One Pan Juicy Chicken Balsamic (Printable Version)

Golden chicken breasts in a rich balsamic glaze with garlic, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs. An easy one-pan weeknight dinner ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)

→ Sauce & Seasoning

07 - 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
08 - 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 2 tablespoons honey
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ For Serving (Optional)

13 - Fresh basil leaves

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper, pressing the seasoning into the meat.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken breasts and sear for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same pan, add red onion and sauté for 2 minutes until slightly softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
04 - Stir in cherry tomatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes until they start to release their juices and soften slightly.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, chicken broth, and honey until combined. Pour mixture into the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
06 - Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them among the vegetables. Sprinkle with thyme and chopped basil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12–15 minutes until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F).
07 - Remove lid and simmer uncovered for 2–3 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly.
08 - Transfer chicken and vegetables to serving plates. Spoon the balsamic pan sauce over the top and garnish with additional fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The balsamic reduction creates this impossibly rich glossy sauce that tastes like you spent hours making it
  • Clean up is literally one pan which means more time enjoying dinner and less time scrubbing
02 -
  • I once skipped the step of patting the chicken dry and the meat ended up steaming instead of searing so I never skip that step now
  • The sauce will look very thin when you first add it but it reduces beautifully during the simmering phase
03 -
  • If your sauce is too thick add a splash more broth and if it is too thin let it reduce uncovered for a few extra minutes
  • Swirling in a tablespoon of cold butter at the very end makes the sauce impossibly rich and glossy

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