Balsamic Chicken

This is one of the first recipes I ever made as an adult.  You know, where you open up a cookbook and follow the recipes and act all proud of yourself for being so grown-up?  Prior to that, I'm pretty sure the only recipes I followed came from the side of the box in which the ingredients came.  

I'm also fairly certain that this recipe was made in an attempt to impress a date... I don't remember if that one ever worked out, but I do know that the next time I made this to impress a fella, we ended up dating for years.

Coincidence?  Who knows. But try it to impress someone and let me know how it works out.  You'll have to choose a side or two, of course, unless you want to fail at cooking impressions.  And no one wants to fail, soooo.....

BALSAMIC CHICKEN

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped red onion -- I sometimes sub in shallots, which are also to die for.

1 and 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh OR 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

4 [4-oz] skinned, boned chicken breast halves

1/3 cup seedless fruit preserves (raspberry, apricot, blackberry, or peach)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (more to taste)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1.     Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion; saute 5 minutes. Sprinkle thyme and 1/4 teaspoon salt over chicken. Add chicken to pan; saute 6 minutes on each side or until done.

2.     Reduce heat to medium. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, preserves, vinegar, and pepper to pan, stirring constantly until preserves melt. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve immediately.