Recipe: Cranberry Almond Chicken (chicken breasts with cranberry-panko topping)

CRANBERRY ALMOND CHICKEN

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 shallots, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped leek (bulb and lower leaves)
FOR THE CRANBERRY TOPPING:
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

Place chicken in baking dish and bake 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine vinegar, syrup, nutmeg, shallots and leeks in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 10 minutes or until liquid is thickened and has reduced by half.

To prepare the cranberry topping, stir cranberries, panko, almonds, salt and pepper into butter until blended; set aside.

Remove chicken from oven, pour hot syrup mixture over chicken; sprinkle with cranberry topping and bake 5 to 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Use meat thermometer to ensure doneness.

Makes 4 servings
Source: June Upjohn in Nothin' Could Be Finer: A Callawassie Collection of Recipes from the Callawassie Garden Club