Sautéing Chicken and Thick Chops the French Way

This technique has a confusing name. Almost every cook, seeing the term “sauté,” is tempted to panfry the meat involved, but that is not what this technique is all about (about panfried meats).

This technique is very popular in France because it is fast, yields delicious meat, and lends itself to so many variations of tastes and combinations of vegetable garnishes that Escoffier listed sixty-four chicken sautés in his Guide Culinaire. The technique also works for larger veal rib chops that have been boned and turned into tournedos and to veal and lamb shoulder chops and sweetbreads of lamb.