Tender, seared chicken suprêmes rest on a silky charred-leek soubise, finished with a glossy beurre monté and bright lemon-chive notes for a rich, elegant plate.
Charred-Leek Soubise with Seared Chicken Suprêmes
Tender, oven-finished chicken suprêmes perch atop a velvety charred-leek soubise and a glossy beurre monté for a dinner that feels restaurant-polished but stays entirely home-cook friendly.
This is one of those dishes that looks like a plated entrée yet comes together with a handful of smart moves: quick sear, a short oven finish, and a saucy base that does the heavy lifting. Chicken suprêmes—boneless breast pieces—cook evenly and stay supremely tender, so a hot pan and a few minutes in the oven give you golden skin and juicy meat without babysitting the stove.
The soubise is the star: charring the leeks concentrates their sweetness and adds smoky, almost nutty depth that turns what could be a mild cream sauce into something layered and interesting. A light roux, a splash of milk and chicken stock, and a hit of cream make the sauce lush; blitzing it until silken gives you that restaurant-like polish. Save a few charred tips for garnish so each plate gets a pop of texture and color.
Finishing with a beurre monté and bright lemon-chive notes keeps the sauce glossy and spoonable—perfect for coating the chicken and pooling on the plate. A few sprigs of thyme in the soubise add savory lift while chives and lemon cut through the richness so every bite balances silky and bright.
Practical wins: the soubise can be made ahead and warmed gently, and the beurre monté comes together in minutes at the end for last-minute gloss. Serve with simple roasted vegetables or a peppery salad for contrast, and you’ll have a dinner that reads elegant but was perfectly manageable on a weeknight.
Ingredients
How to Make Market Charred Leek Soubise Chicken Suprême
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim root ends and dark green tops from the leeks; reserve the dark green tips for garnish and slice the white and light-green parts into 1/2-inch pieces, then rinse thoroughly to remove grit.
- Char the leek pieces in a hot dry cast-iron or heavy skillet in two batches until deeply browned and a bit blackened in spots (about 4–6 minutes per batch), then transfer to a bowl and roughly chop the charred bits; reserve a few charred tips for plating.
- Make the leek soubise: melt 2 tbsp butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the minced shallot and sauté until translucent, add the chopped charred leeks and cook 2–3 minutes, then sprinkle the flour over and stir 1 minute to form a light roux.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and chicken stock, add 2 sprigs thyme, bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened (6–8 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in the cream, discard the thyme sprigs, then blend the mixture with an immersion blender (or in a blender) until very smooth; keep warm and season to taste with 3/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with the remaining salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sear the breasts skin-side (or presentation side) down 3–4 minutes until golden, flip and sear the other side 2 minutes.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chicken until an instant-read thermometer registers 158–160°F in the thickest part, about 8–10 minutes depending on thickness; remove chicken to a cutting board to rest 6–8 minutes (carryover will bring it to ~165°F).
- While the chicken rests, make the pan sauce: return the skillet to medium heat, add the white wine to deglaze, scrape up browned bits and reduce by half, add the remaining chicken stock and 2 thyme sprigs and simmer to reduce slightly (3–4 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining 3 tbsp cold butter, a few cubes at a time, to make a glossy beurre monté; squeeze in 1/2 lemon and adjust seasoning.
- To serve, spread a generous spoonful of warm leek soubise on each plate, slice or leave the chicken suprême whole and place atop the sauce, spoon the beurre monté and pan jus around and over the chicken, garnish with reserved charred leek tips and chopped chives, and finish with a small lemon wedge on the side.
Recipe Card
Market Charred Leek Soubise Chicken Suprême
Tender, seared chicken suprêmes rest on a silky charred-leek soubise, finished with a glossy beurre monté and bright lemon-chive notes for a rich, elegant plate.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim root ends and dark green tops from the leeks; reserve the dark green tips for garnish and slice the white and light-green parts into 1/2-inch pieces, then rinse thoroughly to remove grit.
- Char the leek pieces in a hot dry cast-iron or heavy skillet in two batches until deeply browned and a bit blackened in spots (about 4–6 minutes per batch), then transfer to a bowl and roughly chop the charred bits; reserve a few charred tips for plating.
- Make the leek soubise: melt 2 tbsp butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the minced shallot and sauté until translucent, add the chopped charred leeks and cook 2–3 minutes, then sprinkle the flour over and stir 1 minute to form a light roux.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and chicken stock, add 2 sprigs thyme, bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened (6–8 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in the cream, discard the thyme sprigs, then blend the mixture with an immersion blender (or in a blender) until very smooth; keep warm and season to taste with 3/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with the remaining salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sear the breasts skin-side (or presentation side) down 3–4 minutes until golden, flip and sear the other side 2 minutes.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chicken until an instant-read thermometer registers 158–160°F in the thickest part, about 8–10 minutes depending on thickness; remove chicken to a cutting board to rest 6–8 minutes (carryover will bring it to ~165°F).
- While the chicken rests, make the pan sauce: return the skillet to medium heat, add the white wine to deglaze, scrape up browned bits and reduce by half, add the remaining chicken stock and 2 thyme sprigs and simmer to reduce slightly (3–4 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining 3 tbsp cold butter, a few cubes at a time, to make a glossy beurre monté; squeeze in 1/2 lemon and adjust seasoning.
- To serve, spread a generous spoonful of warm leek soubise on each plate, slice or leave the chicken suprême whole and place atop the sauce, spoon the beurre monté and pan jus around and over the chicken, garnish with reserved charred leek tips and chopped chives, and finish with a small lemon wedge on the side.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 15
- Saturated Fat
- 21
- Sodium
- 850
- Fiber
- 2
- Unsaturated Fat
- 16.5
- Protein
- 53
- Fat
- 38
- Cholesterol
- 215
- Trans Fat
- 0.2
- Calories
- 680
- Sugar
- 6