Sautéed Chicken Oscar Recipe

Trim and pound

Pat chicken breasts dry. If thick, butterfly or gently pound to an even thickness about 3/4 inch. Season both sides with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper.

Prepare asparagus and crab

Snap woody ends off asparagus (about 12 spears). Rinse and set aside. Pick through lump crabmeat to remove any shell fragments and keep chilled. Zest and halve the lemon; reserve half the lemon for sauce and the other half for serving.

Set up for dredging and sauce

Place 1/2 cup flour on a plate for dredging. Melt butter for hollandaise and keep hot in a small container. Bring a small pot of water to a simmer for the double-boiler if making hollandaise over heat.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. When butter foams and starts to brown lightly, dredge each seasoned chicken breast in flour, shaking off excess, and place in skillet without crowding.

Sauté chicken 4–5 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until golden-brown and an instant-read thermometer reads 160–165°F (71–74°C). Reduce heat slightly if browning too quickly. Transfer cooked chicken to a warm plate and tent with foil; reserve pan drippings in skillet.

In the same skillet with the reserved pan drippings, add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and heat over medium. Add asparagus and toss to coat. Cook 3–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until bright green and crisp-tender. Season with 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon). Transfer asparagus to a plate and keep warm.

Return skillet to medium-low heat. Add the 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for finishing and gently warm the lump crabmeat 1–2 minutes just to take the chill off — do not stir vigorously to avoid breaking up the lumps. Squeeze a little lemon over the crab (about 1 tsp). Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. Remove crab to a small bowl and keep warm.

Stovetop double-boiler method: Fill a pot with 1–2 inches of simmering water (do not let water touch the bowl). Place a heatproof bowl over the pot.

In the bowl, whisk 3 egg yolks with 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice until slightly thickened and tripled in volume, about 1–2 minutes.

Off heat, slowly drizzle the hot melted butter (6 tablespoons) into the yolks while whisking constantly to emulsify. Start drop by drop, then in a thin steady stream. If the sauce becomes too thick, add 1 teaspoon warm water to loosen. If it looks like it will split, remove from heat and whisk vigorously, or add a spoonful of warm water.

Season hollandaise with 1/8 tsp cayenne and salt to taste (about 1/8–1/4 tsp). Keep the sauce warm by placing the bowl in the warm (not boiling) area above the pot or transfer to a small insulated container; whisk occasionally until ready to serve.

Place each cooked chicken breast on a warmed plate. Top each breast with 3–4 asparagus spears (depending on width) arranged down the center.

Divide warmed lump crabmeat evenly among the 4 chicken portions, placing the crab over the asparagus.

Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of warm hollandaise sauce over each portion, covering crab and asparagus. Garnish with a pinch of chopped fresh chives and a lemon wedge on the side.

Serve immediately while sauce is warm.