Blueberry Thyme Chicken (Printable Version)

Tender chicken breasts in a rich blueberry thyme sauce with balsamic and honey notes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Blueberry Thyme Sauce

04 - 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
05 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
06 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus extra for garnish
07 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
09 - 1 tablespoon honey
10 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

# Directions:

01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and sear for 5–6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil to rest.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped shallot to the same skillet and sauté for 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
04 - Add blueberries, thyme leaves, chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, and honey to the skillet. Simmer for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until blueberries burst and sauce reduces slightly.
05 - Remove skillet from heat and stir in butter until melted and sauce becomes smooth and glossy.
06 - Return chicken breasts to the skillet, turning to coat evenly with the blueberry-thyme sauce. Simmer for 1–2 minutes to heat through. Serve chicken topped with additional sauce and garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The blueberry sauce strikes that elusive balance between fancy enough for company but simple enough for a Tuesday
  • Everything happens in one pan, which means all those concentrated brown bits stay in the sauce where they belong
02 -
  • Patting the chicken completely dry before seasoning is the difference between a golden sear and steamed gray meat
  • The sauce will continue thickening off the heat, so pull it a minute earlier than you think you should
03 -
  • Do not use frozen blueberries that have been previously thawed and refrozen, they will never break down properly
  • If the sauce looks too thin, let it go another minute or two, it will tighten up as it cools slightly

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