1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs grainy mustard
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbs minced fresh basil
1 tbs minced shallot OR onion
6 lg boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
6 fresh basil sprigs, for garnish (optional)

in a large bowl, blend the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, pepper, minced basil, and shallot or onion. toss the chicken with the marinade, cover, & refrigerate for 2 hours or more.

preheat the oven to 350°. arrange the chicken in a baking dish, & spoon 1/3 of the marinade over them, reserving the rest. bake, uncovered, 10 minutes, then baste with half of the remaining marinade. bake another 10 minutes and baste with the remaining marinade. bake another 10 minutes, or until cooked through. arrange the breasts on a heated platter, top with the pan juices, and garnish with sprigs of basil, if desired.

4-6 servings

4 chicken thighs
2 chicken breasts with skin & backbone, halved crosswise
2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup flour, for dredging
3 tbs olive oil
1 lg red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tbs drained capers
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

sprinkle the chcken pieces with 1 tsp each of salt & pepper. dredge in th flour to coat lightly.

in a lg heavy saute pan, heat the oil on medium-high. add the chicken pieces to the pan & saute just until brown, about 5 minutes. if all the chicken doesn’t fit in the pan, saute it in two batches. transfer the chicken to a plate & set aside. add the bell pepper, onion & garlic to the same pan & saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. add the wine & simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers & oregano. return the chicken pieces to the pan & turn them to coat with the sauce. bring the sauce to a simmer. continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, & 20 minutes for the thighs.

using tongs, tranfer the chicken to a serving platter. if necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. spoon off any excess fat from the top of the sauce. spoon the sauce over the chicken. sprinkle with the basil & serve.

4 servings

2 tbs chicken broth
1 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch ground ginger
1 boneless skinless chicken breast half
additional chicken broth
1/2 cup uncooked instant rice
2 tbs frozen peas

in a small resealable bag or shallow glass container, combine the first six ingredients. add chicken; seal bag or cover container. refrigerate for 1 hour. remove chicken from marinade & set marinade aside. broil the chicken for 12 minutes, or until juices run clear, turning once. meanwhile, add broth to marinade to measure 2/3 cup. pour into a small saucepan; bring to a boil. boil for 5 minutes. add rice & peas; cover & let stand 5 minutes. serve with chicken.

1 serving