Chicken Breasts with Tomato-Herb Pan Sauce

I feel like I keep harping on this subject – but I swear, this has been the worst summer in the 15 years I have lived in Seattle. We are back into red right now though with temperatures reaching into the high 70s, and you can hear the cheering from miles away – but unfortunately it came a little late this year, and it doesn’t look like we are going to have many cherry tomatoes to enjoy. My husband always planted a variety – some cherries, some big mamas, and some in between – but we always loved the cherries the best. Finally a couple of years ago – he made a big decision…the garden would only have cherry tomatoes. Why not grow just the good stuff? I thought we would be missing out – that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy that wonderful tomato sauce, or make salsa – but I was surprised. I could do all that with the cherry tomatoes, and they actually made everything taste sweeter and better!

I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit, and it sat in my pantry for quite a while waiting for the cherry tomatoes to turn ripe, when I finally couldn’t stand it any longer. I had to go to the market and actually pay for them. At least I was able to find them at the farmer’s market, where they looked reasonably fresh – although they were probably driven in from eastern Washington. Needless to say, this chicken dish was amazing. So sweet and delicious – the tender pieces of chicken took on that wonderful flavor, and it was just a party in my mouth. Even the kids liked the chicken, although I had to remove the tomatoes – but no problem at all, that meant more for me. I served this with some rice, and just scooped the leftover tomatoes on top of the rice – they were ridiculous. So if you live in a place that had a hot summer – and you are wondering what to do with all those cherry tomatoes – look no further…here is the recipe for you…enjoy!!!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram or oregano
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups mixed cherry tomatoes (11-12 ounces)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

Mash butter, garlic, marjoram, and paprika in a small bowl to blend. Season marjoram butter to taste with salt and pepper.

Melt 1 tablespoon marjoram butter in a medium heavy skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet, cover, and cook until no longer pink in center, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate. Tent chicken with foil to keep warm.

Increase heat to high. Add tomatoes to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to char and burst, about 5 minutes. Add remaining marjoram butter to skillet. Crush tomatoes slightly to release juices; stir 1 minute. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon tomato sauce over chicken. Garnish with parsley.