Basque-style Chicken

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless about 7 ounces each)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
• 2 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4 -inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons shallots (minced)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 cup wine (pinot grigio)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika, smokey hot
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1/2 cup diced tomato, cut into 3/4 -inch dice
• 1/4 cup nicoise olive

Recipe

• 1 place each chicken breast between two large pieces of plastic wrap. using the flat side of a meat mallet or heavy skillet, pound each breast until it is uniformly about one-fourth-inch thick.
• 2 season each.piece with one-fourth teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. place each breast on top of a large piece of plastic wrap or wax paper.
• 3 in a large skillet, heat the butter and 1 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. add the chicken, one piece at a time, and sauté until golden-brown, about 2 1/2 minutes on the first side and 30.seconds on the other. remove the chicken to a plate. set aside in a warm place.
• 4 drain the excess fat from the pan and add the remaining tablespoons of oil over medium heat. add the pancetta and sauté until browned, about 2 minutes. add the shallot and sauté for 1 minute, until tender,then add the garlic and sauté just until aromatic, a few seconds, being careful not to brown. add the wine, stirring to scrape up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan.
• 5 stir in the chicken broth, the paprika, thyme and tomatoes. allow the sauce to come to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes so that the flavors develop. stir in the olives.
• 6 add the chicken back to the pan, spooning the sauce over it. cook for 1 minute, then remove the chicken to a plate. spoon the sauce evenly over each piece, and serve immediately.