Raspberry-Balsamic Chicken with Shallots

From EatingWell: April/May 2005 — Subscribe Now!

Tasty and flexible—what more could you want in a recipe? You could easily vary the flavors by making the dish with black cherry jam and red-wine vinegar, apricot jam and apple cider vinegar or orange marmalade and sherry vinegar.

READER'S COMMENT:

"This was SOOO good !! I plan on making it many times ! "

Raspberry-Balsamic Chicken with Shallots Recipe

4 servings

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (including 1 hour of marinating)

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

3/4 cup seedless all-fruit raspberry jam
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 4- to 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tenders removed (see Tip)
2 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots, (2-3 large)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

Preparation

Combine jam and vinegar in a small pan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring often, until the jam is dissolved, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in salt and pepper and let cool slightly. Reserve 1/2 cup of the sauce. Place chicken breasts and the rest of the sauce in a large sealable plastic bag. Seal and shake gently to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and thyme and cook, stirring often, until the shallots begin to soften, about 1 minute. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard marinade). Add the chicken to the pan and cook until just beginning to brown, 2 minutes on each side. Add the reserved raspberry sauce; stir to melt the jam and coat the chicken. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center, 6 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the sauce for up to 1 week.

Tip: Chicken tenders, virtually fat-free, are a strip of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of the chicken breast, but they can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. Tenders are perfect for quick stir-fries, chicken satay or kid-friendly breaded "chicken fingers."
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, arguably the most versatile cut of chicken, are very low in fat, only 1 to 2 grams of fat per serving. Conveniently, one 4- to 5-ounce breast, tender removed, yields a perfect 3-ounce cooked portion. When preparing, trim any excess fat from the outer edge of the breast.

Nutrition

Per serving: 296 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 66 mg cholesterol; 36 g carbohydrates; 27 g protein; 0 g fiber; 371 mg sodium; 370 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (28% daily value).

2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 1/2 other carbohydrate, 4 very lean meat