Pan-Fried Chicken Cutlets with Tomato Balsamic Sauce

Fennel seeds give this tomato and balsamic sauce an extra kick, but if you don't have them on hand, try using cumin or coriander seeds, or 1 tsp. of a ground herb or spice. Serve this easy chicken breast recipe with spaghetti or crusty bread to sop up the sauce. Save the unused chicken tenders in an airtight container in your freezer for up to 3 months. Once you have enough, thaw them out for another use.

2 (8 oz) chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
½ tsp. sea salt, divided
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground, divided
¼ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp. shallot, sliced
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fennel seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
1 Tbsp. butter

Remove and reserve chicken tenders (if attached) for another use. Slice each breast in half horizontally to make 4 pieces total. Place on a cutting board and cover with a large piece of plastic wrap. Lbs with the smooth side of a meat mallet or a heavy saucepan to an even thickness of about ¼". Sprinkle with ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish and dredge the cutlets to coat both sides, shaking off excess. (Discard remaining flour.)

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 pieces of chicken and cook, turning once, until evenly browned and cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a large serving plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, tomatoes and shallot to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 1-2 minutes. Add vinegar; bring to a boil. Cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the vinegar is reduced by about half, about 45 seconds. Add broth, garlic, fennel seeds and the remaining ¼ tsp. salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is reduced by about half, 4-7 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter. Serve the sauce over the chicken.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Serving Size: 3 oz chicken & 3 Tbsp. sauce. Per Serving: 294 calories; protein 25.4g; carbohydrates 9.5g; dietary fiber 1.5g; sugars 3.4g; fat 16.7g; saturated fat 4.1g; cholesterol 70.3mg; vitamin a iu 263.3IU; vitamin c 4mg; folate 7.7mcg; calcium 45.8mg; iron 2mg; magnesium 33.9mg; potassium 363.2mg; sodium 370.6mg.