Chicken with Cherry Tomato Pan Sauce

I'm going to consider this dish redemption for those of you who thought it was outrageous to put chicken fat pan-fried croutons and crispy chicken skins on Saturday's post and still call it a salad. (I know some of you were thinking it.)

The fresh herbs and colorful cherry tomatoes in this dish make the sauce naturally bright and sweet. If you can't find yellow or orange cherry tomatoes, you can use all red (but I do love the rich golden color you get when you mix it up). Of course flavor is always more important (especially if you don't normally do a photo shoot with your dinner), so as long as your tomatoes are sweet, you're already golden.

CHICKEN WITH CHERRY TOMATO PAN SAUCE

Makes 3 servings

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram or oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/2 cup white wine, plus more as needed

2 cups mixed cherry tomatoes (11-12 oz.)

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
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1.      Mash butter, garlic, marjoram and paprika in a small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2.      Melt 1 tablespoon butter mixture in a medium heavy skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Flip chicken over, cover and cook for 5 more minutes.

3.      Increase the heat to high, add 1/4 cup of the white wine to the pan with the chicken. Scrape up any bits stuck to the pan. Flip the chicken again. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to char and burst, about 8-10 minutes (if the pan gets too dry, add more white wine as needed). Add remaining butter mixture. Crush tomatoes slightly to release juices; stir 1 minute. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

4.      Serve chicken with tomato sauce spooned over the top. Garnish with parsley.

adapted from Bon Appétit, July 2011 

oregano (there was no marjoram at the store)

butter, garlic, oregano, paprika

butter mixed

butter melted, raw chicken in the pan

chicken flipped and wine added

You can see I mindlessly poured the wine directly over
that first piece of chicken (washing off all that herby-buttery
goodness). It doesn't really matter in the end though
(since it all ends up as sauce back on top of the chicken).

lovely farmer's market yellow and red cherry tomatoes

chicken flipped again and tomatoes added

tomatoes starting to burst a little

Try to watch yours a little more closely than I watched mine...
I let the pan get a little too dry before adding more white wine
and it got a little burnt along the edges (none of the food actually
burned, just the pan).

tomatoes crushed and looking very saucy

.