Whether you're searing chicken, building a pan sauce or simply trying to cook more efficiently, choosing the right pan is just as important as choosing the right ingredients.
In this video created in partnership with Zwilling USA, Assistant Director of Education and Culinary Arts Lead Chef-Instructor Barbara Rich explains the key differences between a traditional sauté pan (also called a sauteuse) and a sautoir — and why each shape is designed for a different cooking technique.
A sloped-sided sauté pan allows moisture and heat to escape more quickly, making it ideal for fast, high-heat cooking and the tossing motion used in classic sautéing. Straight-sided pans, by contrast, hold liquids more effectively and provide greater surface area for braising, reducing sauces and cooking larger batches.
To demonstrate the difference, Chef Barb prepares a simple sautéed chicken breast before transforming the flavorful browned bits left in the pan into a classic white wine pan sauce.
“Deglazing is going to pick up all that really delicious caramelization that we got on the bottom of our pan when we were cooking our chicken,” Chef Barb explains.
Watch the full video below to learn how pan shape influences cooking technique, then try the recipe yourself.
Ingredients
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, lightly pounded
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 teaspoons minced shallot
- 1 ounce dry white wine
- 4 ounces chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
Directions
- Preheat a conventional oven to 375°F or a convection oven to 350°F.
- Season the chicken generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat the canola oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Place the chicken presentation-side down in the pan. Cook until well browned, then turn and brown the second side.
- Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 155°F. Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest on a wire rack.
- Carefully pour off any excess fat from the pan. Return the pan to medium heat and add the shallots. Cook until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the wine is nearly evaporated.
- Add the chicken stock and continue simmering until the sauce is reduced by about half.
- Reduce the heat to low. Whisk in the cold butter until the sauce is smooth and glossy.
- Spoon a portion of the sauce onto a serving plate. Top with the chicken breast and finish with the remaining sauce. Serve immediately.
- Place two-thirds of the sauce on the plate and top with chicken. Finish with remaining sauce. Serve immediately.
