Chicken with Apple, Onion and Cider Sauce

You know those sayings "sometimes you just have to hear it from someone else other than your mom until it sinks in"? Since I was little my mom always wanted me in the kitchen...BUT...since I was the baby.....I never did it, I just thought my older sister would do it for me. Not until recently when I got married and met some good friends did I really get in the kitchen and try to make things other than a grilled cheese!

Last night, I made chicken with apples, onions & cider sauce - a bit of a Spring hit on chicken! My friend, Kelly Pearce, has introduced me into the world of organics (not that each meal I make is organic) & "plating" your food nicely. Jared looks at me like I'm crazy when I say "Wait before you take your first bite, I want to take a quick photo!" But I think deep down he enjoys seeing me enjoy to cook for him.

Below is the recipe for what I made, along with a photo - thanks for inspiring me mom & Kelly!

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
• salt and pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large red onion, cut into large pieces
• 1 sweet cooking apple, cored and cut into large pieces
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 1 handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Place the chicken in the skillet smooth-side down and cook until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking dish and bake until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the onion and apple to the skillet, along with 1 tablespoon oil, if the pan is dry, and increase the heat to high. Cook, tossing, until the onion has wilted slightly and the apple is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the pan. Let the mixture boil until the vinegar becomes syrupy, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and return to a boil. Cook until the broth reduces by half. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and whisk in the butter.

Remove the chicken from the oven; add any collected juices to the sauce. Divide the chicken among four plates and spoon the apple, onion and pan sauce over each piece. Sprinkle with the parsley.