Yummy Chicken

Well, here goes! All those chicken recipes made me think of my one of my favorite chicken recipes. It's from America's Test Kitchen. I usually serve it sitting in the sauce; that way the kids get some of the taste of it without being grossed out because their food is touching.

Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts with Sweet-Tart Sauce with Tomato and Thyme

Chicken
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil (I usually just spray the pan good with spray fat.)

Sweet-Tart Sauce
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil (again with the spray fat)
1 shallot, minced (or 1/4 c. onion)
2 tsp. tomato paste
salt
1 c. chicken broth
1 Tbsp. white vinegar (The recipe calls for 3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar--any combo of mild vinegars would work. This is what I like and have on hand.)
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. dried thyme (2 tsp. fresh)
1 1/2 tsp. light brown sugar
3 Tbsp. butter (I only use 1)
pepper

For the chicken:
1. Spread the flour in a shallow dish.
2. Pound the thicker ends of the breasts to get an even piece of meat. (The thinner your meat, the quicker it cooks.) Pat dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. (I like garlic powder too.) Dredge through the flour to coat and shake off any excess.
3. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken and cook until light golden brown on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm in a 200 oven, if desired.

For the sauce:
Add the oil to the skillet and return to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the shallot, tomato paste, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook until the shallot is softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the broth, vinegar, thyme, and brown sugar, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until reduced and slightly syrupy, about 8 minutes. Stir in any accumulated chicken juice. Turn the heat to low and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time. Off the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste.