- Chopped parsley, optional
- Lemon wedges, optional
Instructions:
Sautéed chicken should be crisp, moist, and flavorful, and you can accomplish this easily.
- Put the chicken skin side down in a nonstick skillet large enough to comfortably accommodate it without crowding; use two skillets if necessary. Turn the heat to medium and season with salt and pepper. About 5 minutes after the chicken begins to make cooking noises, peek at the underside of the pieces. If they are browning evenly leave them alone; but if some adjusting of heat or shifting of the parts is necessary to accomplish even browning, do it. Don’t turn any piece until it is evenly golden brown on the first side—not very dark, but crisp looking— then turn them as they’re ready. It should take about 10 minutes to brown on the first side.
- Season the skin, now up, with salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook the second side as you did the first; when it is nearly done, add the garlic to the skillet. As the pieces finish browning, turn them skin side down once again.
- Continue to cook, turning once or twice more if necessary until the pieces are done (if you have any doubts, cut into a piece or two; there should be no traces of red blood, but some pinkness is okay). Breast pieces will undoubtedly finish first; you can keep them warm in a low oven or just serve them less than piping hot. When the chicken is ready garnish with parsley and lemon wedges if you like, and serve.