Juicy pan-grilled chicken breast smothered in a thick and glossy, sweet and savory glaze of balsamic vinegar, fig preserves, thyme, rosemary, garlic, and pan juices. Ridiculously easy, all in one pan, and ready in minutes. Perfect for the utmost flavor in a healthy weeknight dinner. 
The description at the top pretty much covers it. This sauce is magical. Put it on chicken or adapt to pork, flaky white fish, or salmon. Serve it on crostini with goat cheese. Pour it over baked brie (baked at 350ºF for 15 min). Lick it right out of the pan.
Any way you spin it, the glaze is fool-proof to make and just relies on a couple high-quality ingredients.
- Good balsamic– One thing that’s actually worth being picky about (Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale with a D.O.P. stamp for the very best, Condimento Balsamico I.G.P., or Balsamic of Modena I.G.P. for dressings or cooking with larger quantities).
- Fig preserves– Big fan of jams here. Invest in a few versatile flavors and the possibilities are endless (in glossy sauces like this one, atop waffles, mixed with BBQ sauce on pizza or pork…). And feel free to make your own preserves with whatever is in season, watching out for the short window for cranberries! This past season I have been loving on fig jam, which pairs beautifully with balsamic. My next choice subs for this recipe would be cranberry, blueberry, or blackberry.
- The Savory– Fresh sautéed garlic, thyme, and rosemary, along with salt and pepper, add the savory depth that makes this sauce worthy of a good piece of meat.
- The Umami– Double win for making the sauce in the same skillet after cooking the meat! (1) Another pan you don’t have to clean. (2) Deglazing with wine and broth allows you to pick up the mega-flavorful browned bits and effortlessly incorporate them right into the sauce. Any juices that accumulate after slicing the meat should go in too.
On the side I have crispy pesto-parmesan roasted golden potatoes, seared zucchini with garlic salt, and soft toasted multigrain naan.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 4-oz filets chicken breast
- sea salt and black pepper
- 1/2 clove fresh garlic, finely minced
- ~1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves and/or chopped rosemary
- 1 tsp dry white wine
- ~1 Tbsp chicken broth (low-sodium), as needed
- 2 tsp fig preserves
- 2 tsp good balsamic (see post)
Instructions
- For the most even cooking, pound chicken to even thickness. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat. Add chicken and cook over medium to medium-low 4-6 minutes per side, or until cooked through (thicker cuts may take longer). Technically the internal temp should be 165ºF. When pressed with the back of a fork, it should spring back with firmness and only a little give.
- Remove chicken from pan and set aside to rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- With the hot skillet over low heat, add garlic, herbs, and wine, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Add a splash of broth as needed while sautéing the herbs and garlic about 2 minutes. Lower heat, then stir in fig preserves and balsamic. Gently simmer about a minute, or until reduced to desired thickness.
- If while slicing the meat any juices happen to run out, pour the juices into the skillet to incorporate in the glaze.
- Plate chicken and spoon glaze over top.
