Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts With Sage-Vermouth Sauce

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Dissolve salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Season chicken with pepper.
2. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat oil in 12-inch ovensafe skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place chicken breasts skin side down in skillet and cook until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes, reducing heat if pan begins to scorch. Flip chicken skin side up and continue to cook until lightly browned on second side, about 3 minutes.
3. Flip chicken skin side down and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until chicken registers 160 degrees, 15 to 18 minutes.
4. Using potholders (skillet handle will be hot) remove skillet from oven. Transfer chicken to serving platter and let rest while making sauce (if not making sauce, let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving).
5. FOR THE SAUCE: Being careful of hot skillet handle, pour off all but 1 teaspoon fat left in skillet, add shallot, and cook over medium-high heat until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, vermouth, and sage leaves, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened and measures 3⁄4 cup, about 5 minutes. Stir in any accumulated chicken juices; return to simmer and cook for 30 seconds.
6. Off heat, discard sage leaves and whisk in butter 1 piece at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over chicken and serve immediately.

PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH GARLIC-SHERRY SAUCE
Substitute 7 sliced garlic cloves for shallot and cook, stirring often, until garlic turns golden but not brown, about 1-1⁄2 minutes. Substitute dry sherry for dry vermouth and 2 sprigs fresh thyme for sage leaves. Stir 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon juice into sauce before seasoning with salt and pepper.

PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH ONION AND ALE SAUCE
Brown ale gives this sauce a nutty, toasty, bittersweet flavor. Newcastle Brown Ale and Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale are good choices.
Substitute 1⁄2 onion, sliced very thin, for shallot and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Substitute 1⁄2 cup brown ale for dry vermouth and 1 sprig fresh thyme for sage. Stir 1 bay leaf and 1 tablespoon brown sugar into skillet along with chicken broth. Stir 1⁄2 teaspoon cider vinegar into sauce before seasoning with salt and pepper.

PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH SWEET-TART RED WINE SAUCE
This sauce is a variation on the Italian sweet-sour flavor combination called agrodolce.
Substitute 1⁄4 cup red wine and 1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar for dry vermouth and 1 bay leaf for sage leaves. Stir 1 tablespoon sugar and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper into skillet with chicken broth.