Help with sauteeing chicken

There are a few dishes I make with skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces that require browning the chicken first. It seems I am always making these preparations in the Le Creuset. I get the pan very hot and first toss the chicken pieces in olive oil, salt and pepper, then begin the chicken skin down. What happens, despite how much oil is on the chicken, is the skin sticks to the pan and I end up having to scrape it off and try re-dressing the pieces with their own shriveled skin (sounds really gross huh?)

Now that I describe this "out-loud" I'm guessing that my pan should be at more of a medium or medium-high heat than red-hot. Is this all it is? Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

My inclination would be to season, but not oil, the chicken.

Heat the oil in the pan on medium high... then add the chicken pieces and don't move til browned on that side.

Yes, as Fred says, a little oil in the pan. Heat it medium hot and put a tablespoon, more or less, of olive oil in. The oil should wiggle around but not be wanting to smoke. Then put the chicken pieces, prepared as you say, in. They should start to sizzle in a few seconds, but not really fiercely.
I actually use an All-Clad "non-stick" skillet for that task, mostly because it's easier to manage as I'm tilting the skillet to shuffle things around.

I think you've mostly been getting the skillet too hot - and my mother always never got the skillet hot enough.

John

[Jenise]

What the guys said and what you suspect. Shouldn't need more than med-hi heat, oil goes in the pan not on the chicken, have the oil shimmering before the chix go in, and don't attempt to turn the chicken until it comes up cleanly--it will release from the pan when it has cooked enough.

Oil in the pan. Get it hot. Make sure any food you saute is completely dry before it hits the oil. Gee, I assumed everybody here knew the five techniques by now.

What everybody else said. But, I suspect the real culprit is turning the chicken too early. If the pan it hot when the oil hits it and the chicken is dry when it hits the oil, the problem is that you are trying to turn it before it has had a proper sear. From that point all else should work according to plan.

I don't know the "five techniques" Chef is talking about, but my suggestion would be to change your oil. Olive oil can't get to such a high heat without burning, try something like grapeseed oil instead. Also, the Le Creusets aren't designed to be heated that hot. We never have a problem with our non-stick Woll pan, but it's the only one I've come across that can be heated really high without damage.

I concur that the problem here is most likely that the oil should be heated in the pan and then the meat should be added.

I also can't stress enough what Chef said about the ingredients being dry before you add them. That's the step I always end up skimping on, and I get burned by that (pardon the pun).

-Paul W.

Thanks everyone for your input. I always do dry the chicken very well before oiling it, so I don't think that is it. Celia, I didn't know Le Creuset was not meant for high heat? I always sear meats on high heat before braising in the same pan. I guess I'll start turning down the burner a bit.

I definitely think it is in fact the high heat. The skin practically melts and falls apart before it has the chance to sear properly. I'll report back next time I do this (which probably won't be for a while.)

Thanks again.

Carrie, I'm not sure about how they hold up in practice, but from memory, the instructions that came with mine said medium to medium-low heat only...

I don't know the "five techniques" Chef is talking about, but my suggestion would be to change your oil. Olive oil can't get to such a high heat without burning, try something like grapeseed oil instead. Also, the Le Creusets aren't designed to be heated that hot. We never have a problem with our non-stick Woll pan, but it's the only one I've come across that can be heated really high without damage.

These:

http://www.amazon.com/Chef-Fire-Five-Te ... 296&sr=1-2

At one time I didn't bother drying the meat before putting it in the pan, but have found out the hard way that blotting meat dry with a paper towel before frying does help.

try this too: as you put the pieces in one at a time, move them around until the skin starts to cook. this constant movement should get them past the initial sticking phase.

Celia is correct about the heat. LC heats up very quickly and so a medium heat is usually enough to brown. I've had the same experience with the pan being too hot and ruining the nice skin on the chicken.

I've had the same experience with the pan being too hot and ruining the nice skin on the chicken.

Karen, that makes me feel somehow better. Thanks.

Oil in the pan. Get it hot. Make sure any food you saute is completely dry before it hits the oil. Gee, I assumed everybody here knew the five techniques by now.

Bought the book, Chef, and it was delivered Friday. A very nice reference book for the amature chef that I am, and thanks for the recommendation.

Drew

Ka-ching! One more royalty for the Chef.

Oil in the pan. Get it hot. Make sure any food you saute is completely dry before it hits the oil. Gee, I assumed everybody here knew the five techniques by now.

Bought the book, Chef, and it was delivered Friday. A very nice reference book for the amature chef that I am, and thanks for the recommendation.

Drew

Thanks, Drew!

Ka-ching! One more royalty for the Chef.

And I can go to my change jar and get a couple of quarters out and combine the royalty with that and - maybe - afford a cup of coffee.

Enough for Starbucks?

He said he wanted coffee, Larry, not burnt mud.

-Paul W.

Ka-ching! One more royalty for the Chef.

And I can go to my change jar and get a couple of quarters out and combine the royalty with that and - maybe - afford a cup of coffee.

Yeah, but not at StarBucks I bet...

Ooops I didn't see Larry's post...great minds, and all that..

He said he wanted coffee, Larry, not burnt mud.

-Paul W.

Agreed.