Chicken Steak Recipe

Prepare the chicken

If breasts are thick, butter‑fly or place between plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness of about ¾ inch using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Pat dry with paper towels.

In a medium bowl, combine 3 tbs olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, minced garlic (press or finely mince), smoked paprika, dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until combined.

Place the chicken in a shallow dish or resealable bag. Pour marinade over the chicken, turning to coat evenly. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. If short on time, marinate 15 minutes at room temperature.

Remove chicken from refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking to come closer to room temperature. Pat each piece lightly to remove excess marinade (reserve marinade).

Heat a large heavy skillet or cast‑iron pan over medium‑high heat. Add 1 tbs olive oil. When oil shimmers and is just beginning to smoke, add chicken. Cook undisturbed 4–5 minutes until a deep golden crust forms.

Flip chicken and reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tbs unsalted butter to the pan. Cook another 4–5 minutes, spooning melted butter over the chicken, until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) or juices run clear. Transfer chicken to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil to rest 5 minutes.

Make pan sauce

Lower heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tbs butter to the pan. Finely chop the shallot and add to the pan, sauté 1–2 minutes until softened and translucent (scrape browned bits from pan while stirring). Carefully add 1 cup white wine or chicken stock to deglaze, scraping up any fond. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 3–4 minutes to reduce slightly.

Taste the sauce and season with a pinch of salt and pepper as needed. Stir in lemon zest and chopped fresh parsley. If you reserved marinade, do NOT add raw marinade to the sauce unless you boil it for several minutes first — instead use the wine/stock method above.

Return chicken to the pan for 30–60 seconds per side to warm in the sauce if desired, spooning sauce over the pieces. Remove to serving plates and spoon remaining sauce over the chicken.

Serve chicken steak with mixed greens or steamed vegetables tossed with 1 tbs olive oil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Spoon additional pan sauce over the chicken and garnish with extra chopped parsley and a small lemon wedge if desired.

Leftovers: refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of stock to avoid drying.