Tender bone-in chicken breasts are flavored with a fresh herb and garlic butter rub, then roasted until golden brown. The savory pan juices and vegetables are used to make a creamy shallot beer gravy that can be drizzled over the chicken for even more flavor. This is a great alternative to turkey for your Thanksgiving dinner for two.
A Thanksgiving Dinner for Two
Some years my husband and I stay home for Thanksgiving instead of traveling to see family. Whether we’re traveling or staying home, I usually make the same amount of food. When we spend Thanksgiving at home, just the two of us, we end up with a lot of leftovers. Leftovers aren’t a bad thing, but it can be hard to finish them all when it’s just the two of us.
Enter these herb-roasted chicken breasts. Roasting two 1–1.5-pound chicken breasts gives us just enough for two, with the possibility of leftovers for dinner the following evening. You can substitute a 2–3-pound single bone-in turkey breast for the chicken. I’ve made this recipe with turkey breast, and I love it, though I usually opt for bone-in chicken breasts because they’re easier for me to find at the grocery store.
Many couples spend Thanksgiving at home instead of celebrating with a large crowd, while others stop in to see family or friends for dessert and coffee. They may be looking for small-batch recipes or dinner ideas for two to make their holiday feel a little more special. That’s why I wanted to put together a collection of recipes that are perfect for two during the holidays.
Leading up to Thanksgiving, I’ll be sharing small-batch side dishes that pair well with these herb-roasted chicken breasts. Some of the recipes include Belgian Tripel Cranberry Sauce, Sausage and Cornbread Dressing for Two, and Small-Batch Maple Dijon Whipped Sweet Potatoes. My Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Pull Apart Rolls will also work well if you’re looking for something a little different to serve this year. These recipes are great for Thanksgiving dinner, but they also work well for Christmas dinner ornaments an elegant Saturday or Sunday dinner.
Julie’s Recipe Notes & Tips
- Rub the herb butter under and on top of the skin. Gently loosen the skin and rub some of the herb butter directly onto the meat. Spread the remaining butter over the outside of the skin.
- Cook the chicken breasts in a cast iron skillet. Cast iron has superior heat retention and distributes heat more evenly and consistently than a glass or ceramic baking dish. Additionally, you can make the shallot beer gravy right in the skillet instead of dirtying another saucepan.
- Use a 10-inch cast iron skillet if the chicken breasts fit comfortably. You don’t want them overcrowded or pressed up against the sides of the skillet. It’s ok if there is minimal overlapping of the chicken breasts (make sure it’s the rib bone part and not the meaty part). When I made this recipe with a turkey breast, I used a baking dish because the single turkey breast was too large for my skillet. Two bone-in chicken breasts fit perfectly in my skillet.
- Arrange the aromatics in the bottom of the skillet before adding the chicken. They will act as a natural rack, keeping the chicken slightly elevated as it roasts.
- Use the broiler to add extra color to the chicken. After the chicken has finished roasting, turn the broiler to high and broil for a minute or two until the skin is golden brown. There’s no need to move the skillet to a higher oven rack to achieve this.
- Save the bones. Place the bones in a freezer-safe zip-top bag and freeze them for later use. You can use them to make chicken bone broth, which will be especially flavorful thanks to the herbs used to season the chicken. Use the broth to make a delicious gravy, too. You can even follow the gravy recipe in this post and use the bone broth in place of the pan juices.
- Herbs. You can substitute dried herbs for the fresh herbs by using ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, ⅓ teaspoon rubbed sage (or a scant ⅛ teaspoon ground sage), and a scant ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary. Rubbed sage is preferable to ground sage because ground sage can lend a bitter flavor to the dish.
- Beer. I used my husband’s homebrewed Belgian Tripel in the gravy. Store bought alternatives include St. Bernardus Tripel, Victory Golden Monkey, or Allagash Tripel. You could also use a lager or pilsner in place of the Tripel.
How to Make Herb Roasted Chicken Breast (Process Photos)
After the chicken is done roasting, you’ll want to make the savory gravy to serve with it. The gravy is also delicious drizzled over my sausage and cornbread dressing (recipe to come soon and once it is posted, I will link to it here). The gravy is made with the pan drippings and chicken broth as well as the garlic and shallot from the roasting skillet.
Herb Roasted Chicken Breast with Shallot Beer Gravy
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halfs (approximately 2–3 lb), preferably brined
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 tsp fresh sage finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme finely chopped
- ½ tsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
For the Roasting Pan
- 1 medium shallot quartered
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1/4-1/2 cup chicken broth
For the Shallot and Beer Gravy
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- The cooked shallot and garlic from the skillet/roasting pan finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
- ¼ cup Belgian Tripel beer
- 1¼ cups strained chicken roasting juices and low-sodium chicken broth combined
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
- Make the herb butter. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, sage, thyme, rosemary, lemon zest, and black pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Prepare the chicken breast. Pat the brined chicken breast dry with paper towels. Carefully loosen the skin from the breast meat with your fingers, being careful not to tear it.
- Season the chicken. You can skip the salt if you brined the chicken breasts. Sprinkle the chicken with kosher salt, including beneath the skin. Divide the herb butter between the two chicken breasts, spreading half under the skin and the remaining half over the skin.
Roast the Chicken
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Prepare the skillet (or baking dish). Arrange the quartered shallot, smashed garlic, thyme, and rosemary in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or small roasting pan. Pour ¼ cup chicken broth into the bottom of the skillet or pan.
- Arrange the chicken. Place the chicken breast skin-side up over the aromatics. Arrange the shallots beneath the chicken breasts to help keep them elevated.
- Roast the chicken. Put the skillet with the chicken into the oven and roast uncovered. Begin checking the internal temperature after approximately 45–50 minutes. Total cooking time will be around 50-60 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts.
- Monitor the chicken. Check the roasting liquid periodically. If the skillet begins to dry out or the drippings start to scorch, add a splash of broth. If the skin becomes too dark before the chicken finishes cooking, loosely tent the skillet with aluminum foil.
- Check for doneness. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, avoiding the bone. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Rest the chicken. Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board and loosely tent with aluminum foil. Let them rest while you prepare the gravy.
For the Shallot and Beer Gravy
- Collect the chicken juices and garlic and shallots. Remove the garlic and shallots from the skillet. Pour the liquid from the skillet through a fine mesh strainer into a measuring cup. Add enough chicken broth to the strained roasting juices to measure 1¼ cups total.
- Make the roux. Add the butter and finely chopped shallot and garlic reserved from the skillet into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Alternatively, you can make the gravy in the skillet that the chicken cooked in. Once the butter melts, sprinkle the flour over the butter and vegetables. Whisk continuously for approximately 1–2 minutes, until the flour is incorporated and the mixture turns lightly golden.
- Add the beer. Slowly pour in the beer while whisking continuously. The mixture will thicken quickly and may look pasty at first. Continue whisking until smooth.
- Add the broth and juices. Gradually whisk in the 1¼ cups of combined roasting juices and broth until fully incorporated.
- Simmer the gravy. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens and the beer flavor mellows.
- Season and adjust. Taste the gravy and add freshly ground black pepper and salt as needed. If the gravy becomes too thick, whisk in additional broth, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your preferred consistency. For an extra-smooth gravy, pulse it a few times with an immersion blender.
- Serve. Transfer the warm gravy to a gravy boat or serving pitcher and serve alongside the sliced herb butter roasted chicken breasts.
