Panfired Chicken Breasts With Oregano Garlic Butter - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
4 chicken breast halves, with skin and bones (2 to 2 1/4 lb)
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation

Mince garlic and mash to a paste with salt using a large heavy knife.
Mash together butter, oregano, red pepper flakes, and garlic paste with a fork until well blended.
Pat chicken dry.
Cut a 2-inch-long pocket horizontally in side of each chicken breast half and fill each pocket with 2 teaspoons oregano garlic butter.
Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook chicken, skin sides down, uncovered, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
Turn chicken over and cover skillet, then cook until chicken is just cooked through about 10 minutes more.
Spread remaining oregano garlic butter over skin of chicken.