Pan Seared Chicken with Bay Leaf Sauce

Everyone loves when I make my pan roasted chicken with bay leaf sauce.
I use homemade chicken stock, but the bay leaf gives the readymade
chicken stock a homemade flavor if you don't have homemade chicken
stock. Seasoning with salt and lemon at the end is the secret to a
delicious sauce. You can also add a pat of butter –if you use butter–
to finish the sauce.

Pan Roasted Chicken with Bay Leaf Sauce

4 Chicken Breasts
1-2 Tablespoons Oil-coconut, macadamia or olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tablespoon Potato Starch. Corn Starch or Tapioca Starch
1 Bay Leaf
1/4 tsp+1/8 tsp salt
fresh pepper to taste
1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon butter (optional)

Rinse chicken breasts off under cold running water. Salt and pepper
pieces well. Add oil to a large pan with a flat bottom over medium
heat. When pan is hot and oil is turns liquidy but NOT smoking, add
two chicken breasts. Cook in the pan until the skin is nicely brown–
about 5 minutes. When the skin is crispy and has a nice color,
transfer to a plate and turn over so colored side is facing up. Add
two more chicken breasts to hot pan to brown skin. When all the
chicken is seared well, turn the pieces over and cook in a 350 degree
oven for 35 minutes. Check to see if the pieces are cooked by cutting
open the biggest piece. Remove pan from oven and place chicken pieces
browned side up on a plate. Covered with aluminum foil and a cloth to
let rest. This allows the juices to be reabsorbed into the chicken.
Use the juices in the cooking pan to make the sauce.

Sauce: Remove the oil from the cooking pan by draining it off
carefully. Keep the browned bits to make the sauce. Mix 1 cup cold
chicken broth with potato starch together in bowl. Heat up pan. Then
add liquid to the hot pan stirring with a whisk so the brown bits
stuck to the pan lift up from the pan and get reabsorbed into the
gravy. Add 1 bay leaf. Whisk the sauce while it cooks so it doesn't
get lumpy. When it comes to a boil the potato starch is cooked and the
sauce is done. Add water if it is too thick. Season with salt, pepper
and lemon juice or another acidic liquid to balance the flavor.