Chicken with Tomato Herb Pan Sauce

This recipe has been featured on multiple blogs lately, so I was really interested to see what all the hype was about and to see if it lived up to all the hype it was creating.  I knew I couldn’t go wrong with this recipe since it does include two of my favorite things: chicken and tomatoes.  I love chicken; it’s easy to cook and it’s a blank canvas if you’re in the mood to be creative and make your own recipe.  Tomatoes are a favorite of mine too; they are full of flavor and sweetness and there is nothing better than a vine ripened tomato.  I love how the flavor of tomatoes can be varied by different cooking methods and how they take on or compliment the flavor of anything they are paired with. 

This recipe is simple and yet so elegant.  The tomatoes, oregano, garlic and butter form such a wonderful pan sauce; it’s so good I could eat it by itself.  The chicken was full of flavor and cooked to perfection. Pan frying the chicken takes this dish to a whole new level and adds another layer of texture and crunch.  Pairing the chicken with the tomato pan sauce creates such a lucious and flavorful dish and it will literally leave you longing for more.  I am imagining all of the flavors now, and I can just taste it!  This is definitely a recipe that you must try.  I kept the sides simple; roasted apsaragus and garlic infused rice.  It’s easy enough for weeknight cooking but impressive enough to serve for guests.   

Chicken with Tomato Herb Pan Sauce

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 Tsp chopped fresh oregano
1/2 Tsp sweet paprika
1/8 Tsp garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tsp olive oil
2 Cups cherry tomatoes (11-12 ounces)
1 1/2 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to the lowest temperature possible. 

In a small bowl, mix together the butter, garlic, oregano, paprika, and 1/2 tablespoon parsly.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Place flour on a small plate.  Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and mix together.  Butterfly each chicken breast.  Working with one piece of chicken at a time, press both sides into the flour mixture.  Continue until all pieces are coated.

Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of the herbed butter mixture in a large skillet and place over low-medium heat.  Once butter is melted add the chicken and sautee until golden brown.  Flip the chicken and sautee for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove chicken from the skillet and place on a baking sheet.  Place baking sheet in the oven to keep chicken warm while making the sauce.

Increase heat to medium/high heat and add the tomatoes.  Cook, stirring occassionally, until they begin to char and burst, about 5 minutes. 

Recipe source:  Very slighty adapted from Cook Like A Champion, originally from Bon Appetit, July 2011