Recipe: Chicken with Sweet Peppers and Balsamic Vinegar (chicken breasts)

CHICKEN WITH SWEET PEPPERS AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

"If the number of times a dish is made is the measure of how much we like it, then this is our favorite. Everyone in both of our families loves it; this was the first recipe each of the children wanted when leaving home, skillet in hand. With a side of plain pasta, a hunk of good bread, and a simple green salad, it is the perfect midweek supper. Make a pasta with thin strands, such as cappellini, and swirl it into nests; add a cruet of good olive oil for the bread; sprinkle some Gorgonzola on the salad; and it becomes a dinner fit for a Saturday night with friends. What makes this simple dish so wonderful is the rainbow of sweet pepper colors, an abundance of fresh herbs, and a splash of "top shelf" balsamic vinegar - the pricey stuff that costs at least ten dollars per bottle and is worth every penny. A real timesaving tip-buy the array of colorful peppers already sliced at the supermarket salad bar."

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
4 cups thinly sliced mixed red, yellow, orange and/or green bell peppers
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, divided use
3 tablespoons high-quality balsamic vinegar

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Saute the chicken over medium-high heat, turning once, until gold on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the bell peppers and onion, stirring often, until just softened, about 4 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Stir in about half of the basil and the vinegar. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the remaining basil and season with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings
Source: A Flash in the Pan by Brooke Dojny and Melanie Barnard