Balsamic Red Onion and Tomato Chicken

A dinner that has a cooked-all-day flavor doesn't have to take all day to cook. What?! How do you do that? Balsamic Red Onion and Tomato Chicken is full of rich caramelized onion and balsamic vinegar flavor and tastes like it was simmering all day long. In reality, in less than a half an hour, dinner will be on the table.

Thin cut chicken breasts are seasoned and sauteed until golden brown in a large saute pan. The same pan is used to caramelize the onions and prepare the balsamic vinegar and tomato based sauce that tops the chicken. Both tomato paste and chopped fresh tomatoes added a double dose of tomatoey flavor to the sauce.

With sides of wild rice and steamed broccoli, this dinner will please your family as well as the unexpected company that stops by on a Saturday night. And be sure to make plenty because the leftovers taste even better the next day. The sauce can be also served as an appetizer. Top toasted thin slices of a baguette with a spoonful of the sauce and a crumble of feta or goat cheese and serve.

Balsamic Red Onion and Tomato Chicken

serves about 4 - 5

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, sliced lengthwise into thin cutlets
Montreal Chicken Seasoning or other multi-purpose chicken seasoning
olive oil
2 cups red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped tomato
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper to taste

Season chicken with Montreal Chicken seasoning. Heat a large saute pan to medium high that has been drizzled with oil. Saute chicken in batches until golden brown. Place chicken on a platter and cover with foil. Set aside.

In the same pan, add a little oil if necessary and the onions. Saute for about 10 - 12 minutes or until wilted and beginning to caramelize and brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for about 2 - 3 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and reduce for a minute, scraping up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the tomato paste, chicken stock, and brown sugar. Add the butter and stir sauce until the butter has melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle the sauce over chicken and serve.