Guest Post: Chicken with Honey Balsamic Glaze

Hello everyone!  I'm not cooking very much at the moment (can you guess why?!), and so I have invited a few of my friends to come tell you what they're cooking in their kitchens!  Today's post is from Kristen at Just Thinking. Among other things, Kristen has many lovely recipes on her blog, so I'm really excited for her to share one with you!  Take it away Kristen:

Howdy!  

My name's Kristen and I spend a lot of time these days Just Thinking--and then blogging those thoughts!

I was so flattered when Lauren asked me to guest post on her blog!  I always enjoy reading her posts.

I had a difficult time deciding what to share with y'all, and then I stumbled upon a recipe!

It's one of many Weight Watchers recipes I've been trying since joining back in January.

Of course, I have to tweak the directions a bit on each one.

Here's my version of Chicken With Honey-Balsamic Glaze!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The first step is to trim the chicken.

Since I am following Weight Watchers, I also cut one breast down to 4 ounces--one serving size.

Mine's the small one on the left!

Next, measure out the thyme, salt and pepper.

Combine these dry ingredients in a small bowl.

Now, sprinkle half of the mixture evenly over the tops of the chicken breasts.

After sprinkling, press the mixture firmly into the chicken--this way it won't fall off while cooking!

After the top side is done, flip the breasts over and sprinkle the remaining half of the mixture over the uncoated sides, pressing it firmly into the meat as well.

Once the chicken breasts are prepared, heat the 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a large (preferably nonstick) skillet over medium-high heat.

Once the oil has heated, add the chicken!

Cook the chicken on medium-high heat for 7 to 8 minutes on each side until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and browned on both sides.  It might take a minute or two longer, depending on the thickness of the chicken breast.  Definitely watch carefully to avoid drying out the meat.

Once the chicken is done, transfer the chicken to a platter and keep it warm.

Next, in a small bowl, whisk together the 2 Tablespoons of honey and the 2 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.
Dump the mixture into into the skillet and simmer it on medium-low for one minute, or until the glaze thickens.

Do NOT simmer the glaze for more than 2-3 minutes--trust me!!
I simmered it for 5 minutes one time and it caramelized the honey, resulting in a hard, crunchy shell.
Definitely NOT the glaze I was going for lol.

This is a favorite recipe at our house--my husband really enjoys it!
It goes really well paired with green beans and red potatoes!
I hope that y'all enjoy this meal as much as we do :-).

Thanks, Kristen!  When I get back to cooking, I cannot wait to try this!  Happy eating, friends.