Chef John's Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

Acquire all necessary ingredients beforehand.

Preheat your oven to a high temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).

Sprinkle salt and ground black pepper liberally onto all sides of the chicken.

Heat a generous amount of olive oil over an elevated heat setting in an oven-safe skillet. Position the chicken skin-side down in the skillet and cook until it develops a rich, dark brown color on the bottom, approximately 5 minutes.

Flip the chicken over; combine the mushrooms with a small amount of salt in the skillet. Increase the heat to its highest level; cook, stirring the mushrooms occasionally, until they have reduced in size slightly, around 5 minutes.

Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in its center and the juices flow freely, 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius). Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate and loosely cover them with foil; set aside.

Return the skillet to the stovetop over an elevated heat setting; cook and stir the mushrooms until a layer of golden brown residue forms on the bottom of the pan, approximately 5 minutes. Pour water into the skillet and bring it to a rolling boil while scraping the browned residue off of the bottom of the pan. Cook until the water has been reduced by half, around 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in any accumulated juices from the chicken into the skillet. Stir butter into the mushroom mixture, stirring constantly until the butter is completely melted and incorporated.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the mushroom sauce over the chicken and serve.